Daniel Treisman says Putin often takes anti-American stances to shore up his support . He writes that the Snowden affair has put Putin in a difficult bind . He says Putin ca n't be seen to be subservient to U.S. but does n't want a fight . Treisman : " The Russian leader is trying to keep his options open, and he wants to avoid an escalation of tensions with Washington over Ukraine or Syria.
Daniel Treisman says Putin often takes anti-American stances to shore up his support . He writes that the Snowden affair has put Putin in a difficult bind . He says Putin ca n't be seen to be subservient to U.S. but does n't want a fight . Treisman : U.S. needs Russian support on some key international issues .