I agree with everything you said in your post #140 . And thank you for the reasoned response. Too often the topic degenerates into name-calling matches.
My post #47 was not meant to be from a neutral point of view. Instead I wanted the reader to look at things from the Russian point of view. That does not mean the Russian view is correct!
However, when dealing with any adversary you must take into account how he views things, even if he’s viewing things wrong.
I suppose, in a way, it’s like playing heads-up poker. You shouldn’t consider who has the best hand. Instead, you should consider who your opponent THINKS has the best hand.
See what I mean?
If Russians really do feel that they need a buffer then they will want to subjugate not only Ukraine but also the Baltics and all of the former eastern bloc.