George Kennan, former US ambassador to Russia, quoting a Russian with whom he was talking about the future of US - Russian relations in 1944.

The Russian -

"We are being very successful these days," he said. "The more successful we are the less we care about foreign opinion. This is something you should bear in mind about the Russian. The better things go for him, the more arrogant he is. That applies to all of us, in government and out of it. It is only when we are having hard sledding that we are meek and mild and conciliatory. When we are successful, keep out of our way."
"Memoirs", p. 207

But, those were Russians. And we know what happened to the arrogant Russians.

Arf