How the West Can Stand Up to Russia

WSJ ^ | 08/12/08 | GARY SCHMITT and MAURO DE LORENZO

[Fred]

Given the cutthroat politics Moscow has practiced at home and abroad in recent years -- with only the softest protests from the U.S. and its allies -- no one should be surprised by Russia's decision to conquer the two breakaway regions of Georgia. Nevertheless, it should once and for all disabuse policy makers in Washington and Brussels of hopes that Russia intends to become part of the post-Cold War condominium of democratic peace in Europe. The point of the Kremlin's invasion of Georgia, which now threatens the capital city of Tbilisi, is to demonstrate to the world how impotent that security order has become.

For Moscow, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili's mistake in finally taking the bait of Russian provocations and ordering his troops in South Ossetia last week was the opening they sought -- and for which they had been planning for some time.

South Ossetia is not, as some have suggested, tit-for-tat payback for American and European recognition, over Russian objections, of Kosovo's independence from Serbia. Russia has been "at war" with democratic Georgia for some time. Driven to distraction by Mr. Saakashvili's assertiveness and Georgia's desire to join NATO, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin first tried to bring the country to its knees through economic warfare beginning in 2005. He cut off access to Russian markets, expelled Georgians from Russia, quadrupled the price of Russian energy to Georgia, and severed transport links.

Georgia failed to collapse. To the contrary, it has flourished: After the Rose Revolution of 2003 ended the corrupt reign of Eduard Shevardnadze, the former Soviet foreign minister, Georgia instituted far-reaching reforms to its governing structures, cleaned up

[Schnucki]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2060369/posts

[wastoute]

All we need now is to have President Obama return from Moscow declaring “Peace in Our Time!”

[freeangel]

saving

[kindred]

[conquer the two breakaway regions of Georgia. Nevertheless, it should once and for all disabuse policy makers in Washington and Brussels of hopes that Russia intends to become part of the post-Cold War condominium of democratic peace in Europe.]

Interesting that the article mentions Brussels with Washington and the neo cons can not understand than some conspiracy theories are true.
Russia wants control of the oil lines and apparantly will get it unless the West stands up, but the West is now weak and getting weaker.

[WellyP]

Europe has no BALLS, that is a given so it is up to the US to stand up to Nazi Russia. The best response from the US would be to ask permission from Georgia for the US government to build, own and PROTECT a second parallel oil and gas pipeline through Georgia to the Black Sea ports of Poti, Kobuleti or Batumi. At the port an LNG or CNG terminal could be set up to supply the Ukraine and central Europe.

[McGruff]

Start by kicking them out of the G8. Today!