But with important exceptions - they have an immense nuclear arsenal, so that alone should make as prefer that lines of communication remain open. And they have sizable conventional forces, but I think they are more regional power than global superpower a this point. Their cyberwarfare is indicative of a relatively weak country. They are attempting in cyberspace what they could never achieve in the physical world.

Trump's support for Putin over our own intel services should be opposed by everyone. And Trump needs to be much stronger on cyber security on all levels - I don't buy the Trump apologist arguments that "hey, election interference is nothing new, we do it too, no big deal". It is a very big deal - the ways one can impact the inner workings of free societies are completely different from anytime in our past. We couldn't do the same thing to Russia if we wanted to, because they don't have real elections, and censorship is a way of life for them.

Trump's refusal to hold Putin's feet to the fire validates his use of this newly available weapon (because of the Internet, social media, etc) in 2016, and IMO gives him the green light to keep on doing it. Almost as though Trump wants him to keep doing it. Which only reduces the advantages we have over Russia in every other way - it is just one of several ways that Trump elevated Putin yesterday.

So I have a lot to complain about. But Matt's complaint isn't one of mine.