russia takes crimea, us took iraq.
putin says, why is the us different?
it's an awkward question.
is the answer "exceptionalism"?
i think that's what putin thinks it is.
but it is hard to argue exceptionalism if you have lost your moral authority.
maybe out of the events in crimea comes a process which defines how and when intervention in a country's internal affairs is allowable.
different rules for different countries is not a good model.
iraq still echoes.