This isn’t really about Georgia at all. It’s about the Ukraine, the Crimea Russia’s access to the Black Sea via Sevastopol. Look at the map.

Russia is out to anesthetize European reaction to its upcoming pressure on the Ukraine by demonstrating that the Europeans are too timid to do anything to protect Georgia.

The Russian plan is a good one, and it’s working. This was inevitable once both the Europeans denied NATO membership to the Ukraine and Georgia, and the oil price went up so Russia acquired both cash and political leverage.

The Europeans aren’t talking about the Ukraine because they really, really don’t want to have to think about it.