Does the Crimea Issue Presage Cold War II？

AN overwhelming 96.6 per- cent of Crimeans voted in the referendum on March 16 to secede from Ukraine andjoin the Russian Federation. President Vladimir Putin welcomed Crimea＇s re- turn, and signed a decree on March 18 confirming the region as part of Russia. The move triggered sanctions from the U.S., EU and Japan. Russia retaliated with a list of senior U.S. officials andlawmakers now banned from entering its territory.