If I was to guess at what V. Putin has in mind for the Russian Federation after the Ukraine is dismembered or neutralized, one could do worse than look at a map of Europe in 1914. Putin has been harking back in recent speeches to a pre-Bolshevik Russia - which can really only mean Tsarist Russia - in support of his claims for 'security.' What might that look like?

Well, for a start, Ukraine is a part of Russia. So is Poland. So too Finland. Add to that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Perhaps a sliver of Northern Romania.

All of the those now independent nations are members of NATO, except Finland and Ukraine. It is too late now for the latter, but I think the Finns might want to reconsider their position. Seriously!