Robert Gates: “Your point that the Guard and Reserve are manned by professionals is a very good one.”

He's going to insist on occupying all four of the eastern provinces of the Donbas.

I think the president is — based on what I read — is getting the sense that, as he put it, that Putin is 'tapping' him along.

Putin feels that he has a destiny to recreate the Russian Empire.

I think appearances do matter.