"but the USSR is dead and gone, much to Putin's chagrin and frustration."
It was Putins stalinist predecessors which dissolved the former USSR and re-introduced capitalism, but I think Putins chagrin and frustration is that after all that bowing and scraping to the wishes of US/NATO, they simply moved their military up to Russia's borders, tried to oust them from Syria and overthrew the elected pro Russian government of Yanukovych in Ukraine . Now they are targeting him like Hussein and Gaddafi . Wouldn't you be chagrined frustrated and worried, especially if you know the details of the grisly end to Hussein and Gaddafi ?
No I don't believe the US/NATO will be satisfied until both Russia and China are dissolved into impotent little statelets which are more easily exploited and manipulated. And they certainly seem prepared to initiate a nuclear world war to achieve those aims.
