the empire operates with out any 'ethics' all the time. the question is why the putin doesn't act in the face of their provocations. i wonder as well; 

 

The Issue is Hegemony and its victims are unaware

Paul Craig Roberts

In the Western World, and perhaps worldwide, Russia’s unwillingness to retaliate for the destruction of the Nord Stream Pipeline hurt Russia’s prestige and convinced Washington’s Zionist neoconservatives that Putin’s Russia was a paper tiger. In fact, Washington was already convinced, or Washington would not have dared to blow up the pipeline bringing Russian energy to Europe.  Try to imagine Washington pulling such an aggressive attack on Russia when there was the Soviet Union. Putin has gone along with Washington’s pretense that it is unknown who is responsible.  Certainly, Putin doesn’t want it blamed on Washington as he would be expected to do something about it.

But he wouldn’t.  Just like he wouldn’t do anything about Washington’s attack on the Russian strategic bomber fleet.  Just like he wouldn’t do anything about Washington’s attempt to kill him in his home with missile attacks. Just like he won’t do anything about the capture of Russian oil tankers.  Just like he refuses to use sufficient force to end a minor conflict that is turning into one of the longest wars in recent times, ever-widening into strikes deep into Russian civilian and energy production areas.

All Putin does is fawn over Trump, never missing an opportunity to send a greeting and express his openness to negotiations.

I call him Putin the Unready for good reason.  The Wolfowitz Doctrine that the principle goal of US foreign policy is to prevent the rise of any power that could serve as a constraint on Washington as the uni-polar power has been known since the Soviet collapse.  But apparently not in the Putin Kremlin. Putin was caught completely off guard by Washington-instigated attack by Georgia, a former province of Russia,  on South Ossetia in 2008.  At least Putin did something about this, but it was the last time there was a Russian response to provocations.  Instead, the Russian foreign policy community started talking about a “New Yalta.”...........more..........