'Panic-stricken' may not be the best choice of phrases, but the USA is now caught in a dilemma. Use of overwhelming force is not an acceptable option, repudiating the actions of the neo-cons is not acceptable for domestic political reasons and yet there remains the need, for domestic political reasons, to appear strong. So we play the economic sanctions card. But the world is changing and the effects of that card are diminishing. Worse use of sanctions and economic warfare will push forward in time ongoing developments which will make effective sanctions against Russia largely useless and counterproductive. That is why I consider that Obama having allowed what the USA did in the Ukraine over the last few years to have been amazingly shortsighted.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

It's not that plausible that they would be pushing Russia closer to China without realising what they are doing and at the same time be panic-stricken about it.

Hmm. As I get older, it seems to me that many - most - people are simply very bad at their jobs. So I don't find this contradictory.

State actors, bankers, and governments are not rational. Mostly they seem to have an IQ similar to that of an irritated rat.