This is what I don't understand: why is it America's job to control the situation in the Ukraine? Does this make the prime minster of Canada look weak? Is the President of France the bitch of Putin because of this? Why does OBAMA look weak? What the hell does he really have to do with it?

The idea that the president of America can and should stop any world leader from doing anything - even when it has nothing to do with America - is weird to me.

Well obviously Putin is stronger.

Putin is an extremely strong man. All American presidents pale in comparison.

I am English and I voted Putin. I also agree with Russia on this issue.

Hitler was strong too. That isn't a good kind of strength.

I mean, ex-KGB operative, so no one American president could've taken him mano-a-mano since the first George Bush who fought in WWII and had CIA experience. Clinton avoided the Vietnam draft as a Rhodes Scholar, while Bush the second infamously got around it due to Daddy, and Obama's too young to know the draft and not a professional soldier.

They are both sinners (just like the rest of us), both have flaws (just like the rest of us), and both make absolutely horrible decisions as leaders (just like any of us would if we had that much power).

Putin is Russia's George W. He's a war mongering, posturing, insecure little douche bag who's always trying to come off as a big bad, alpha male. In reality, he's probably got a 3 inch penis with Mommy and Daddy issues and cries himself to sleep every night.

Russia was going to lose Ukraine as soon as the government was overthrown and replaced with a new Pro-EU government.  It was either lose the entire country or take a piece and show the West that Russia can do what it pleases. Russia is only a shadow of the Soviet Union but even so it managed to prove to the world that most Western leaders are not prepared to deal with a crisis such as the one in Crimea.

The only logical step is to reduce reliance on Russian natural resources but do you risk that to fall into the hands of your rival (China)? Putin knew that he had to act and gain something out of the situation, and he did. I doubt NATO will do much against Russia in the future as long as Russian natural resources benefit Europe.

I like your otimissim about Ukraine, however Ukraine has been suffering from mass corruption since becoming indepedant and these problems are likely going to continue at least into the near future. That alone is a major problem facing Ukraine and it's future and another thing, other than being a buffer with Russia what will Ukraine benefit to the West? As for your trade and energy deals, most of Ukraine's energy comes from Russia, so either if the West or Ukraine likes it or not Russia is going to continue to be a power in that region.

It's clear Putin is a stronger leader than Obama. By no means does that mean I support him, he's still a brutal dictator with a cult of personality around him but he puts his money where his mouth is. Obama is very idealistic, which is not a bad thing however he does not know how to deal with opposition and as a result his ideas fall short when it comes to practice.

it's not that Putin is a stronger leader so much as the Russian people are less rebellious than Americans so it makes him look more powerful. Americans take for granted how much we get to bitch about the government and life in general, they don't have that as much there, they suck it up and believe in their Government more than we do. take Pussy Riot for an example most of their supporters aren't in Russia.