You have to consider that voices calling for the US to back this call for independence are probably less concerned with these people's freedom and more interested in using them as pawns to poke the Russians in the eye. And it's not hard to see that, even when you've been poked in both eyes.
The article linked on the original post warns of the dangers of unilateral moves, and lessons learned from other recent overtures of this nature, and then goeas on to suggest that the US should make another one, which, if for no other reason, makes me question just how smart the person is who wrote the piece if he doesn't even spot the contradiction in his assertion.
Chock