Georgia's NATO Bid a Casualty of War

U.S. News and World Report|by Anna Mulrine Russia has, for now, declared a halt to its military attacks in neighboring Georgia after noting with some satisfaction that the former Soviet republic had been "punished" and its military left "disorganized." Whether any new deals will secure some measure of peace in the face of Russian demands that Georgia's American-backed President Mikheil Saakashvili step down -- and after the death of perhaps 2,000 or more civilians -- is another matter. But behind the scenes, a pressing question within military and diplomatic circles is whether this week's fighting will mean an end to Georgia's hopes to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, membership that President Bush has strongly backed. The answer almost certainly seems to be yes, since NATO now is likely to have second thoughts... [read full story]