Bush knew that Europeans would not let Gerogia into NATO, for the reason--now only too obvious--that there is no way Georgia could be defended, as the NATO charter requires.

Nevertheless, Bush egged the Georgians on, and not just with useless support for NATO membership, but with military equipment and hundreds of US military advisors. I think the Georgians are genuinely, and to some extent justifiably, surprised that, when push came to shove, the US advisors did not go into SO to fight alongside the Georgian army.

This habit of tilting far, far to one side is an enduring theme of Bush foreign policy. So is bungling the response.

If the Georgians had been paying more attention, they would have realized the folly of trying to take military control of SO in the face of Russian opposition.

This is not to say that I approve of Russia's actions. I don't. But for some years now there has been an uneasy peace in the region, based upon the de facto near independence of SO, guaranteed by Russia. This has suited both the Russians and the South Ossetians just fine. But it has not suited the Georgians, and especially not the highly nationalist Saakashvili.

By encouraging Saakashvili, Bush's simpleminded approach to foreign policy bears some responsibility (the main responsibility, of course, rests with Putin and Saakashvili himself) for this debacle.

All the huffing and puffing and growling by Bush and the Dick will not change things now. This was something that was crystal clear to the Europeans last spring, and should be crystal clear by now even to dim bulbs who inhabit the Bush administration.