Georgia's South Ossetia Conflict - Political Commentary

[AmericanPride]

In other venues, I have heard/read it suggested that US allowed the Georgians to push the envelop in order to get other Russian neigbors (like Poland) "off the dime" about supporting US defense plans in Eastern Europe (missile defense)--sort of the foreign policy version of "scared straight." Interesting theory but I have a tough time believing that the US is capable of that level of Byzantine foreign policy.

It's not that I don't think America is capable of taking advantage of those kinds of situations (which we clearly did), but I do not think we have that kind of institutional foresight in regards to policy to actually instigate it. My experiences with government work so far tell me that we kind of just make up things along the way. But that at least gives us the flexibility to see a good opportunity when it knocks on our door.