The problem with Georgia, seen in this context, is not that it encompasses a Russian enclave: it is that Georgia controls the oil and gas pipeline from Azerbaijan to Turkey that offers Europe a degree of independence from Russian energy blackmail. No one was surprised to hear claims yesterday that Russian jets tried to bomb that pipeline. The Kremlin is paranoid about the energy resources on which so much of its power depends: witness its acquiescence in the seizure of control of BP’s Russian joint venture, TNK-BP, which Russian oligarchs pulled off with impunity (although not without undermining Russia’s stock market and its ability to win future foreign investment). Therefore it is paranoid about a fully independent Georgia. As yesterday’s air and artillery strikes on Gori reminded us, we should not underestimate the sheer jumpiness of Russian nationalists. They cannot forget for a moment that the border with Nato has moved several countries closer in the past few years. Countries that enjoy membership of the Western alliance - by virtue of meeting its democratic criteria - enjoy a high degree of protection from old-style Russian imperial power games. Georgia does not enjoy that security: this year, Nato turned down Mr Saakashvili’s request for provisional membership, and now (as President Bush warned his fellow leaders) Moscow has taken advantage of that rebuff.