This Isn’t the Return of History

Russia can not be silent spectator and witness being surrounded by hostile small nations supported and encouraged by U.S. and E.U. nations. Post cold war Russia was weak but now not so and sooner the Western nations take these factor into account in there geopoltical calculations, it is better. In this may herald the end of unilaterlism being witnessed and may lead to amore balance world.

United States has entered a phase where post cold war unipolar policies shall not succeed and Russia has every right to have its own area of influence in its bordering countries. The Western nations are in no position to do to anything to stop a resurgent Russia. It may be good for world polity to have balancing forces against unilaterlism.

You got it all wrong. Russians have suffered immensely for a very long time (from Russian revolution to present day). They made a mistake of moving into democracy too quickly before having economic/financial institutions in order (unlike China). The west applauded 'perestroika' of an idiot president and saw to it Soviet Union broke up - leaving Russia in poverty and watched its patheic situation with glee and further encouraged break away republics and neighbours to be hostile it.. Over the last few years, Russia has stabilized politically and economically, and they will no longer allow themselves to be surrounded by several 'Cubas'. They have enough fire power to face the west.

"the real challenge we face in dealing with Moscow is that we have too few such ties"... Really, why is that?
Because when Russia is a friend to the US, America encircle them with NATO, build army bases along their borders, interfere in their neighbours elections and turn their friends ageinst them, build Missile Defence Systems on their borders, step over Russian objections over every issue such as Kosovo, then arm Georgia to commit genocide against Russian citizens... The sad truth is that there is no punishment against Russia because the worst possible thing US could do is their standard policies against Russia!

We wouldn't do a thing.... The current administration invaded Iraq thinking it would be a two-week, cable-tv war because they played fast and loose with intelligence. Anyone with any "intelligence" knows Iran is full-speed ahead toward a nuclear weapon and even telling us where it will be targeted. How come the bombs aren't falling on Tehran right now?? US = Paper Tiger

NATO = Paper Tiger
EU = Paper Tiger
UN = Corrupt Paper Tiger
Russia takes Georgia. Ukraine kept out of NATO to keep European lights on. Game, set, match.

Why do the people on here think Russia went into Georgia? To help to create a free S. Ossetia? Many reports have Russia arming anti-Georgia separatists in the region including reports that they stood by while these forces pillaged areas that they took control of from Georgia after the conflict started. What exactly would Russia do if a portion of its current land mass decided to seceed from the country? Stand by while another country armed those people and allow it to go willingly. It is idiocy to have people on this board who are obviously pro-Russia argue that they were just trying to defend their peace-keepers in the region. The same people suppling weapons cannot possibly be peace-keepers by definition. Lets get off the woe is me Russia kick. They should be chastised for these activities and the 1000's displaced by their agression.

A few months ago Georgia amassed troops at the Abkhazian border for an attack. Russia thwarted this attempt by increasing its number of peacekeepers there. But instead of being praised by the West fo rits subtle reaction it was lambasted by Western diplomats.
But Russia kept trying to play according the Western rules. When Georgia amassed troops for an invasion in Abkhazia it called Washington asking it to pressure Georgia not to go. Washington promissed to do so but one has to doubt what it actually told the Georgians. Yet when Georgia attacked Russia tried still to play according to international rules and when to the Security Council with a resolution asking all parties to renounce violence. It was vetoed by the US, the UK and France. If at that point Russia had only driven georgia back to its previous positions it would still have been lambasted by Western diplomats. And in addition it would have a nexr Georgian attack within a year.
Similarly it had to recognnize the provincesin order to prevent the advent of Western "peacekeepers" who Russia since Kosovo cannot longer trust to be neutral.

The article is also wrong about the Ukrain. The Ukrainian president asked for NATO membership before the war. The majority of the population did and does not like it. The Ukrainian population is quite neutral on the Georgian conflict.and the numebr of people that supports Georgia is about the same that supports Russia.

How do youintend to lower oil prices dramatically? May be have two countries, with lots of oil, fight each other. Then let them flood the market with oil, of course, no one should interfere in their fight. This way oil prices will definitely fall dramatically. Some how this seems like dejavu. Oh yes, the Iraq and Iran war.

You have to be Kidding. Russia did what it had to do after being attacked by Georgia. Let's at least try to stay with the facts of the matter. Revisonist history and the fires aren't even out yet.
The EU is not going to do anything to Russia, no matter how hard Rice stamps her feet. All Russia has to do is turn of the Gas to Europe and who will have the last laugh. Let's be serious Russia had nothing to lose and everything to gain. It did what any nation would have done to protect it's citizens. And remeber shells were flying into Russia from Georgian forces. I personally have no stake in either side, but I certainly can't stand by and read obvious lies. Get real.
Now that Georgia has been stopped after being encouraged to invade by our Bush government what has been the fall out? A new Missle deal for Iran and Syria for long range Russian nuclear capible systems. Is this what you can a blunder on Russia's part? So now Israel has a new threat at its door step with a new Russian Naval Base slated for Syria as well. Great planning there Bush, really showed the Russians up huh?
Also let's remember also that Poland has now been put on notice that Russia will use Tactical Nuclear weapons if they do indeed place American missles on Polish soil. Great. Just perfect Bush. Thanks again.....

Wow, this is one ignorant article. Where is the mention of S. Ossetia? Where is the mention of NATO, an organization formed as an alliance against Russia and the Soviet Union, getting ever closer to Russia? Do you really think THIS made Poland sign the missile agreement? What about all the help Russia have to the US over its war with Afghanistan, only to be completely thankless for it? Instead of writing another "Russian-bad, America-good" article, do some research.

At the end of this we still have only two options- appeasement or war. If we had more intergration with Russia we would not have more leverage they would. We would be afraid of what we might lose. They could care less because they have there energy needs met. Someone will be willing to sell them everything else.

I think it's important to ask ourselves what Russia's other choices were after Georgia launched a premediated attack on Russian allies on the opening day of the Olympics. How should Russia have responded I ask you Mr. Zakaria? And why didn't Secretary of State Rice, in Georgia the week before, suggest to the Georgians that attacking Russian allies might be a slight error in judgment? I mean, as long as were passing around blame.

One thing "the West" (if there is such thing) has to understand, things aren't always simple. The surest way to screw things up is to make decisions and judgments based on incomplete information; far worse is to base them on ideology, no matter what kind of ideology. An example in hand---"Russia has become more dysfunctional, corrupt, dictatorial and assertive". More dictatorial and more assertive, yes. But less corrupt, and far less dysfunctional. Why so? no such analysis in this article, only an attempt to fit facts into a narrowly defined ideology.

Astro_eng: (US != bad) && (RUSSIA != good). Instead national interests exist and governments that suppose to protect them . US government didn't see or understand its real national interests and committed foreign policy blunders of historic proportions. Russia sees its interests clearly and capitalized on historic blunders of US foreign policy