James Clapper: “I often wonder whether Mr. Putin will rue the day he decided to come back.”

I think this reflects Russian insecurity. And it's almost like, Putin needs a rhetorical security blanket, of making threats, like this.

I think right now, they're assessing the administration -- that's the National Security Council specifically, is assessing the impacts of this first round of strikes.

I think the reason they were taken off the list was to provide an inducement or motivation for them to agree to some sort of ceasefire.

I think it has more to do with the psychology of Putin, and Russia. And he needs to assure his own people, Parliamentarians, he was talking to, and for that matter, himself, that Russia is still a great power.