that will stick, we need to recognize that issues at stake are not personal, and that they are larger than obama's weakness and putin's paranoia. let's get started. in the midst of a crisis like crimea, the president's national security adviser is charged with keeping the president up to the minute on developments, advising the president how to proceed, and ensure that the president's decisions are actually carried out. until nine months ago that job belonged to my next guest, tom donilon. welcome back to the show, tom. >> thank you, fareed. good to see you. good morning. >> my impression is on the basis of some intelligence reports that we've heard about at cnn, that russian forces are consolidating their control over crimea. in fact, perhaps even poised to do more than that.