Please Forgive Me, But Please Respect Me Going Forward

Warning: For conspiracy buffs, this will be a very disappointing narrative. Also disappointing for those who think at least some of the world's leaders are capable of playing eleventy dimensional chess.

By Steven Lee Myers, New York Times, March 7/8, 2014

[....] An examination of the seismic events that set off the most threatening East-West confrontation since the Cold War era, based on Mr. Putin’s public remarks and interviews with officials, diplomats and analysts here, suggests that the Kremlin’s strategy emerged haphazardly, even misleadingly, over a tense and momentous week, as an emotional Mr. Putin acted out of what the officials described as a deep sense of betrayal and grievance, especially toward the United States and Europe...

By Mark Mazzetti, New York Times, March 7/8, 2014

A dispute over a classified C.I.A. report has led to a bitter fight between the agency and the Senate Intelligence Committee, with each side accusing the other of spying.