I don’t know what is wrong with dealing with these two questions seperately
1. they are provinces of Georgia, no doubt
2. they want their independence, so try to facilitate their independence .... obviously this includes keeping the Russian troops out
Those are strategic to the security of Georgia, these locations allow Russian tanks access to a plain that allows the easy movement of troops over a vast area. Georgia, Turkey, and the larger region.
This author doesn’t have a military mind to understand what it means to have tank troops based on the edge of such a natural highway.
2. they want their independence, so try to facilitate their independence .... obviously this includes keeping the Russian troops out
1. Then Kosovo is a province of Serbia, no doubt
2. They want their independence, so try to facilitate . . . obviously this includes keeping NATO troops out.
Our position on Kosovo makes our position on South Ossetia and Abkhazia impossible. You can't change your basic principles to support things that are politically expedient. Why not just be honest and say we don't care about any of these people or their independence, we just want to have access to some of their assets? Just be honest about it.