Superb commentary at Cato by Patrick Basham on US relations with Russia at this crucial time.

Says Basham:

Washington's desire to lash out economically and diplomatically at Russian misbehaviour in the Caucasus is trumping rational thinking on the future of a vital strategic relationship.

Washington's fundamental error is to mislabel Russia as a democratic country in the 1990s that suddenly turned undemocratic during the past decade....Russia has never been democratic in the liberal, Western sense. Rather, in zigzag fashion the Russian political system has been slowly transitioning away from totalitarianism towards a democratic system.

'Why did Russia go wrong?' is the wrong question. The awkward question Americans should be asking, not of the Russians, but of themselves, is, 'What can the West do to encourage and to sustain Russia's political transition?'

The Bush administration needs to avoid a holier-than-thou attitude in these matters.

He goes on to contrast DC's impatience with Russian democratization with the seemingly endless patience it has with blatantly undemocratic countries like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and others.

Economic development is the catalyst for Russia's long-term political maturation, as it has proven to be in most countries. Hence, the best way to foster Russian democracy and, consequently, calm Moscow's approach to international relations, is not to threaten Moscow but, less dramatically and more realistically, to help foster economic growth in Russia.

The larger irony is that the world's greatest liberal democracy is itself becoming increasingly illiberal. Both domestically and internationally, there is a need to refocus on a broader definition of democracy than American politicians are comfortable employing in public, especially when lecturing their Russian counterparts.

In practice, a myriad of economic and personal freedoms form integral pillars of a strong and stable liberal democracy. Simply put, political freedom is not sustainable without the foundations supplied by economic and personal freedom.

Yet, American liberal democracy is in the process of being replaced by a bully-like Nanny State.

We need prudence and to offer a helping hand that helps Russia help itself. And a strategic economic relationship that helps bring them into the fold rather than confrontational and cartoonish rhetoric and actions that get them paranoid and circling the wagons is how our government can truly serve its people here. I don't want to live in a heightened security state and I won't have it.

Let's not help create a monster and then wonder where it came from.

We have the ability to bridge gaps rather than creates gaps in the bridge.

The impatience, myopia and chest thumping of neo-cons and yellow-bellied, xenophobic simpletons will no doubt make it difficult for them to warm up to this approach because they'd rather stay in the comfortable one-dimensional world of nationalistic grand standing and soap box-ish pseudo-righteousness. I know. But this isn't about national greatness, WW2 mindsets or even Cold War mindsets. This about encouraging a sense of reassuredness in the Russian government and in turn to the Russian people that we are not a threat to them nor are their former blocs. It serves nobody's interest that has to live under either government's whims to make the Russians feel justified in circling the wagons, emboldening its control and preventing its own economic growth and liberalization and hence continued work toward social and political freedom. We need a wiser course of action that acknowledges that what we do affects how others think and think of us.

It's hypocritical of our government to claim anything and everything happening all over the world....no matter how remote...is a direct possible affront on American interests and justification for any course of action it chooses and then turn around and find it completely off the wall and preposterous when Russia reacts to contentious developments just beyond its own borders: Georgia wants in NATO, Georgia and Russia don't get along. It's other blocs are in the same boat, we're arming them (US Missile Deal in Poland...hello??) Do I feel Russia should feel as paranoid and isolated as it does? No....because they don't have my perspective. But that's not the issue. The issue is that I can easily see how they WOULD feel this way when viewed from their POV. And that's what matters here. Are we serving up fodder that emboldens Russia toward a self-fulfilled prophecy?

The Russians do not think the U.S. is sincere. Rather, they believe the critique of Russia's actions is merely an instrument of American foreign policy.

Absent a belated U-turn, American foreign policy – conducted by those living in an democratic glass house – will continue to throw ever-larger political stones in Russia's direction. Policymakers in Washington shall discover that this course of action damages not only the stones' intended target, but also the stone thrower, herself.

And claims that this is all a veneer for "kum bay a" weakness and naivete are making a grave, grave error in judgment. Strength through prudence and a sound, wise and global perspective will trump strength through primal brute force in this matter....if given the chance.