We are witnessing a major power play by Russia just like the world watched a major power play by the US when Bush invaded Iraq. In both cases lies surround the invasion. In both cases, a bully nation threatens a smaller nation and the bully may go unpunished, but in the long run may suffer.
But I don’t want to draw too much parallel between Bush’s war of aggression against Iraq and Putin’s war of aggression against Georgia. There is actually another parallel that may have more relevance: Russia did to Georgia what Iraq did to Kuwait. Iraq and Russia used a minor, long-smoldering border dispute as an excuse for an invasion. It is another example of a bully picking on a weak neighbor when it thinks there is no authority to stop it. Iraq miscalculated when it invaded Kuwait. So far it does not look like Russia miscalculated, but the long term effects may make them regret their actions. But for now, China doesn’t care and the US has no military resources to spare thanks to the Bush/McCain Iraq Quagmire, and Bush’s stupid and arrogant foreign policy has alienated most of our allies, leaving us more isolated than Russia these days. Russia, in essence, chose its timing perfectly for this invasion.
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