When you said "they're playing a game" and "the ball is on Bush's court" I thought that, after all the nice words 5+ years ago, Putin is saying "you want to play hardball? Let's play hardball".

And one can say Russian policy has been consistent over the years. It's US policy that is constantly shifting with respect to others and assigning the role of "bad guy" here and there.

But the current showdown over the missile shield has been an announced disaster since Bush assumed office, and is following entirely predictable lines.

Bush is a symptom, not the disease.