Paul Berman offers a distressing take on the Russian invasion of Georgia and its fallout. Points 5 and 7 are especially noteworthy.
Update: Andrew Sullivan echoes Berman’s point about petroleum:
Oil is the source of the power of our enemies, and the enemies of democracy and peace. Until we shift the global economy decisively away from petro-economics, the West will decline quite swiftly in relation to the petro-powers. There is no peaceful future for a world run on oil. This is now not just a matter of environmental concern; it’s a geo-strategic urgency.
