All this war is about to protect interest by power.The American and allies showed the world of their brutal power when they destroy Iraq.Now same thing is doing by Russia.Non of these super power going to loose.The only looser are those countries which are less powerfull.UNO and G_8 cannot do any thing such a condition where UNO run on VETO not on democratic principle.The great dilemma of the world body is that it teaches other nation to move towrads democracy but this body it self is not a democratic organisation.G-8 cannot do any thing when their economy is based on the enrgy and need Russian energy in future.The shifting of economic power to Asia also making G_8 a useless nations.
As far other nation is concerned this Georgian adventure of Russia is clear warning to eastern NATO aspirant countries that Russia will protect his interest and no nation can save them if they will put Russian interest in danger.
The next adventure will be poland and Iran question.

So what should have Russia done: just allow Georgia to continue bombing and killing thousands of South Ossetians until Saakashvili is finally happy? Even assuming Russia has "expansionist propensities", not everything it does is based on illegitimate claims! By the way, where is evidence that North Ossetians want self-determination? I have not heard of any. I know that South Ossetians (the ones attacked by Georgia) indeed had a referendum where more than 98% of the votes were cast in favor of independence. And that is exactly because they are truly frightened to be under the loose-cannon incompetent Georgian government they do not trust to prevent a genocide by the Georgians. The latest unprovoked attack by Georgia is the best evidence of that.

Note:

Fact: Mother/Father R-u-s-s-i-a does not want anymore Georgeon(s) , not only on their Soil, but away from it All!

PS: 2-Things:

1)
Stalin, who Murdered 22,000,000 Rusians (only 100,000 of his own fellow Georgians) is not forgotten by 99% of Russiians! AND

2)
ZOROASTER, of the FIRE (mono THEO) Religion, under King CYRUS the Great II of PERSiA/Iran, originated from Georgia!

PS: AMERiCA, Please sell back ALASKA, for the Same Price that Queen KATHERiNe the Great of Russia!

??? Well????? Well???????? Did Ye Forget How Mother/Father Russia Helped Kill GERMANY HiTLER, a CATHOLiC. Note: Stalin too was a Catholic!!!!!!!!!!!

To: SMELL THE COFFEE,

Probably not the place, but the US invasion of Iraq is a totally different situation. The US had full international legal rights to do so under UN resolutions, period, end of story. No comparison to Russia's aggression in Georgia. Previous people said it best, but when are people in the "old world" going to stop being so concerned with their old, ethnic identities and get on with living together for the benefit of their "future" generations.

For all your left-wing "hate America first" rhetoric, I can't see how you can dispute that America has alot to teach the rest of the world about people for different ethnic groups, religions, even languages living together in, for the most part, harmony.

Russians, Ossetias and Georgians all need to grow up and stop killing each other over....what...language? Nonsense.

Sincerest apologies: The last 'Anonymous' note is by me.

IVAN, GO HOME!: Who am I? One who remembers as far back as last Thursday! Georgia attacked. Georgia, with support from the US & UK rejected an offer for a cease fire at the UN. I also recall that way back in 1991 Abkhazia & S.Ossetia wanted to secede from Georgia, just as Georgia wanted to secede from the USSR. One who also remembers that Abkhazia & S.Ossetia were added to Georgia by Stalin, a famous Georgian.

The essence of whom I blame is based on who started it. That is Georgia, with encouragement from circles in the US government. I am not ascribing any motives to the Russians. Assuming as you do that they are evil incarnate, then the fault stil lis with Georgia for breaking a cease fire 3 hours after it was concluded, and attacking civilians in Tskhivali, according to the refugees themselves.

I have no interest i this either way. I am simply not so stupid as to ignore what happened, or to forget it, simply because some decide to shout.

As for "Who the hell are you? A brainwashed Russian with American passport who despises this country (business as usual for your compatriots) or just an utter and hopeless pacifist idiot who blames the U.S. all the freaking time?": I f you address me that way again, I shall arrange to have you excluded from these boards. They do have rules about abuse, event though they rarely enforce them.

It is very possible that Russia is using the opportunity to send a message to other countries as Ukraine, but they were given an excellent excuse by Georgia.
The fact is that country attacked with heavy artillery, without warning and in the middle of the night the capital of South Osetia. There are informations of more or less one thousand civilians dead. Russian soldiers that were in the area were killed too. What Russia was expected to do?
Lets imagine that Cubans would do the same to take back the territories of the Guantanamo naval base, occupied by the USA. What would you think would be the reaction of the "Leader of the Free World"?
In general, I think that the international community should look to the facts and not be guided by ideological sympathies or antipathies.

To AMviennaVA:

“But I blame a criminal government in Georgia, and an incompetent administration in the US.”

