In addition, Russia also enjoys a military edge. As the New York Times' chief military correspondent Michael Gordon wrote in the Times, Russia has skillfully employed 21stt-century tactics that combine cyber warfare, an energetic information campaign and the use of highly trained special operation troops to seize the initiative from the West.

Gordon also reflects the West's worries about the implications of the Russian military to the security of Moldova, Georgia, Central Asia nations and even the Central European nations that are NATO members.

Russia is conducting large-scale military exercises along its border with Ukraine, presumably "to cool down the hotheads in Kiev."

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland's hand-picked "our Yats", the interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, even made the alarming cry that Putin is about to start WWIII!

To meet that threat, Washington and its European allies are to step up their sanctions against Russia. But how far they will go remains to be seen, as EU is reluctant to go along with it. Trade between the EU and Russia amounted to almost $370 billion in 2012, while U.S. trade with Russia was only about $26 billion that year. And about one quarter of EU's gas supplies originate in Russia. So until recently, it had lobbied to block or at least dilute any sanctions.

As Obama's public support falls below 50 percent, polls show that in the coming mid-term elections, the Republicans will be able to maintain their majority in the House of Representatives and could take over the Senate. That is another piece of bad news for the embattled U.S. president.

The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.h5a3.com/opinion/zhaojinglun.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.