Russian imperialism

That's the title of an informative article by Michael Radu in FrontPage Magazine. Russian 'peacekeepers' and state subsidies have been propping up criminal havens in South Ossetia and Abkhazia for years. This policy gives Russia leverage over Georgia, and ensures that the Russians can, for example, block NATO membership for Georgia, or eventually control the pipeline that runs through Georgian territory.

Radu urges the West to re-arm the Georgians, perhaps even offer Georgia security guarantees against further Russian aggression, and kick Russia out of the G-8. Most importantly, he wants the West to treat Russia like the security threat that it is.