Talk Is Cheap
In order to regain its lost ground, the U.S. needs to offer more than words. The U.S. should firmly tell Russia that unless its troops pull back to their August 6 positions, the U.S. will provide military aid to Georgia, demand and help author a more neutral peace plan, require all future peacekeeping forces in both Abkhazia and South Ossetia be truly international, and move quickly to reassure other U.S. allies by convincing NATO to extend Article 5 protection to Ukraine. It may not be easy, and it may take a lot of political capital, especially to spur NATO to action, but if strong steps are not taken, the political capital and trust that the U.S. will lose will be much greater. - American Enterprise Institute