President Bush is sending Vice President Dick Cheney to Georgia in a strong show of support for that beleaguered country.

On Monday, the White House fired another round of rhetoric at Russia for failing to fully abide by a cease-fire agreement with Georgia. Russia has pulled most of its troops and tanks out of Georgia, but left substantial forces in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the disputed breakaway republics. Russia has left military posts within Georgia as well.

The world wonders where all this is leading.

The Bush administration blasted Russia Monday for endorsing the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, arguing that Moscow lacks authority to do so by itself. That is right. Yet Russia's parliament voted unanimously Monday to urge Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to recognize the independence of the two regions.

White House spokesman Tony Fratto said the status of the regions is "not a matter for any one country to decide," but one that should be discussed among the parties through the United Nations.

Vice President Cheney's presence in Georgia will make a statement of support. He will hold talks there with President Mikhail Saakashvili and travel to Azerbaijan and Ukraine, meeting with leaders of those two former Soviet republics as well.

Certainly the United States is expressing its support of Georgia and condemnation of Russia. European countries, who depend on Russia for oil, are doing so to a lesser extent.

NATO foreign ministers have suspended formal contacts with Russia as punishment. But stronger sanctions, within the realm of diplomacy, will need to be taken.