Unbelievable! You blame Georgia and the U.S. for bombing Gori, Poti, Zugdidi, and dozens of Georgian villages, but, at the same time, fail to mention that, in reality, Russian military aviation is responsible for destroying the above-mentioned cities/towns/villages.

Russian media tries to emphasize the Friday morning attack on Tkhinvali by Georgian forces. It is conveniently forgotten that the previous day or two Ossetian separatists have been terrorizing (shelling, detonating road explosives) the position of Georgian peacekeepers. Unfortunately, Georgian government could not call a well-organized Russian/Ossetian provocation and decided to regain control of Tkhinvali.

It is easy to see which side provoked this recent conflict: Russian forces were prepared for this operation well in advance of August 9.

And we are forgetting one thing: the Kokoiti regime in South Ossetia is composed of KGB/FSB officers who have been running separatist criminal operation for the past sixteen years. It is the same story with Abkhazia. Both enclaves have been out of international control for years now.

Let’s not forget who benefited from this recent escalation of the conflict. Russia scored a hat-trick: pocketed both South Ossetia and Abkhazia as prospective associate members of the Russian Federation and managed to shut down and scare away investors and potential suppliers away from the BTC pipeline. And that’s on top of the Russian government having a chance to flex its diplomatic/military muscles and to destroy Georgian civil and military infrastructure for years to come.

http://www.aei.org/docLib/20080813_PowerpointPresentation.pdf
So, explain to me, how is Russia not a culprit?

Also, who the hell are you to call Georgian and U.S. governments criminal? Talk about hypocrisy! Who the hell are you? A brainwashed Russian with American passport who despises this country (business as usual for your compatriots) or just an utter and hopeless pacifist idiot who blames the U.S. all the freaking time?

Whoa!

@ Georgia itself has no economic importance

I'm no expert, but believe that one (or two) energy pipelines traverse or terminate in Georgia. I call that very economically significant.

"Obviously, the twin power-holders are not interested in 60,000 South Ossetians and their dreams of independence."

Just how is that obvious? Georgia violated a cease fire less than 3 hours after it was concluded. They violated it in force with the specific aim to absorb a territory that does not want to be part of Georgia. As I understand it, every request of a plebiscite on independence has been rejected by Georgia. They leveled the city of Tskhinvali (at least according to the refugees from there!). It is possible (and likely) that elements of the administration encouraged them to do so. Those elements have been incompetent in all their endeavors. Just look at Iraq. But what Georgia, especially Saakashvili, did was criminal. After all, the attacks they launched were against the civilian population. It was also stupid, in that they started a war with a much larger neighbor.

As for Russia's motives? I dare say that none of the posters knows what they are any more than I. I do know however that Russia did not send hundreds of thousands of troops half-way around the world to invade a country! The intervention is local, and is actually in defense of peace-keeping forces that even Georgia agreed to have. The Russians may have been cynical, but they did propose at the UN a cease fire, before they intervened, that was rejected by Georgia and the US/UK!

I feel sorry for those killed (by both sides) and those made homeless (on both sides). But I blame a criminal government in Georgia, and an incompetent administration in the US.

I appreciate the truth of this post. Yes, it's unlikely that Georgia will be the last. I believe that Russia wants control of the pipelines in the Caucasus. Its present monopoly on supply to Europe isn't sufficient. For those who want a democratic Europe controlled via energy supplied from an autocratic one-party Russian state, this is your moment. If you don't appreciate that future, it's time to take notice.

It's amazing to me how many people apologize for what is obviously a gregious attack on a nation that wants nothing more than to be truly independent from centuries of selfish Russian control.

I hope that this works as a wake-up call to all who want a better world.

This author underestimates her readers with her North-Ossetia argument. North-Ossetia used to have autonomy, and now is a republic (meaning it has its own official language, its parliament and constitution). Check any encyclopedia. That is what the South-Ossetians were asking for within Georgia. Being denied this in Georgia's nationalistic wave, they switched to a demand for independence.

The US won't alone go after the Russians, militarily, unless the Russians attack us. However, we can make life hell for the Russians in all ways. And we should do that.

Georgia today and who knows who tomorrow?

It seems to me that Russia has fired the first volley of warning across the Causacus that "we do whatever we want as we always have in the region". Controlling the pipelines gives Russia control over not just the Caucasus but via essential energy, Europe as well. This is hardly lost on Putin. The rest is just gibberish to confuse the essential truth of the moment.

Whether it's poisoning an outspoken critic in London or marching troops into a sovereign nation, Russia looks more and more like the old Soviet Union run by a KGB metality and a dictatorship bent on international hegemony.

