[library user]

Here we go...

[hermgem]

Solution:
Send Obama over there, he will bring all those different factions together in never ending peace.
Better do it now before Obama strips U.S. forces and serves as peacemaker of the world based on his world view and talking skills without preconditions.

[goldstategop]

America is not prepared to risk war with Russia over a small country. The best we can do is offer our moral support.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Well, the Georgians do have a point. Alliances are double-edged swords, and they put themselves on the line for us in Iraq, while Russia was helping the Syrians and Iranians develop nukes.

[Billthedrill]

There's actually a fair amount we can do, but marching an army in isn't one of the options. Direct military options are no more practical for us than they would be for the Russians in, say, Cuba.

This could easily turn into another Chechnya, which, by the way, is a neighbor to Georgia's north. And Chechnya could turn sour again. What Putin is risking here in an attempt to intimidate ex-satellites is that they might turn too hot to hold. That's always the problem when you foment a revolution as the Russians did in South Ossetia - one never really knows how it is going to turn out. In this particular case it served as a pretext for Russian aggression against Georgia. Should this continue into an occupation of Georgia in toto and the setting up of a puppet government, I do believe a guerilla war will be inevitable. Should it settle out into international guarantees for South Ossetia's independence and peacekeepers other than Russian to enforce it as I believe will be the trend within the UN, then the struggle is likely to be more protracted but not differ much in character. Either way Putin gains: a de facto puppet state with physical control of the pipeline, or an ever-present threat of the same and "peacekeepers" other than Russian getting shot at to maintain it.

Unfortunately much in the situation depends on actors other than the United States to oppose the Russians, notably a toothless EU so besotted with "soft power" that it is willing to call any outcome a victory, and a Turkey little disposed to aiding an EU that has spurned its membership. Turkey will also be little disposed to a re-establishment of the Cold War status quo with a Russian military presence on its border. And Iran, at the eastern end of this geostrategic mess, will be happy to see a U.S. ally humiliated and the strengthening of its Russian ties enhanced, including support for its nuclear programs and military sales such as anti-air missiles to protect them. This is widely touted as a Russian answer to Kosovo, but I think it's a bit bigger than that; in a sense it is a Russian answer to Iraq. And a Russian-Iranian alliance would be an enormous bid for regional power in the northern Middle East.

Those then are the players and what I think might be the stakes. We need to play this one carefully. IMHO.

[Nuc1]

Arm them. Tank killers, plane killers, and ship killers. Give them missiles, planes and armor. The Georgians will take care of the rest.

[Flavius]

not really sure what they missed about no hope lots of change
And stellar negotiations

Actually they better hope they get some smooth talker to beg the Russians not to totally level the place

[Tzimisce]

You’re white Christians.

You deserve your genocide.

Have a nice day.

-your friends on the American left

[screaminsunshine]

We damn well better help em.

[P.O.E.]

Putin rightly reckoned the US wouldn’t have the stomach for another military engagement under Bush. Libs would be screaming for impeachment again.

[Tax Government]

He asked the right question. Why don’t we help Georgia?

At the very least, we should begin a total, comprehensive boycott of anything from Russia, and extend it to our trading partners as well. With us or against us.

[Archon of the East]

Another foreign policy black eye for Uncle Sam, deserved or not. But somehow I do wish we could start supporting the nations that support US. I know it is much more complex than that but in the end I can’t help but think it would be the right thing to do. These are sovereign countries and with the real conflict being between Global cooperation and Global Government philosophies I do believe we would be better off standing with sovereign democratic nation states.

[Irish Eyes]

Damn, just damn.,., it is definatley NOT the time for an Obamanation

[Texas Songwriter]

What could these effin Russians be thinking? Frankly it is a good question the Georgian asks.

[libh8er]

I think we could start by putting a bullet through Putin’s head.

[PzLdr]

An excellent question...