Today, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced that his nation had recognized Georgia’s two breakaway regions, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as independent. Moscow ignored President Bush, who yesterday noted that “Georgia’s territorial integrity and borders must command the same respect as every other nation’s, including Russia’s.”

Well put, Mr. Bush. If Russia will not respect the territorial integrity of its neighbors, then why should we respect Russia’s? Instead of issuing words the Kremlin will only ignore–today Condoleezza Rice called Moscow’s recognition of the two Georgian regions “regrettable”–we should speak in sentences that Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin will understand. One such sentence is this: “The United States believes that all people in the Caucasus region should have the right of self-determination, and that includes the people of areas inside Russia such as, but not limited to, Chechnya.”

Moscow needs us more than we need Moscow at this particular moment, so now is a good time to reintroduce the concept of reciprocity into American foreign policy. The Kremlin’s leaders have made it known they do not treasure good relations with us. So why should we treasure good relations with them? Because Russia put itself in play with today’s recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, we should not feel hesitant to begin talking about a free and independent Chechnya.

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