Abstract

By deciding to bomb South Ossetia on 7th August, Georgian President Saakashvili appears to have heavily erred. Armament provided by Israel, Ukraine and several NATO member States did not measure up to the Russian firepower. Deeply dependent on Moscow in many respects, the West has no interest in a worsening of the crisis. It should therefore give up its old myths inherited from the Cold War, cease its strategy of Russian encirclement and promote a true cooperation.