Not the only test, but an important one.

I never thought I'd be glad that President-Elect Obama named his opponent Hillary Clinton to his cabinet, but I think she'll be a magnificent Secretary of State, especially given that one of the first tests he'll face will be Russia. And given how blind the Pentagon is about the issue. Anyone can be a threat, and refusing to acknowledge the provocation will only make the Russian government bolder.

And yes, Russia is trying to provoke and control us, just as they attempt to control their own populace. Their gift to Lebanon is likely to destabilize the region just a little--maybe enough to keep Israel from destroying Iran's newly acquired nuclear abilities, maybe not. It will definitely take Israel's attention from other things in the Middle East that they've been watching--like terrorist training facilities in the Gaza Strip and in Syria. With that attention gone, the terrorist organizations have more freedom to move.

And to strike.

While Russia is definitely a test that President-Elect Obama must face--and pass--it's not the only one, or even the most important; however, several other tests' success hinge on this one.