@neolex:
I must have missed something, too, not having seen anything from Mika. Perhaps there is a hovering moderator… and thanx for the endorsement!

Things were locked down here so I posted over at the naval confab, http://informationdissemination.blogspot.com/

SINCE Wretchard pointed out clear evidence of the excellent fighting ability of the Georgians, and SINCE it seems obvious to me that a great many of the people of Georgia are spoiling for a chance to cut off Ivan’s already bloodied nose, I say we help them fight and my bet is that we are in the process of doing that at this very moment.

Following is part of my post at the boat-floater’s convention:

Russia is sure it can force Georgia to become a “neutral” state with permanent Russian occupation of South Ossettia and Abkhazia.

However, many–Turkey and Azerbaijan in particular–desperately need to prevent Russia and Iran from dividing The Caspian between themselves. The Greater Caucasus Mountains should be the northern edge of an open “Silk Road” from the Caspian to the Mediterranean.

….

Russia is strong, but very sick, and therefore all the more dangerous. She is a kleptocracy run by appparatchik bandits, no more, no less. And bandits, even bandits lighting fires of nationalist conflict, can be beaten to a stand-still by a liberty-loving people.

Stop Russia in Georgia with Ukrainian, Turkish and Azeri proxies supporting Georgians at the tip of the spear. This will force Russian siloviki out of South Ossettia (the central strategic necessity). The means will be anti-air/anti-armor weapons in Georgian hands, NATO overflights of the Lesser Causasus and an open Black Sea naval corridor along the Turkish coast to Batumi.

How? Start by stabilizing a Mtskheta- Dusheti- Ananuri- Mt.Kazbek Line to close the biggest invasion route, the fabled Georgian Military Road (is Mtskheta still in Georgian hands?). That will keep the huge reservoir watering Georgia and contain the so-called “Ossetians”.

And Abkhazia? Well, I’d predict a permanent Russian naval base in Sukhumi. No way to stop it. Let them have the entire Kodori Gorge, with it, too.

Are you listening?

Then howzzabout a joint US-Turkish-Georgian naval base at Georgia’s southernmost port [once a huge Russian combined arms base] at Batumi?

Voila! Instant 21st century Fulda Gap sitting on a 21st Century Silk Road reaching all the way to China. The ‘stans are gonna love it. Azeri’s and Turks are REALLY gonna love it. And China’s gotta love it, too, mmm-hmmm.

Poor pooty Putin and the Persians, aced out of their lockhold on the geographic center of the world. Hallelujah!