While I agree with the basic premise that Russia is acting like an arrogant bully, let us not forget that the US has behaved just as badly, if mot worse, than Russia in the last 7 years. The invasion of Iraq was an unconscioncable act of agression by this country against a sovereign nation (however much we disliked its leader). Our "shock and awe" was responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent Iraqis. Our agression in Iraq makes recent events look like childs play. Similarly, our involvement in Vietnam, Korea and our blatent theft of Panama at the end of the nineteenth century even up the score.

I'm NOT saying that two wrongs make a right, but it sickens me to hear the hypocrisy of our leaders in regards to recent Russian aggression.

What no one seems to explain in MSM land,is what a h*ll was USA/Israel doing training armed forces at the edge of the Russian Federation, and why the H*LL was both of these copuntries supplying weaeponas to the idiot in residence in Georgia?

No doubt uncle Sam would appriciate if China/Russia was placing military advisors and modern weapons in Cuba, Mexico or Canada. if this statemnt is not true, then uncle sam should keep her armaments and military personal afar from the Russian Federation border.

The issue is simple, USA/Israel/Georgia/NATO quit poking the nose of the slumbering bear [or the slumbering dragon] lest they get upset -- no one can win against these two major powers.

I thank the author for her article.

Georgia is under attack and she needs immediate help from the West. The argument that Georgia ‘started it first’ is naive at best. The Georgian government tried to rid the country of a KGB/FSB subsidiary separatist criminal organization operating in Samachablo region. The republic of Georgia is a sovereign state and it is outrageous to defend what the Russian government is perpetrating there.
If not being challenged, tomorrow the Kremlin will try to swallow Crimea.

Most importantly, Russia has no moral right to school Georgia on ethnic cleansing and genocide – past two centuries are full of notorious examples of Russian savagery (Chechnya is a case in point). How would the Russian people feel if the NATO interferes to protect the Chechen people and their dream of independence?

Also, it is simply stupid to compare Kosovo to either South Ossetia or Abkhazia and to justify Russian aggression under the pretext of protecting civilians. Over 250,000 ethnic Georgian refugees (from 1991-93 conflicts) still await return to their homes in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

In response to ‘gullible’ Peter42y:

“I completely agree with the user that did the first comment. There are a few things miriam leitão does not mention.
Georgia was part of russia for 200 years , before the fall of the Soviet Union. It is understandable Russia does see that country as its backyard.”

HOW DOES THE FACT THAT GEORGIA HAS BEEN A RUSSIAN COLONY FOR THE PAST 200 YEARS JUSTIFY RUSSIAN AGGRESSION THIS TIME AROUND? How? Are you a complete imbecile? That’s what happens from reading too much Russian propaganda.

"What about North Ossetian dreams of independence?" Ms. Leitao asks. What about taking a look at the world map before trying to write anything? North Ossetia is a part of Russian Federation and frankly, this is the first time I hear about any separatist plans they could possibly have - and I located much closer to that part of the world comparing to where Ms.Leitao is. North Ossetia is where thousands of South Ossetians flew when Georgian military started pounding their houses with heavy artillery (and this fact no one can deny - watch CNN), so when Ms. Leitao says that Medvedev-Putin power tandem doesnt care about South Ossetia independence she probably mistook them with georgian leader mr.Saakashvili who ordered that artillery to fire (was he provoked or not - this is another question which we dont know the answer to yet - however any sane person understands that you cannot restore peace in the separatist region of your country by blasting the civilans who live there with rockets, not to mention the fact that many of these civilians are russian citizens). The rest of the article is as "credible" as first paragraph is.

Remember, we live in Internet world. The information flows freely here. Watch CNN, watch BBC, watch Russian channels. The truth is, as usual, is somewhere in between.

LEO..YOU ARE A GOOD MAN - AND SO R U HANDEL -THANK YOU. Anyone else wants to argue? LOL

hello,peter42. are u really that naive or simply a communist. Don't you see what is going on here?
There is OIL flowing through this little country and
the Russians will not stop until they gain control.
Who is next? Lithuania, Estonia, Ukraine? Can't you see that this was a well organized Russian provocation? Georgians should have kept their cool being provoked, true...but Russians play the minds better than anyone on the world. It worked...but did it? I think people slowly learn to read between Russian lies...ooops, I meant lines.
"Eyes Open...are wide" gotta love it.
We have seen Katyn, we have seen Czechoslovakia, we have seen Afghanistan...what else are we going to see?

A bully emboldened because no one will stand up to the bully becomes a bully to all. Bully's rule by fear. Fear of a battle that they are willing to fight. It is admirable that individuals walk away from fights for on a sub-micro scale, individual to individual, there is little to be gained in proving "the right". Yet, this is not a sub-micro but global-macro scale that involves innocent lives for the pride of a few.

