They hoped to undermine the government of Georgia to inspire a pro-Russian regime and possibly to intimidate other unwilling members of the so-called "Near Abroad" composed of ex-Soviet provinces. If Moscow could show up the West, it would be bonus territory. And Russians would enjoy the spectacle of pretending to be a great power again, bolstering Putin's pathetic efforts to relive Moscow's glory days when anybody gave a damn about them.
So just what is the point of posing this so-called choice?
Russia's invasion of Georgia presents the West with a difficult choice: Punish Moscow by kicking it out of clubs like the Group of Eight or pursue a strategy of placating it that could invite further bullying in places like Ukraine, the Baltic states or Moldova.
Why is this a debate?
I'm not saying we should embark on a new Cold War. Russia doesn't rate that level of attention. We have an economy eight times as large and they have influence only because of residual Soviet power--especially nuclear missiles--and their position as an energy exporter to Western Europe which relies on Russian oil and gas.
But Russia never belonged in the G-7. We let them in as a favor on the assumption that membership would be earned after admission.
We were wrong. We effed up. We trusted Putin. Don't think of this as punishing Russia as much as it is correcting a past mistake.
I'd at least threaten kicking the Russians out of the G-8 unless they get out of Georgia completely. That has to be our immediate objective. So suspend the Russian membership in the G-8 and hold expulsion over their heads if they don't accept truly neutral observers in place of Russian troops inside Georgia.
Punish Moscow. But just enough to rub their noses in the doo doo they've left on our carpet. We don't need to elevate them to anything more than a very bad dog.
Do you really think Putin's Russia can be placated?
