Russia Takes Gori -- A Sensible Editorial

Editorial
Russia Takes Gori

writePost();
new_york_times:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/14/opinion/14thu1.html
if (acm.cc) acm.cc.write();

Published: August 13, 2008
President Dmitri Medvedev promised European negotiators early Wednesday morning that Russia would halt its attacks on Georgia and begin withdrawing its troops. A few hours later, Russian tanks rolled into the strategic crossroads town of Gori — just 40 miles from Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi.
The Board Blog
Additional commentary, background information and other items by Times editorial writers.Go to The Board »

Readers' Comments
Share your thoughts on this editorial.
Post a Comment »
if (acm.rc) acm.rc.write();
We’re not sure if that means Mr. Medvedev isn’t in charge or that he was lying to buy more time to push for the overthrow of Georgia’s democratically elected government. Either explanation is chilling.
Europe and the United States must make clear to Mr. Medvedev — and the real power player, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin — that more aggression and lies will not be tolerated. They must make clear that Russia will pay a price, in diplomatic standing and economic relations, if it does not immediately withdraw its troops, agree to international mediation and permit the deployment of truly neutral international peacekeepers to Georgia’s breakaway regions, South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Mr. Bush has finally decided to send Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Tbilisi. In addition to conveying support for Georgia’s democracy, she must leave no doubt that there can be no military solution to the dispute with Russia — and that American military planes and ships now heading for Georgia are to deliver humanitarian supplies.
The United States and Europe ignored this brewing crisis for too long. President Bush wanted to play all sides — flattering Georgia’s president, Mikheil Saakashvili, as Mr. Saakashvili baited Moscow and looking the other way as Mr. Putin bullied his neighbors. (American officials insist that they warned the Georgian leader not to fall into Moscow’s trap by sending troops into South Ossetia — but they clearly weren’t persuasive enough.)
Even after Russian bombers began pounding Georgia last week, President Bush seemed to hope that his old pal Mr. Putin was just blowing off steam. The Europeans, who are far too reliant on Russian energy supplies, were even more in denial. On Wednesday, some European leaders, including Germany’s foreign minister, were still reluctant to blame Russia.
Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, deserves credit for going to Moscow and Tbilisi to try to negotiate a cease-fire. Now he and Mr. Bush must insist that both Russia and Georgia abide by their commitments (the announcement of American aid deliveries had Mr. Saakashvili blustering again) and begin to negotiate the terms of a durable peace.
Georgia’s sovereignty must be guaranteed. It will almost certainly have to give up its hopes of asserting control over the two breakaway regions — but Moscow must not be allowed to annex them by force. European Union foreign ministers who agreed to send in 200 to 300 monitors must quickly deploy them. And Washington and Europe must press the United Nations Security Council to quickly authorize even more peacekeepers.
Ms. Rice should also go to Moscow and deliver the message that this war is seriously straining relations.
The Pentagon was right to cancel two planned exercises with the Russians. Democratic Congressional leaders were right to put a civilian nuclear deal, that could be worth billions to Moscow, on hold.
The United States and its allies must also warn that Moscow’s application to join the World Trade Organization will go nowhere so long as it is brutalizing its neighbor. The European Union should tell Russia that it will not pursue a political and economic cooperation deal until Moscow is willing to behave like a responsible partner.
This invasion should never have begun. The United States and Europe must insist that it end now.