Quote Originally Posted by digitaldean
Ukraine wants to have a missile shield deal also. So look for the Red Bear's target to shift from Georgia to Ukraine or Poland.
I'm starting to get a little more optimistic that this is all going to work out OK.

You're right about the Ukraine, I guess there is a section of the Ukraine (the Crimea) that the Russians covet, and which has a large Russian population.

I'm encouraged by the statement that came out of NATO recently. I think there will be enough unity against Russian tanks entering border countries. And the west actually has strong tools to deter Russian aggression - WTO, G8 membership. Many sorts of business deals. Russia wants to be in the West. I predict they are not going to do this sort of thing again.

And maybe Georgia shouldn't control South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Maybe the Russians forcing the issue isn't such a bad moment (minus all the death and destruction), the status of those areas needs to finalized before there can be any stability. I hope this all ends with Georgia proper entering NATO and the two breakaway areas deciding their own fate.