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How To Stop Putin
Charles Krauthammer 8/19/2008
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The Russia-Georgia cease-fire brokered by France's president is less than meets the eye. Its terms keep moving as the Russian army keeps moving. Russia has since occupied Gori (appropriately, Stalin's birthplace), effectively cutting Georgia in two. The road to the capital, Tbilisi, is open, but apparently Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has temporarily chosen to seek his objectives through military pressure and Western acquiescence rather than by naked occupation.

His objectives are clear. They go beyond detaching South Ossetia and Abkhazia from Georgia and absorbing them into Russia. They go beyond destroying the Georgian army, leaving the country at Russia's mercy.

The real objective is the Finlandization of Georgia through the removal of President Mikheil Saakashvili and his replacement by a Russian puppet.

Which explains Putin stopping the Russian army (for now) short of Tbilisi. What everyone overlooks in the cease-fire terms is that all future steps -- troop withdrawals, territorial arrangements, peacekeeping forces -- will have to be negotiated between Russia and Georgia. But Russia says it will not talk to Saakashvili. Thus regime change becomes the first requirement for any movement on any front. This will be Putin's refrain in the coming days. He is counting on Europe
to pressure Saakashvili to resign and/or flee to "give peace a chance."

The Finlandization of Georgia would give Russia control of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, which is the only significant westbound route for Caspian Sea oil and gas that does not go through Russia. Pipelines are the economic lifelines of such former Soviet republics as Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan that live off energy exports. Moscow would become master of the Caspian basin.

Subduing Georgia has an additional effect. It warns Russia's former Baltic and East European satellites what happens if you get too close to the West. It is the first step to reestablishing Russian hegemony in the region.

What is to be done? Let's be real. There's nothing to be done militarily. What we can do is alter Putin's cost-benefit calculations.

We are not without resources. There are a range of measures to be deployed if Russia does not live up to its cease-fire commitments:

1. Suspend the NATO-Russia Council established in 2002 to help bring Russia closer to the West. Make clear that dissolution will follow suspension. The council gives Russia a seat at the NATO table. Message: Invading neighboring democracies forfeits the seat.

2. Bar Russian entry to the World Trade Organization.

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Putins Bear COLOR
By Pat Bagley - Salt Lake Tribune * Posted 8/18/2008 12:00:00 AM
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Putins Bear COLOR
© Copyright 2008  Pat Bagley - All Rights Reserved.

Posted By: Marc parker  on Wednesday, August 20, 2008

You can't be serious about an Olympic boycott ala Jimmy Carter.  Punish athletes in the name of world politics, destroy their dreams and flush all of their work down the toilet in the name of government.  World athletes should boycott their own governments and compete on a free and individual basis, representing themselves not countries and power hungry egotistical political leaders.

Posted By: Levi Moree  on Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Jimmy Carter is an IDIOT!

Posted By: geoff  on Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Amazing Chucky didn't repeat the line about "Drill (offshore) now!"

And Levi: Carter is highly respected outside the USA; which is more than you can say for either Bush. Among other things, he was right about the need for long-term energy planning.

Posted By: dave  on Wednesday, August 20, 2008

yes, carter was and is a brilliant strategist. He is NOT in bed with the Saudis and his various brave stances against threats to the US ought to serve as an example to all presidents to come. what a womderful person he is.

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