We should think about potential “shocks,” the most troubling of which would be if Putin performed a “reverse Nixon” and played his own version of the “China card.” The world system, and American influence in it, would be completely upended if Moscow and Beijing aligned more closely. Perhaps a good American strategy would be to play a “Russia card” first. Obama tried to do so with his “reset.” Trump wanted to do this, but he was derailed by the electioneering apparently orchestrated by Moscow. Still it is not too late for such a move. After all, the United States works closely with Russia on space operations. Is it a bridge too far to hope for more cooperation at the terrestrial level?