Georgia conflict showed conflict in foreign policy

THE ISSUE The response to Russia's invasion of Georgia showed Barack Obama's sound judgment in contrast to John McCain's tough talk.

Republicans convening this week in Minnesota have correctly cited the reactions by Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama to Russia's invasion of Georgia as a barometer of their differing foreign policies. McCain's tough talk certainly gained him public support, but Obama's measured response demonstrated sounder judgment.

The Bush administration has acted prudently in proposing $1 billion in humanitarian and economic assistance to help rebuild Georgia. Vice President Dick Cheney made the rounds of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine this week and reiterated U.S. support for Georgia's eventual membership in NATO. That is unlikely to happen anytime soon; if Georgia had been a member prior to the invasion, NATO would have been committed to respond militarily.

The U.S. has little leverage with Russia. McCain was quick to propose after the invasion that Russia be booted out of the Group of Eight industrial democracies and be rejected from membership in the World Trade Organization. Fortunately, President Bush rejected such punishment.

Russia's finance minister has recognized that the Georgia conflict brought about the departure of $7 billion from the Russian stock market. If the U.S. were to follow McCain's policy, the leverage the U.S. has attained with Russia since the fall of communism would suddenly evaporate and Russia would take a step back to isolation.

Obama's immediate response to the Russian invasion was to ask for restraint on both sides, perhaps aware that Georgia President Mikheil Saakasvili had led his country into a Russian trap. Obama added several days later, "We seek a future of cooperative engagement with the Russian government." He understands that a return to the Cold War is unacceptable.