Devil Went Down to Georgia

One thing I did not make clear is that I do think that if Georgia were in NATO, Russia may have been deterred. Maybe. The stakes would have been higher, but I still think the Russians would have done it. It is an easy way (and great timing) to send a message. By beating up on Georgia, other nations - Ukraine, Poland, the Baltics - get the message.

NATO is unprepared to defend itself. The Alliance is a near farce in Afghanistan with too many nations refusing to actually engage the enemy. So it comes down to the US; as it always does. We need to do something meaningful and thoughtful to show the world that while we have been caught flat footed in the situation, we will be proactive in the future. Supplying our allies with enough weapons to put a dent in a few columns of tanks would be a good start.

For over 40 years, Russia and the US avoided a direct shooting war choosing to work through smaller proxies, such as the Viet Cong (against the US) and the Afghan Muhajadeen (against the Soviets). It would seem that the Cold War is not over, but has reemerged. We can deny this or accept the reality and deal with it.