Either confront Putin and his cronies now with a credible possibility of a conventional theater or suffer global thermal nuclear war when they feel they have nothing to lose or they feel so embolden they believe in their own pride. To take the "high road" and apologize for every truly unintentional mistake yet allow an enemy to target civilians with impunity emboldens the enemy. Only the blind pacifist will think that Russia is not the West's enemy. When this bully clearly "liquidates" its enemies, the seeds are being set for Armageddon at the time of their choosing.

If the US wants to truly seek the "high road" in actions and beliefs then they will fulfill their promises to their friends or they will never have any friends left with which to stand.

No one wanted war and let Hitler take country after country until Germany's true intentions became clear. Who is kidding who when Hitler, like Putin, made his intentions clear even before he invaded the first country.

Lessons not learned are repeated.

Hey guys, sorry for this outburst, but comments like this moron's just drive me nuts. My dad spent 2 years in Russian labor camp after war. Why? Because he fought Nazis. Ohhh, I forgot. He was on the "wrong side". He was not a communist and KGB found American dollars in his Warsaw apartment. WOW! From 1945 til 1947 he was jailed. When he came back, almost six foot man weighed 110 pounds (1.8 meter @ merely 50
kg). Putin is a scum and Medviediew is his puppet.
Russia wants to recreate the Great Russian Empire. Watch it people - when Lenin did it, Soviets were poor, but now, his successors like Putin and Medviediew have lots of cash behind them. The Russia has to be thought a lesson, not Georgia. Russia is the aggressor here, not Georgia.

Hello Agsoba. Your ignorant pro communist comment just shows how much u know. From whom do u think Hitler learned the idea of death camps? Stalin. Russia is number one scum of the Earth (not the people, just the post communist, KGB government) and its government needs to be put where it belongs - in the Siberian labor camp they invented. Reckless my as@!!! Georgia wants freedom. At times you must make sacrifices. S.Osesetia is not a part of Russia - it's a part of Georgia. Abhkazia is not a part of Russia but just like Ossetia, it is a communist loving part of Georgia. Georgia did not invade Ossetia nor Abhkazia - they entered their own territory. Ossetian and Abhkazian people just want to live and Georgians do not hate them. They only hate, what their Russian loving governments stand for. Listen you commi moron, move to Russia and keep on kissing Putin's as@! You belong there

As far as I understand Georgia was forced to enter the conflict zone.

There was an article in the other publication saying that any person with as little military understanding will say that this kind of operation can't be succeeded without previous training and planing.

Georgia started shelling the Tskinvali after Russian tanks have crossed the border of Russia S.Osetia.

It's kind of hard to belief that there was a 58th devision nearby and if so all Georgians had to do is to wait for winter for the tunnel to be blocked and then S.Osetia would have been blocked like (as I understand) happens every year!

This made me think (hope you do the same), maybe all this well orchestrated military "work out" for ... well think!

For Osetians, well Osetian and Georgian people have lived together for centuries and I do hope they still will.

Thank you

What most american journalist don't tell (and it needs soem research to know this) is there is no such thing as South Ossetia. Even if you don't know this it is enough to look at the map of Georgia - so called South Ossetia sits exactly in the center of Georgia and almost divide the country in 2 parts. Next - it was impossible to bo from North Ossetia to South Ossetia before the russian made there a tunnel.
So providing the ossetians and georgians were bitter enemies for many centures how the few ossetians survived in the middle of hostile georgians? The answer is simple - they didn't. Because they wasn't there at all. Russian conquered Goergia at the end of 19 century but georgians never stopped fighting back. So in the year 1920 the bolsheviks transferred ossetians exactly in the middle of Georgia at the georgian land called Samochablo. Thus by dividing the Georgia in two parts they suceeded to subdue the georgian resistance. But even now at least 30% of the South Ossetia population are georgians. And no one ever asked them if they desire to be part of the Great Russian Empire.

I completely agree with the user that did the first comment. There are a few things miriam leitão does not mention.
Georgia was part of russia for 200 years , before the fall of the Soviet Union. It is understandable Russia does see that country as its backyard.

Besides it Mr Saakasvily who did attack first.
The Georgian forces were the ones who choose to atack and enter the Capital of Ossetia.
His behaviour was completely reckless.

It was Saakasvily nationalistic fervor that brought war to the country.

There are similarities between Milosevic behaviour and Saakavily behaviour.

Both men tried to conquer back a restive province.
Milosevic tried to conquer back Kosovo.

Sakasvily tried to conquer back South Ossetia.
The actions of both men brought war.
Instead of backing Saakasvily the west should do the oposite.., should make clear that troublemakers have no future in Europe.

How come you're not alluding to the fact the reckless Georgian leadership brought this on themselves. The Georgian leadership went to look for trouble and they got what they deserve. Is this the kind of people we want in NATO, definetly not, because sabre rousers like the Georgial leadership are just too reckless to be admitted into serious alliances like NATO.