by Memphis James

Created on: September 17, 2008

If Georgia hopes to keep the rest of it's country from being overrun by Russia while the politicials whale on about how to deal with Russia's refusal to follow the peace accord to the letter, President Saakashvili should invite the US, NATO and other nations friendly to it, to station forces on the ground ASAP, simular to what is in Korsovo. While that won't gurantee the Russians will leave the disputed enclaves; it will prevent them from claimimg even more territory in the name of maintaining peace.

President Saakashvili could say he's inviting them to help assure the safe and timely rebuilding of critical infrastructure and to help it's police and military forces in their efforts to restore order and disipline. As well as help the Georgians access the damages done to it's military bases and equipment and begin the retrofitting and training of it's military and police units.
It's as plausable an excuse as the Russians are using for their continued presence on Georgian soil. The only difference would be that the Russians are unwelcomed guest who where uninvited.
As for the WTO issue; Russia should be temporarily expelled for the duration of their illegal occupation of Georgia and their status for inclusion into the EU trade deals shelved until normality is restored.
As for routes into and out of Afghanistan, it would be a good time to start courting the Chinese government. They border Afghanistan in the Northeast, and using their airspace to access Tajikistan and convoy in supplies to Afhanistan alone the recently completed bridge. And the Tajikistan government could certainly use the financial gains to be made from leasing depot space to the UN; not to mention the likely construction of a state of the art facility that will be turned over to them as soon as the UN mission in Afghanistan is completed. China could also use a welcome distraction in the Xinjiang region, as well as mutual help from the West by tying up the area with Western forward supply bases. That would help them with efforts to reign in the unrest, by giving it more legal standing. Not that they really need it; but if Western forces are attacked in the area, the Chinese government would feel duty bounded to protect them with ever measure at their disposal. The Muslim Uighur ethnic minority in the far western region of Xinjiang are up against it anyway. Killing Chinese soldiers and police officers isn't exactly helping their cause.
And having China onboard will go a long way in curtailing Russia's

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>