Better to Be Feared Than Mocked?

Is it safe to understimate the cynical, cold-blooded opportunism of Vladimir Putin as we prepare for the "we are the world" international sporting event at Sochi?

With the news of the utter failure of Russia to prepare for the winter olympics in Sochi, would I be excessively paranoid if I wondered if Putin would prefer a military crisis with Ukraine to distract from the horrible mess that Sochi appears to be just days away from world media focus?

Probably not.

But I will hold open the possibility that I'm being paranoid by thinking that the winter Olympics are just a way to get lots of Western hostages inside a ring of steel at Sochi to guarantee Western and Chinese good behavior while Russia tears away chunks of Ukraine.

I really miss it when the honesty of Soviet Bloc judges at the women's figure skating events was the biggest worry.