MAIL COMMENT: Why brutal Putin doesn't fear the West

We don't yet know the full extent of the horrors inflicted in this murderous war, but we can be sure of one thing: the killing won't stop until it reaches a 'logical conclusion' and Putin gets what he wants.

But then why should anyone be surprised, when brutality has always been the mark of his regime?

The former KGB man Putin almost certainly authorised the murder of Alexander Litvinenko in London

This is the former KGB man who almost certainly authorised the murder of Alexander Litvinenko in London. The same thuggish instincts lie behind the way he rattles his rockets, bullies former Soviet colonies, ruthlessly uses Russia's gas supplies as a weapon and uses strongarm tactics against BP and Shell.

And while some argue  -  as Owen Matthews does on this page  -  that under Putin's watch, Russia's power in the world has shrunk drastically, the Western response can only be described as pitiful.

Instead of challenging Putin, we appeased him by inviting Russia with its ramshackle economy to join the G8. We welcomed himinto the Council of Europe, even though he despises its values.

And while crisis simmered in Georgia, the mistakes went on.

America hailed that country as a model democracy when in fact its hothead leader Mikhail Saakashvili came to power by a coup, is increasingly authoritarian and stupidly ignited this crisis by bombing pro-Russian civilians in Ossetia.

Saakashvili is plainly a dodgy character, yet the U.S. (tamely supported by Britain, as usual) tried to get him into Nato.

But for opposition from Germany and France, we might now be formally allied with Georgia. And this might have turned into a global confrontation.

We should thank heaven we avoided that nightmare. But Georgia is prostrate. Putin is triumphant. The West wrings its hands. Appeasement, clumsiness, an absence of clear thinking and a woeful lack of unity have helped bring us to this sorry pass. We urgently need to do better.

Squeezing us dry

The price of shopping basket essentials is rocketing by 25 per cent a year. The cost of heating, lighting and petrol soars. Now families are hit again, with the threat of water bills rising by up to 60 per cent.

Why the demand for such swingeing increases? Water companies say they are committed to huge investment, from new reservoirs to fixing leaks.

But many of these monopolies are owned by faceless conglomerates. Others are in the hands of overseas owners. That hardly inspires confidence.

And why should customers trust these firms, when for years they have made huge profits, paid generous dividends, awarded their top brass vast salaries (plus bonuses), charged the earth and all too often failed to do a proper job?

Severn Trent, for example, still manages to make £192million, though it was fined £36million for lying to the regulator. After years of presiding over our worst leaks, Thames achieves a £590million profit.

With a few honourable exceptions, the record is  -  to put it politely  -  mediocre. If ever there was a time for the regulator Ofwat to show some real teeth, this is it.

Seeing the light

At last, the blindingly obvious dawns on Labour's John Denham. He now thinks too many school leavers study for degrees instead of considering apprenticeships.

Couldn't the Universities Secretary have discovered that long ago, by listening to the universities?