Serbia isn't Russia. It doesn't have either the conventional arms capability or a nuclear arsenal. It took 78 days of bombing. We still had to occupy Kosovo and have been there for about 10 years.
I'm no military strategist, so at the risk of being labeled an armchair general, here's what I'd do: The first thing I'd hit in South Ossetia is the south end of the Roki tunnel, with a few cruise missiles. That would cut off Russia's overland supply routes into the province. I'd equip the Georgians with MANPADs to knock out the air bridges, and I'd hit the Ossetian airstrips and Russian arms depots. Repeat as necessary. We can accomplish a lot with very few boots-on-the-ground, and make life miserable for the Russian invaders.
I am no military strategist either but I did spend 8 years as a naval officer, including a year in Vietnam and another 8 months off of the coast. I will just say that I agree with you that you are just an armchair general who doesn't understand how difficult what you propose is to execute. We are having major problems coping with the Taliban in Afghanistan and the infiltration of its borders by AQ. Iraq has been no picnic. What you propose doing on the doorstep of Russia, which has a sizeable number of sympathizers and supporters within South Ossetia will require a massive amount of troops and a logistical nightmare to support.
I believe I have a fairly good understanding of threats and deterrents. If you check the archives here, you'll find that I was alone in posting warnings about bin Laden and the Taliban on the morning of 9/11 before the attacks occurred. Where were you?
I was well aware of the threat that Bin Laden presented since he issued his 1996 fatwa declaring war against us. After the bombing of our embassies in East Africa, AQ represented a personal threat to my safety. I am well aware the threat Islamic fundamentalism poses having been in Tehran during the Iranian Revolution and the rise of Khomeini.
Launching a cruise missile action on the Roki tunnel would not be easy, but I am highly confident of our capabilities if it becomes necessary to do that.
I am well aware the threat Islamic fundamentalism poses having been in Tehran during the Iranian Revolution and the rise of Khomeini.
I was nearby when all that and some other stuff occurred. The heads were rolling in my area.