In case you haven't noticed, America kinda really is as bad ass as you say. > "gain near-absolute freedom to act lawlessly and unilaterly around the world with

In case you haven't noticed, America kinda really is as bad ass as you say. > "gain near-absolute freedom to act lawlessly and unilaterly around the world with impunity" We have that. That's what you're witnessing. The United States has 750 military bases across the world. We have more strategic power stationed in foreign countries than the local military. Our navy has 19 ships which could be considered aircraft carriers. We have the most space based defense assets of anyone in space. Space Command is just that, with a real dominating view of orbit. We can project our authority ANYWHERE on earth at a moments notice. And when we come; you don't see us coming. We earned this reputation. You just witnessed russia spend 10% of its ground units to gain virtually nothing. We spent 20 years in Afghanistan and Iraq after destroying their military in mere days. We still lost. Russia can not, will not, win. They just embarrassed themselves in front of the world. A retired US General recently put it best when he compared the strength of the Russian military to the Vermont National Guard. Russia thought they had modernized their military but obviously they just blew it so out of proportion that they can no longer effectively control or maintain it. I see no reason to bend to russia. They are obviously losing and they are embarrassing themselves in the process. If anything, more countries will join NATO after seeing such a pathetic offensive from an obviously broken Russia.