Bush to Putin: Well, you know, you just shouldn't go pushing them Georgians around, Vlad. I mean, they have a democracy, you know. So stop it or we're going to complain to the UN and whine to the Europeans.

What a weeny! Eastern Europe, including the Republic of Georgia, has strongly backed the US, sending troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. We need to send the Russians a strong message by sending a strong naval presence into the Black Sea to make sure the Russians cannot blockade Georgia, our ally. If we lose Eastern Europe--again--to the Russians, we are fools.

This area is every bit as important to us and to Europe. Let Eastern Europe be neutral, let them be the democracy they chose to be, but in any case, Russia, Let Them Be. If Ossetia and Abkhazia want to be part of Russia, and they choose to do so in democratic elections, then so be it. But, if necessary, we must make it clear to the Russians that we will stand for no violence or occupation of Georgia proper, or any other USA ally, Eastern Europe or elsewhere. This country has to start making rational decisions.

If that means use of force, or the support of the use of force, against Russia so be it. I am not a Georgian (not even close), nor a muslim--I am an Obama supporter. I am not opposed to Russia as a country: I am opposed to their thuggery. But, if the USA is to have any credibility whatsoever, we must support our allies with more than words--with troops, naval and air support as our military deems feasible.

We screwed up royally with Iraq. We cannot afford to screw this up, too, just because some fear a confrontation with Russia--and because the ignorant American public knows nothing about anything. I do not like violence, but an existing democracy that we have given our explicit promises to, and to whom we owe a debt, deserves much more than lip service.