In the middle of the Olympic Games in China when the world was distracted, Russian troops stormed over the border into South Ossetia, a long-contested separatist region of Georgia, both of which were part of the former U.S.S.R.
Immediately after the invasion, President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice responded with a strongly-worded, verbal defense of this small, beleaguered republic. The two presidential candidates were quick to add their support for Georgia, with McCain uttering tough words and Obama, well . . . not-so-tough.
No matter. If Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili expected more than verbal support from the U.S., he should have checked in with Washington before he decided to launch a rocket attack against South Ossetia on August 7. That barrage was the only excuse that Russia needed to launch an invasion of this tiny country – an act for which Putin was undoubtedly set to go and for which he needed only the slightest pretext.
Saakashvili made a key strategic blunder. He should have realized that the U.S. is currently in no position to military engage Russia on his behalf at a time when our troops are committed in Afghanistan and in Iraq. Dead, displaced and injured Georgians are now paying the price of this miscalculation.
Note: For an excellent analysis of this conflict, see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7549736.stm
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