On COI #234, Kyle Anzalone and Connor Freeman discuss the February 16th non-invasion of Ukraine, the state of U.S.-Russia tensions, and the latest Iran/JCPOA news. Kyle covers the Biden administration’s dubious claims of a Wednesday Russian attack falling flat. The legislative branch continues to put forward competing bills that would sanction the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and commence a massive economic war on Russia. Goading Moscow, NATO continues to talk up further troop deployments to member states including on the Black Sea. The Russians announced a partial troop withdrawal from Crimea as well as from the western Russian bases near Ukraine. Moscow’s claims are questioned by NATO and Washington. The status of said withdrawal has yet to be confirmed. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has told Putin to intensify diplomatic talks with the Americans. Putin has said he will not recognize the Donbas breakaway republics because he supports the MINSK agreements. Connor covers the latest on the Vienna talks as well as Israel’s efforts to build up an anti-Iran regional alliance. All delegations to the JCPOA negotiations seemingly agree that the parties have reached the final stage where political decisions must imminently be made. The American hawks continue to hype the short Iranian nuclear “breakout” period. Tel Aviv has sent diplomats to Vienna. Israeli fighter jets accompanied an American B-52 bomber to the Persian Gulf. Israel is reportedly agitating Washington to redesignate Yemen’s Houthis as terrorists. Israel is also expanding ties militarily with Gulf dictatorships such as the UAE and Bahrain, something Biden’s nominee for CENTCOM chief is keen on promoting and assisting.