Russia has throughout its history coveted the Bosphorus and Dardenelles, and their ice-free maritime routes to the Mediterranean Sea. Russia has throughout its history assumed the role of protectors of Christians in the Ottoman Empire and its former realms. Russia long ago would have conquered Istanbul but for British and other Great Power resistance.

Russian nationalism, always intertwined with Orthodox religious jingoism, is back with a vengeance. How long before the Russian Church starts making noises about Orthodox Christians oppressed in Turkey? And they are very oppressed. They can't even repair churches or worship in public. Istanbul is the Vatican of Orthodoxy, yet the Patriarch is humiliated daily by the Turkish gov't.

Turkey has a lot to worry about. Lot of excuses available to Russia if they need one. Maybe not real reasons, but excuses that will do nicely.

The russians have one trump I have yet to see mentioned in the mainstream press: The supplyroute to AFghanistan. Without russian cooperation, the NATO/ISAF forces will only have Pakistan left as a Main Supply route, and that spells trouble. For a excellent blogpost by a expert, see http://easterncampaign.wordpress.com/2008/08/11/russia-georgia-nato-and-afghanistan/ My guess is that the logistics-gurus in general Petraeus staff are howling at the moment.

What an incredible and revealing post!

Once again, Russian excess or hegemony in the Caucasus has nothing to do with Russian policies or the failed policies of Georgia's neighbors in the region. No, once again it's those incompetent unthinking Americans and their policy of not "controlling" Georgia that brought this on. Is anyone out there with a brain really listening to this nonsense? :)

Given their geography and history, Turks of all people should have some constructive comments on this subject but has anti-Americanism in Turkey come to the point that that every problem in the world is a failure of the U.S.?

But wait, it's also France's fault because in a politically motivated report on the Rwandan genocide France was accused of setting the stage for genocide. Not proved just accused. Is the topic of Georgia really mixed up in French/Turkish genocide accusations? Does this pass for scholarship at any level or just a cheap shot at the E.U. based on Mr. Ozel's personal prejudices?

Mr. Ozel, in all honesty your post does nothing but claim to support events that any decent citizen of the world would support while in reality you support the same old status quo with Russia that has always existed and you ice the cake with a healthy dose of obsessive anti-American rhetoric.

Believe me, it's not just Tehran that has that "irrepressible smile". It's obvious to me that this emperor has no clothes.

All countries are not equally sovereign! That is the lesson Georgia learnt the hard way after its stupid Saakashvili thought he could "regain" South Ossetia by force. Puffed up by the accolades heaped on him by the US, Saakashvili believed he would get full backing from the US for his adventure. The US was in no mood to oblige - beyond making loud noises and issuing condemnations which the Russians contemptuously ignored. Small countries should know the limits of their sovereignty, particularly when they have large powerful states as neighbors.

As for Russia's actions, it was on expected lines. It has suffered humiliation for almost 20 years since the Soviet Union collapsed. It lost the largest empire the world has known and became a beggar nation. Putin hauled Russia back to a modicum of prosperity thanks to the oil boom. Now he is keen on restoring Russia's political influence, for starters with the former Soviet republics. Poland, Czech Republic, Baltic States and Hungary slipped out when Russia was poor. But when it came to Georgia, Russia was determined not to allow the US to gain a foothold. Hence at the first opportunity it taught Saakashvili a lesson he wont forget easily. And send a message to Ukraine that it is on notice. Ukraine's restive 45% ethnic Russians are unhappy at their lot and would welcome reunification with Russia. What will the US do if they "invite" Russia to "liberate" them?

The moral of the story is that Russia has reclaimed, nay gate crashed into its place at the high table of powerful nations. The US cannot stop its ascent any more than it can stop the onward march of China, India and Brazil from the same quest. Nor it should thwart their ambitions. After all none of these nations pose any threat to world peace the way Islamic terror does!

In Putin's view, Russia's legitimate sphere of influence extends from the Bering Strait to the English Channel and from the Arctic Ocean to the Indian Ocean. So, get used to it.

there is also a justifiable perception of hypocrisy in the response and pronouncements when compared with the events b/w israel and lebanon. the issue of disproportionate use of force requires clearer definition. i think perhaps it was disproportionate, but i would argue that the response in the case of lebanon was more of a travesty for the following reason. first, the justification given was the abduction of 2 soldiers by hezbullah, yet 1,500 lebanese civilians were killed in the bombing. this was an attack on a government and population that were/are also in large part being held to ransom by the same group and could be considered its victims. the israeli strategy was therefore to further victimize the victims to the point where they would in anger turn upon their immediate victimizers. it is so wrong headed one is left flummoxed. i believe in all cases where civilians are threatened or under attack the first priority should be to end the suffering and death. finally, i hope the georgian people realize saakashvili is lacking as a leader both in judgment and temperament, and make some effort to seek better leadership. for our policymakers, this blind support for an irresponsible and reckless fellow based upon dubious policy objectives and benefits will create another pocket of reflexive support at great expense to our real interests.

The simple way out of this mess is to encourage Georgia to accept Chinese peacekeepers in South Ossettia and Abkhazia. The Chinese are beholden to neither side and don't seem to have a horse in this race.

//brian mcc, the arctic:
comments 1 and 2 were the fastest internet removal of free speach I have yet to witness from my location.//

I will give you a free sermon that should put things in perspective:

1. Case of British Petroleum - British Petroleum was formed to provide fuel for domestic needs in UK. Can you think how much oil/fuel UK needs?
That leads us to the next question: What is BP doing all over the world hogging all the oil?

So you know greed is at work.

Not that I hate BP.

2. Case of investment in China - Corporations use push mechanism to provide goods and services in China and like nations. Do ordinary Chinese and like nations really need these goods and services?

So you know greed is at work.

US is now worried about China expanding into space -

Who provided the technology for stable lauch of rockets to China - Loral Space & Communications.
Who authorized Loral Space & Communication to sell technmology to China - Bill & Hillary Clinton

So you know greed is at work.

By the way what are you doing up i the Arctics - The weather here in Texas is as good as up there - may be in 50 or so years. Does this make you feel better?

When time arrives, I will give my perspective on Exxon's exit from China.

O By the way - Does Russia really needs McDonalds? So you know greed is at work.

İf oil and gas prices are really matter, the right way "to gain Russia to the West's side", in some way comes from the attempts to decrease oil prices. So, West in order to fulfill this goal, must deal with China, İran, some African and Latin American "failed-states", stabilize the relations with them, reduce the tension etc.

İf such approach could be recognized as right, Western policymakers firstly must fully revise the Weltanschauung they have, rewrite the foreign policy concepts and stop to think that "West are against the Rest".

The world we are living is not just about confrontation, or evil-bad perceptions, also its about engagement, irregardless of Western arrogance...

And try to listen a bit what "others" are trying to say...

comments 1 and 2 were the fastest internet removal of free speach I have yet to witness from my location.

Basic Bush strategy.
Georgia, fire our guns.
We're right behind you...

Israel, Iraq, Afghanistan.
BP, EXXON, etc...
Iran the boogeyman nuclear.

Threats were issued, deadlines denied.
$148/barrel was the breking point.
@$114/barrel, time to invade another oil field.

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If the United States cannot control a two-bit client such as Saakashvili and keep him from taking this utterly destructive step, then what good is American policy?
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...Two-bit client...Saakashvili... very well said.

So much so for the "McDonald" diplomacy.

This Georgia episode will force both Russia and US to come to terms with ground reality for the foreseable future.