Did Bush Almost Bomb Georgia?

Politico reports breathlessly that George W. Bush’s administration “considered—and rejected—a military response to Russia’s 2008 invasion of Georgia.” Andrew Sullivan draws the conclusion that the Bush team “came close” to bombing Georgia to stop Russian troops from pouring into the tiny country through a critical tunnel. But that’s not really what the article says.

The key quote, in the sixth paragraph of the story, explains that “No principal advocated the use of force.” It’s both appropriate and unsurprising that Bush and Cheney’s national security aides—or the national security aides to any president—would lay out all the potential responses to a crisis like the invasion of Georgia. And it’s only responsible for the pricipals—actual decisionmakers like Bush, Cheney, and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley—to discuss all the options. But if none of the actual decisionmakers ever pushed to use military force, it’s hard to argue that it was seriously considered. This really seems like a non-story.

Kevin is traveling today.