If the attacks on Sept. 11 ushered in a new era of international relations, the crisis in Georgia has moved us into a new post-post-9/11 world, one fraught with foreign-relations challenges that have until now taken a back seat to the global war on terror.

Clearly, the United States, NATO and the European Union cannot allow Russia to continue to occupy the undisputed sovereign territory of a close Western ally such as Georgia. Economic and diplomatic pressure must be brought to bear to ensure that Russia abides by the terms of the ceasefire.

At the same time, we must be careful not to allow relations with Russia to deteriorate into a new Cold War.

An isolated Russia that feels penned in on all sides would be a great danger to peace in the region, with repercussions that would be felt worldwide.

While Russia will have to face diplomatic sanctions for its military action in Georgia, it is far better that the West continue to engage with Russia, albeit on tougher terms than we have before, than to allow it to drift further into nationalism and authoritarianism.

This will be, admittedly, a difficult tightrope to walk, but one that is worth traversing.

James Nowlin, Dallas