Hah! Genius because Putin gamed the probable response of Europe ? By that measure all the rest of us are geniuses also.

Heck Shaaskavilli is a genius, he reacted against S. Ossetia and when Putin was in China and disruption in the ministries in Russia and a new untested Russian President. Too bad he misjudged the severity of the response even though he knew what force had been building on the border.

Georgia had its backup plan, scream to the West and the US for help. But Bush was not about to go to war over a break out of hostilities over a hot spot that has had problems every year. It was not until it was obvious that Russia was going to gobble Georgia did Bush decide he had to stop the Russia land and power grab.

But now that we are involved, lots of thinking will be done on how to secure the Caucasus nations that are different from our original intentions.

Georgia pays the cost of damage to its country and yet will get US protection under the humanitarian guise. Now who is the genius? Naw, Georgia took a gamble and it seems it may pay off.

Peters may be ex CIA but he is no better than others in the CIA and other places in analysis.