Russian military actions in Georgia, Ukraine, and Syria may yet turn out to be the opening salvoes of a far bolder imperial drive. Even if Putin has not harbored serious plans so far for global conquests, success might fan his ambitions. However, we would also do well to remember that Putin’s Russia is far weaker than Stalin’s USSR, and unless it is joined by other countries such as China, it cannot support a new Cold War, let alone a full-blown world war.
