> Nothing the Russians say about the origins of the conflict seem very credible. A more plausible origin is Putin’s megalomania and paranoid fear of being event

> Nothing the Russians say about the origins of the conflict seem very credible. A more plausible origin is Putin’s megalomania and paranoid fear of being eventually displaced by a homegrown pro-Europe, pro-democracy movement in Russia. Ideology seems to be part of it but Russian security concerns are part of it too. Suggesting that NATO expansion was a mistake is not the same thing as blaming this war on NATO. Anyone who does blame NATO should ask themselves why Ukraine wanted to join in the first place (because the Ukrainians know the Russians won't respect their sovereignty).