[Byron]

Agree with last line but he has to be very careful where he treads in this century and remember the Cold War was never really over.
Crimea could still escalate and crafty Mr Putin is playing a very clever and seemingly peaceful* game so far (his ballot papers are printed for the citizens to vote but the outcome of the referendum will not be recognised by the UK and the USA anyway).
He no doubt wishes to avenge the shame imposed on the Czar by France and Britain in 1854 and they have long memories over there. By rights Russia should have removed its Black Sea fleet upon Ukranian independence twenty years ago of course.

*Did a certain Adolf Hitler not also once tell us that his military mission in Europe was no more than to protect the Germans of the Sudetenland?