Free Fall

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Or will they have a chance to vote? Some experts believe a state of emergency could be the government's last resort if the economy stops functioning. With or without ballots, the outcome could be an increasingly desperate, belligerent Russian state, simmering in its resentment. It might be poor, but it would still have all those nuclear weapons, which are enough to make everyone pay attention. Most U.S. experts believe the nukes are under tight control so far, yet there are doubters. While it's unlikely that a military commander would see any benefit in launching one, there are other possibilities. A rogue general might try some nuclear blackmail for a big payoff. Or a nuclear unit, unpaid for months, might decide to quietly sell off something for a profit. It wouldn't have to be one of the closely guarded strategic weapons either. There are thousands of small ones and tons of fissile material lying around. Such nightmares alone would encourage Clinton and the West to stay engaged. But the Russians are the only people who can repair Russia--and they don't know how.

--Reported by Mark Thompson and Douglas Waller/Washington