@Lifeofthemind:
…connection between Abkhazia and Russia proper? …can be interdicted?

Can be interdicted at cost of starting WW-17, whatever number is next. Not likely to happen. I’d say we are back in the “Cold” War, atl least until we bleed the Russkies to the edge of collapse.

Russia collapsing would be very, very bad for everyone, especially the Russians, but us, too.

Getting Russia out of “Ossettia” is necessary for keeping the pipelines open and both our Trans-Caucasian friends fit and free. It seems to me that Abkhazia sits on the new Fulda Gap (i.e. open road for massive Russian infantry and armor invasion).

Unlike the Fulda Gap, the Trans-Caucasian gap doesn’t lead to Paris, just 77 quadrazillions of giga-somethings of gas and oil.

Hmmm. “cold” war, indeed. Somewhat further East.