the united states government is already assessed that they are our biggest threat, slash competitor, and in a sense, would russia benefit from the end of russia's top tier status? >> there used to be a moment in u.s. diplomacy, especially post-world war ii, and they were building up their alliances. around the clinton administration, fast forward through obama, you start hearing about a reset, or a pivot, in asia. whether or not that is successful, is another debate. there was a recognition that china is looming large on the world stage. they are the ones who have built straight with southeast asia, and there is the constant threat of their military in the south china sea. if they can play both sides right, if they can pull away from russia just enough to keep the united states happy, you have a hermetically sealed, soviet era type russia, which never had the economic power china did.