User blog comment:Eastward Expansion/The Russian Bear (Book Review Part 3)/@comment-461469-20100802024341

They may have to step down anyway because of the oil and gas that Russia has, and Russia can threaten all of Europe to a cold, dark winter, which has already been done to Ukraine, and will be completely unacceptable to the people, so forcing NATO to back down. Sure, the image of a Soviet Dictatorship is being forgotten, but whats going to replace it? I'm certain it won't be a cute and fuzzy democracy as we know it.