When you prod, antagonize and humiliate a bear, one should expect to get mauled!

Ukraine was badly managed and for the $5bn (as stated by Victoria Nuland) invested in Ukraine's aspiration for democracy, the results are quite appalling: government installed by coup, Russia gets Crimea, civil war, jews leaving western Ukraine out of fear of the fascist jack boot, the Novorussia project and the reigniting of the cold war. I would say that was money badly spent and someone should be sacked.

All the hand wringing and Putin this and Putin is a thug and all that, well, Putin has moved exactly as predicted. So either they knew this and wanted all of the above, or they really are as thick as the proverbial.

I personally think the latter reinforced with a state department gone rogue and the witless bewildered enchantment of the EU politicians.