Fort Leavenworth ? House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton said Monday that NATO allies must unite with the U.S. in responding to the Russian invasion of Georgia.

Skelton also says the U.S. needs to work through the United Nations to restore peace in the former Soviet state. Russian troops moved into South Ossetia and continued into Georgia last week. A French-brokered cease-fire was signed by Russia and Georgia to end hostilities.

Georgia has petitioned NATO for membership, which has angered Russian officials who fear their security would be at risk by the Western alliance.

“The question arises is what if they had already been a part of NATO? Western Europe and the United States would have been obliged to come to its defense,” Skelton said.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice went to Europe on Monday to talk with NATO ministers. In Brussels, she said Russia is playing a “very dangerous game”

Skelton, a Missouri Democrat, was at Fort Leavenworth on Monday for a groundbreaking for a new $15.5 million chapel.

He said Russia’s invasion of Georgia isn’t likely to be its last encroachment on its neighbors. He said Russia is trying to show that “it’s not to be forgotten.”

Skelton described Russia’s warning to Poland against entering into an agreement with the United States to host a missile defense battery as a prime example. A leading Russian general said last week that Poland was exposing itself to attack – even a nuclear one – if it hosted the battery.

“I think that’s probably Exhibit A of their challenge. Russia is flexing its muscle that it’s coming back. I think they must feel that they are being left out,” Skelton said.

A Georgian major studying at Fort Leavenworth’s Command and General Staff College was initially recalled by his government when fighting broke out, but was later permitted to stay.

During a flag ceremony last week to start the 10-month school year, Maj. Mamuka Shiukashvili received a spontaneous round of applause and standing ovation from his classmates of U.S. and international officers.

Skelton said he expected NATO members to be united in their response against Russia. He said the American military is stretched too thin, with fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, to contemplate a military response on its own.

“That’s the purpose of why we need to be more ready and have better capacity,” Skelton said. “We’re being stressed and strained almost beyond recognition with our Army and our ground troops. That is a major challenge of mine.”