Why Crimea is not the start of a new Cold War.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's provocative moves over the last couple of months have prompted some to ask if there is a new Cold War between the United States and Russia. The reason why the current sorry state of US-Russian relations does not amount to a new Cold War can be summed up in one word: ideology, or perhaps more properly, the lack of it. Whereas during the Cold War the Soviet Union was motivated at least in part by Marxist-Leninist ideology to carry on the "class struggle" against capitalism around the world (most notably from 1975-1980 when no fewer than 10 additional nations joined the communist camp) Putin seems to be driven more by old-fashioned nationalism and hunger for power.