iven Washington's conciliatory stance toward Russia. Former ambassadors carefully maneuvered between the Scylla of an authoritarian Kremlin and the Charybdis of U.S. democratic values. The Kremlin disliked the strong Alexander Vershbow, ambassador to Russia from 2001 to 2005, and also attempted to exert

to intervene when no state prose- cution is pending may place the hapless plaintiff between the Scylla of intention- ally flouting state law and the Charybdis of foregoing what he believes to be con- stitutionally protected activity in order to avoid becoming enmeshed in a criminal proceeding. 415 U.S.