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Anyone who studied Russian history at A-level may well have a twitchy reaction when you mention the name “Orlando Figes”. Dark nightmares of the longest book in the world may well surface. I was one among many who tackled A Peoples Tragedy: The Russian Revolution, 1891-1924. It’s not his fault – it’s a history book, not a novel. However, the professor from the University of London has some very contemporary advice for policy makers: do not humiliate Russia.

In Australia, he told The Age today that Russian nationalism can explain the current actions of the Russian government in Georgia and give good reasons why the moral high ground is not a diplomatic place to stand:

“I’m not arguing for appeasement of oppression,” he said, “but to build a relationship, we have to get Russia to abide by the rules of international institutions in a way that will give it dignity.

“That means we mustn’t lecture them with old Cold War rhetoric in a morally superior way, which doesn’t wash any more.” After Iraq and Kosovo, “we don’t have much of a moral stance to lecture from, and they know that”.

“I’ve been saying for years that the Putinites believe and fear a sort of encirclement by American-backed regimes. This stand-off between Russia and Georgia is something that is being stacked up by both sides for political interests, and the Georgians have put themselves in the middle of this.”

He had great sympathy for Georgia: “I go there often, I’ve been instrumental in trying to get Russian studies going there. There’s been an eradication of all the old links in the last decade. But historically, those links are very strong. However Georgia wants to turn its back on Russia, it will always be in the Russian orbit.”

I don’t agree with the invasion of Abkhazia and South Ossetia (pronounced O-see-sha), but neither do I think that David Miliband’s old school condemnation of Russia will help Britain’s interests, or go any way towards resolving the crisis.

The most ironic part of the shocking turn of events in the Caucasus was the wholly hypocritical speech by George W. Bush Jnr shown in the video on this post. The West has nowhere to stand. Especially when Condoleeza Rice keeps a straight face and announces that missiles placed 100 miles from the Russian border are for purely defensive purposes. You cannot blame Russia for being slightly purturbed. I believe that the American found a similar situation in Cuba rather undesirable. Diplomacy is about tact and power. The UK and USA have demonstrated neither.

N.B. Just as Orlando Figes suggests that we should look to history for lessons, did anyone else find it slightly amusing that Russia should use the age old “we were just protecting the nationalist rebels” argument so loved by Turkey in Cyprus and Hitler in the Sudetenland. How long until they attempt to invade the rest of the country? Place your bets now.