Russia's Sphere of Influence Expanded

The successful cease fire in Georgia is welcomed news around the world.  No one wanted to see continued destruction over two tiny, rogue territories.  The boundary of Russian influence has now been redrawn at the Georgian and Ukrainian borders as well as any other Baltic or Caucasus states.

It's clear that President Saakashvili (pictured at left) made an enormous strategic blunder when he sent troops into South Ossetia.  It was probably unlikely that Russia would have pushed all the way to Tbilisi, but they moved into Georgian territory, and their superior military might and economic strength is a powerful signal to the West (we are considering Georgia and the Ukraine for NATO membership) that Russia will not sit by quietly as it's borders are encroached upon.

The agreement is an embarrassment for the Georgian President because the Georgians are proud of their heritage and they consider South Ossetia and Abkhazia historic parts of their country. 

Saakashvili's brash words that 'Russia has not heard the last of Georgia' is probably just posturing, his future as President is in serious doubt, and they will probably lean more toward Russia than the West in the near future.

The cease fire deal was negotiated by the French President, not by the US President.  This is because our international standing is so tarnished that the Shrub was reduced to posturing on the lawn of the White House, weakly threatening Russia with removal from the G8, instead of having the ability to militarily stand behind the Georgians.  The same Georgians that we promised to walk through their democratic experiment successfully.  Another democratic opportunity is probably lost and the war in Iraq is the reason.

Comments

[Redneck]

Wow. Russia invades Georgia. The French negotiate a straw peace treaty. Russia approves the treaty but refuses to abide by it. And it is G. Bush's fault?

And why would the citizens of Georgia want to lean towards Russia? The horrifying human rights violations committed under the USSR would make no populace disire aid from Putin's neo-Soviet regime.

[mike]

Bush is very much to blame, but not just for Georgia. He'll be responsible for every border skirmish/battle that the Russians decide is in their best interest. The two reasons are: Bush has no muscle or international standing to back up his big mouth AND Bush and Clinton both followed a policy of unchecked NATO expansion since the breakup of the Soviet Union.

It may not become another Cold War but there will be consequences for our aggressive international folly in Iraq.