Are you Stupid? Worst case scenario, the world can get blasted to bits.
What country are you from?
It called World War 3 for a reasoned. Many country are going to get involved
Russia is not going to go to war with the U.S.
This is, basically, Russia being Russia. The culture embraces the idea of a somewhat boastful 'strong man.' You remember how Putin had his picture taken to portray him as being uber macho?
Same deal.
Russian fighters used to fly up next to our aircraft all the time during the Cold War. They'd even do such crazy shit as activate their tracking radars (considered an act of war, legally) and light up our aircraft as if they were going to launch a missile at them.
It's a sort of staring contest - try to make the other guy blink first.
And, certainly, you can't land back at the base without being able to tell your buddies: "Yeah, I totally could have blown those Americans away."
Russia just wants the rest of the world to know that they are back on the scene and not to be ignored. Putin wants the Russian people to think that they will succeed by following his policies and portrays himself as a strong man in internal propaganda.
There is a lot more that is done by Russia around the globe for the sake of internal propaganda than many people realize.
The lie that Crimea 'liberated itself' with 'militia' units? Not meant for us. It was meant to give Russians back home the belief that states within the old USSR are desiring a return to being under Russian influence/guidance - that they regret leaving Russia and/or that the leadership that wants to be separate from Russia is doing so because they are corrupt.
It wasn't meant to fool us.
In this regard - I think we misinterpret a lot of what Russia does.
While I am no fan of Putin or his tactics - I do not believe Russia is really our enemy or requires us to get involved in their affairs. If anything - our saber rattling over Ukraine is doing as much to escalate the issue as anything else. If push comes to shove - I believe Putin will commit to a war over Ukraine if simply so as not to appear weak - even if he realizes it is a costly decision.
It's a conflict that won't end through foreign intervention. Even Putin recognizes this. It's a war, essentially, between neighbors. Some want to be part of Russia. Others want to be part of Ukraine. Putin is under pressure from Russia to protect the Russians living in/around Ukraine while the West is trying to pressure Russia to respect Ukraine's decision to be independent.
It's essentially a Kosovo-esque conflict.
The last thing they need is a bunch of idiots preaching peace and holding meetings where the decisions will never be followed by the people who see fit to shoot their neighbors.
Short of sending in the armies to lay down a sort of martial law - there exists little 'external' solution to the problem (just as all of our peace talks never did a damned thing for Sarajevo). Of course - that isn't a solution because the Russians will see our 'martial law' as being biased against the Russians who want to be part of Russia - and we see a Russian military solution as the same thing.
But I digress.
I think it is great that Russia can afford to fly their bombers once again. We could use a few more bomb trucks over the skies of Syria.
