Having been quiet for a few days, comfortable sitting back and watching NATO, Europe, and the US escalate each other's talking points to a frenzy of populist revolt, Russia's Vladimir Putin has come out swinging this morning:

*PUTIN: NO MATTER WHAT U.S. DOES, IT TURNS OUT LIKE LIBYA, IRAQ

*PUTIN SAYS UN CAN'T BE FOREIGN POLICY TOOL FOR U.S., ALLIES

*PUTIN: EUROPEAN LEADERS FAR FROM SHOWING INDEPENDENT THINKING

*PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA IS COUNTRY THAT DOESN'T FEAR ANYTHING

In addition to discussions of The Bolsheviks, agreeing Stalin was a tyrant, and slamming liberal economic models for creating crises, Putin notes his approval rating is high because "he is confident he's right."

Some more fun soundbites:

*PUTIN SAYS BOLSHEVIKS BETRAYED NATIONAL INTERESTS IN WWI

*PUTIN SAYS UNFORTUNATELY SUCH PEOPLE IN RUSSIA TODAY

*PUTIN SAYS LIBERAL ECONOMIC MODEL LEADS TO BUILDUP OF CRISES

*PUTIN SAYS NOBODY DENIES STALIN WAS A TYRANT

*PUTIN SAYS LEADERS WIN SUPPORT BY BEING CONFIDENT THEY'RE RIGHT

*PUTIN: FIGHTS AT UN SOMETIMES FIERCER THAN DURING COLD WAR

*PUTIN SAYS UNITED NATIONS NOT ALWAYS EFFECTIVE

And perhaps of most note... just as Obama pronounced yesterday that US would not engage militarily:

*PUTIN: RUSSIA FAR AWAY FROM BEING SUCKED IN GLOBAL CONFLICT

But...

*PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA IS NUCLEAR POWER, STRENGTHENING CAPABILITIES

*PUTIN: RUSSIA STRENGTHENS ARSENAL TO FEEL SAFE, NOT THREATEN

*PUTIN: DON'T THINK ANYONE SEEKS LARGE-SCALE CONFLICT W/ RUSSIA

* * *

So - just like the Cold War - military build-up on either side and constant escalation in tensions...