Truthdig: With ‘Allies’ Like NATO, Georgia Better Not Annoy Russia

[marmar]

With ‘Allies’ Like NATO, Georgia Better Not Annoy Russia

Posted on Sep 16, 2008
By William Pfaff



It was a pathetic event, better forgotten, the visit to Georgia on Monday of NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and ambassadors from all 26 members of NATO. They were there, the United States said, to demonstrate that “NATO can’t be cowed by the Kremlin.”

The NATO delegation might have seemed less cowed if it had been made up of generals in uniform. But that would have upset the Kremlin. Perhaps the diplomats should have worn camouflage, as fashionable teenagers do in difficult Western city suburbs. They might have looked more muscular for the unhappy Georgians, while not fooling the Russians.

If NATO really did not want to seem cowed, the ambassadors and the secretary-general might have promised NATO membership to Georgia right on the spot, to be confirmed as soon as the full alliance meets. They might have announced plans for NATO bases and U.S. missile installations. They would not have dreamed of such a thing.

The truth is that thanks to Russia’s incursion into a belligerent Georgia in mid-August, a country in possession of Washington’s assurance that it soon would be given a “membership action plan” for joining NATO now hasn’t a hope of membership in the alliance—whatever may have been said on Monday about NATO’s “open door.”

As Helene Carrere, the eminent French historian of Russia, has said, Georgia has now done the greatest service to the new Russia that has been done in years. Vladimir Putin should be sending (symbolic) roses to Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili for having precipitated this episode. ........(more)

The complete piece is at: httphttp://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20080916_with_allies_like_nato_georgia_better_not_annoy_russia/

[Jim__]

1. Georgia better not annoy Russia is damned good advice.

It would be disastrous if Europe let Saakashvili drag it into a war with Russia.

[tazkcmo]

2. I agree

No NATO membership for either Ukraine or Georgia. I'll not have my children fighting in wars for oil.