The U.S. has become the sort of bully that it used to accuse the Russians of being, trying to bully Russia and picking on other nations when it can get away with it—usually weak little nations that can hardly fight back, like Afghanistan and Iraq. You'd think the American government would almost be ashamed to pick fights with some of these weak little third world countries, full of poverty-stricken people and dinky little antiquated, untrained and under-equipped military forces!

So Russia is starting to stand its ground rather than give up any more ground. The U.S. isn't as bright and shiny and attractive as it used to be! The U.S., by its own blustering, bullying, self-righteous, obnoxious ways, is managing to turn nations and governments against it all by itself! So one so-called superpower is declining and it'll be interesting to see what—and who—comes next!
Ted Rudow III,MA