into the russians�* perspective on this. what do you read into the russian build—up of troops? is itjust posturing and trying to blackmail the west or is there real danger there, do you think? i mean, i think putin is not adversed to brinkmanship. i think he does engage in brinkmanship. but i would not say that he's bluffing. you've got a massive build—up of military forces and it's like anton chekhov said. — "from act one, you have a gun on the stage, "in act three, it is bound to go off." so i would not underestimate what we're seeing now with russia, but that said, i would say that putin has not made up his mind. i don't think he has made up his mind. i think he is shopping for various possibilities. he's trying to see whether concessions may be made, whether he may be able to get his way somewhere so i think that actually allows opportunity to engage in diplomacy and we should be engaging in diplomacy and we should try diplomacy until the very, very end.