Making Putin Pay [WSJ OpEd]

Wall Street Journal ^ | 16 August 2008 | Wall Street Journal

[COBOL2Java]

Vladimir Putin proved last weekend that Russia's army can push over Georgia's army. In the past 48 hours, the West has begun to push back. If its leaders stay the course, they may yet turn Mr. Putin's meager military success into a significant political defeat.

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Both Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates are specialists in the Soviet era and are acutely aware of the price paid in human terms to bring the Soviet Union to dissolution in 1991. It must discomfit them to see that achievement threaten to unravel, especially after having invested so much in good relations with Mr. Putin. So it is reassuring to hear Mr. Gates say the Russians run the risk of damaging relations with the West "for years to come." This isn't just some point of disagreement. The Americans and their allies must continue to make Mr. Putin pay a political penalty for Georgia.

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Western authorities should also explore the vulnerability of Russian assets abroad. At the least, they can make life difficult for the holders of those assets. Post-Soviet Russia allowed the emergence of businessmen and entrepreneurs who indeed wish to function as normal participants in world commerce. Their number, however, assuredly includes the lucky billionaires under Mr. Putin's protection. All of them want to benefit from the West's rules. That privilege should be restricted so long as Mr. Putin breaks the rules.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

Mr. Bush also noted pointedly that “The days of satellite states and spheres of influence are behind us.”
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yeh right, Jorge.........

[cricket]

If the the 'price to pay' is political,for Putin; then what is the rest of the equasion for Georgia and citizens?

If it is not a restoration of their sovereignty; their Democracy. . .their Country; then Putin must be made to pay a higher price; until precisely all is restored in Georgia. And it should not take long to determine if Putin thinks he has paid enough - or not.

[ken21]

if anyone questions whether evil exists, then they should look at putin.

tens of millions of people dead, and the lives of those living impoverished by the soviets, and putin recreates the soviet.

russia was medieval as the west initiated the enlightenment. and russia missed the industrial revolution. and, today, as comrade gorbachev admitted, russia missed the information revolution.

[SumProVita]

Where are the protesters chanting “Putin lied; people died?”

;-/

[WellyP]

“Pootie” AND MANY of his buddies have big Swiss bank accounts. “Pootie” has a couple of HUGE Swiss bank accounts! Is it time for a probe? NATO countries need to announce the construction of a couple of new gas and oil pipelines through Georgia. The pipelines should be state owned, privately run and NATO protected! The removal of Russia from the G-8, making it the original G-7 would be a very good move and restrict or at least make it a lot more difficult for Russia to attract more foreign investment. Add to that, no WTO membership for years and NO SOCHI WINTER OLYMPICS IN 2014 and Russia will be a very unhappy place in a short time

[johnny7]

Russia... past, present and future.

[ballplayer]

Well in a few months Gates or Bush Or Rice wont have anything to say about it .
The Messiah will come down from On High and Peace will descend upon ht earth and Putin will see the error of his ways and the Lion will Lay down with the lamb

[WellyP]

May I assume that your posting was sarcasm? Condi for VP!

[tioga]

Condi for VP! ----oh, please....Condi on domestic issues such as abortion are so wrong. I was hoping your post was just missing the sarcasm tag? LOL

[Starboard]

Good post. LOL.

[cpdiii]

Well in a few months Gates or Bush Or Rice wont have anything to say about it . The Messiah will come down from On High and Peace will descend upon ht earth and Putin will see the error of his ways and the Lion will Lay down with the lamb.

Hey maybe he is the Messiah? Without even laying on of hands he has cured the erectile dysfunction of Chris Mathews, and a "tingle ran down his leg." :)

[Camel Joe]

I really hate to say this but frankly the Russians WON a huge tactical victory here. Before 8/8/08 the Russians were not in control of a vital land route to the Middle East. With the signing of this so called truce they now have legitimate reason to station troops at the end that is on Georgian territory. By feigning an assault of the whole of Georgia the Russians showed their mastery of more than chess by choosing a year in which a President was a lame duck and coincidentally had the Olympics as a distraction. The West caved at the potential threat and accepted what would otherwise have been unacceptable. Beware Freedom loving peoples of the Ukraine, Putin smells fear and blood in the uncertainty of the leaders of the west. While we are only now planning our strategy do deal with this new reality the Russians have been planning for some 10 years time. I think I will install a wood burning stove this year...

[cpdiii]

“Good post. LOL”

Mine is better, :) :) :)

[Tribune7]

He was killed to the tune of Yankee Doodle.

[johnny7]

He was killed to the tune of Yankee Doodle.

Not unless the Victrola played underwater...

[Words]

NATO countries need to announce the construction of a couple of new gas and oil pipelines through Georgia. The pipelines should be state owned, privately run and NATO protected! The removal of Russia from the G-8, making it the original G-7 would be a very good move and restrict or at least make it a lot more difficult for Russia to attract more foreign investment. Add to that, no WTO membership for years and NO SOCHI WINTER OLYMPICS IN 2014 and Russia will be a very unhappy place in a short time

Cool, let's imagine also Russia, cutting the supplies of the natural gas to all of Europe in return, with the G-7 reduced to G-0 in no time. No gas-supply Marchall's plan this time.
So, forget it. The Pandora's box had been opened with NATO-US military follies in Kosovo, enthusiastically aided by the european socialist apparatchiks. One eats, what one cooked, they say.

[Starboard]

Did you catch the biblical parody on Obama by Gerard Baker about two weeks ago? Truely a masterpiece. I’ll post a link if you’d like.

[E. Cartman]

If it hits them too hard in their pocketbooks, watch for them to reverse their position.

[PapaBear3625]

And Europe responds with a crash program to build lots of nuke plants, and to use nuke electric for heating and stoves instead of gas

If depending on Russia to be a reliable supplier is a recipe for disaster, then Europe needs to immediately get started on replacing the supplier