Russia threatens to use 'nuclear force' over Crimea and the Baltic states

[Man from Pickens]

17. It's not a matter of countries

Russia's clearly stated "red line" is a hostile military alliance setting up shop on its borders, not what any of its neighbors decide to do on their own as individual countries. The military alliance is directed from Washington DC mostly, and to some extent London and Berlin, none of which border Russia and none of which have the kind of skin in the game that Russia's neighbors have.

Every last action by the Russians has been preceded by a hostile action by NATO. They have been totally reactive.

The real problem here is that NATO, an organization which should have been shut down at the end of the Cold War, is on autopilot and needs hostility with Russia in order to justify its existence. In the absence of conflict in eastern Europe, NATO had to create it.

The whole situation is Strangelovian and it's not Russia that created the situation. They are doing exactly what we would do if the positions were reversed.