NOTHING TO SEE, NOTHING TO SEE – AT 8:47 A.M. ET:   Are you as impressed as I am by the success of Obama's reset with Russia, as executed by that renowned diplomat and orator, Hillary ("I needed the money") Clinton?  Just see how far we've come toward a serene, peaceful world.  From Reuters: 

KUBINKA, Russia (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday Russia would add more than 40 new intercontinental ballistic missiles to its nuclear arsenal this year and a defense official accused NATO of provoking a new arms race.

Putin made his announcement a day after Russian officials denounced a U.S. plan to station tanks and heavy weapons in NATO states on Russia's border as the most aggressive U.S. act since the Cold War.

"More than 40 new intercontinental ballistic missiles able to overcome even the most technically advanced anti-missile defense systems will be added to the make-up of the nuclear arsenal this year," Putin, flanked by army officers, said in a speech to a military and arms fair.

Tension is high between Russia and the United States over the crisis in Ukraine and Washington and Moscow have disagreements on a range of other issues.

Russian officials have warned that Moscow will retaliate if the United States carries out the plan to store heavy military equipment in eastern Europe, including in the Baltic states that were once part of the Soviet Union.

COMMENT:  Why is Putin sounding so tough?  Because he can get away with it.  He knows Obama will back down.  And back down from what?  The plan to store some heavy equipment on some NATO borders is a borderline joke.  Very little equipment is involved, maybe enough for a few hundred troops.  Obama has no intention of doing anything serious.  Notice how much he's done to lift Moscow's grip on Ukraine.

This is the price of weakness, and that weakness can lead to an eventual clash in central Europe.

June 16, 2015