Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

40 years ago yesterday, Soviet and Warsaw Pact forces invaded Czechoslovakia because they were unhappy about the liberalisation policies of the "Prague Spring". Today, Russian forces continue to occupy Georgia, and the Russian government have rejected a French resolution at the UN on the grounds that it called for their removal.

In both cases, the Soviet/Russian government have taken the internal policies of a tiny neighbour, in no position to threaten them, to be inimicable to their interests and invaded to impose their will by force.

In 1968 as in 2008 there was criticism, although notable silence from the left (Has anyone heard from Tony Benn or George Galloway on this). It would be over twenty years however before Eastern Europe enjoyed freedom.

The agreement between Poland and the USA over the missile defence system, which was undoubtedly accelerated by the Georgia crisis, is a welcome step, and there are mutterings about accelerating the admission of the Ukraine and Georgia into NATO. It is to be hoped that this happens.

While it is not always possible to directly and militarily confront an aggressor such as Russia, the lesson of the cold war is that we must always stand firm. The people of the countries under threat had to wait decades to enjoy their freedom, and we must do everything we can to ensure that they don't lose it.