President Putin was a smart, tough reserved man who was making Russia rich, influential in the world and strong. President Medvedev has reacted highly out of proportion to the situation in Ossetia. People in the west think we will soon see him pounding his shoe on the table at the United Nations: remember Kruschev? (And remember DoP, no matter what my political commentary is, and how it varies from yours, I still consider you a friend.) Mike