Cold War II

It isn’t just Georgia that’s in danger

THE Russian invasion of Georgia is an ominous portent. Georgia is too small a state to be a threat to Russia, and the composition of its government is of only marginal importance to the Kremlin. Yet here are Dmitri Medvedev, the Russian president, and his Siamese twin Vladimir Putin, the prime minister, raging against Georgia in wild language and crushing it with even wilder action. The Russian national interest, as they understand it, evidently is promoted by the display of brutality. This marks a shift in the world order-and, seemingly, a reprise of the Cold War.

About the Author

David Pryce-Jones

David Pryce-Jones (1936–2025) was a British author and commentator and served as a senior editor of National Review.

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It isn’t just Georgia that’s in danger

THE Russian invasion of Georgia is an ominous portent. Georgia is too small a state to be a threat to Russia, and the composition of its government is of only marginal importance to the Kremlin. Yet here are Dmitri Medvedev, the Russian president, and his Siamese twin Vladimir Putin, the prime minister, raging against Georgia in wild language and crushing it with even wilder action. The Russian national interest, as they understand it, evidently is promoted by the display of brutality. This marks a shift in the world order-and, seemingly, a reprise of the Cold War.