Russia v. Georgia

Still pretty bothered about our response, or lack thereof, to Russia's blatant disregard for any sort of external pressure or disapproval. The longer we wait to respond, the longer we allow the situation to escalate without taking any meaningful action, the tougher it's going to be to affect any meaningful change without resorting to military action.

Having said that, Bush's dispatch of "humanitarian aid" for Georgia, conveniently delivered via U.S. Navy and Air Force transport, is a decent start. Russia can't possibly attempt to seize or interfere with these deliveries, and it sends a signal that we are definitely on Georgia's side in this, not to mention flexing just a wee bit of military muscle.

I also liked Condaleeza Rice's statement, "This is not 1968 and the invasion of Czechoslovakia where Russia can threaten a neighbor, occupy a capital, overthrow a government and get away with it. Things have changed." Very nicely put, answering charges that have been floated that we are treating this situation as if it's a continuation of the Cold War era, when outright battle between the Russian and American armies was unthinkable. Russia needs to know that if it comes to it, we are not afraid to put boots on the ground to protect our ally.

Albeit probably completely unintentionally, Rice's reference to Czechoslovakia also brings to mind Nazi Germany's pre-WWII invasion, with which Russia's current aggression shares some startling parallels. A once-proud nation and people, humiliated by economic collapse, rallied by a charismatic, iron-willed leader offering a return to a prouder time, using the excuse of protecting his people from aggression to invade and annex a breakaway region. Hitler was allowed to get away with it then, Putin and Russia cannot be allowed to do the same today.