You know, I find politicians motives so transparent on times. The once-strong US economy has gone from bad to much worse on Bush's watch. So - 'It's an old trick but it may just work!?!'. Divert attention abroad - to 'an enemy without'. In this case - Russia. Russia is an old adversary still the object of mistrust and suspicion in the West ... 'Let's rattle the old Bear's cage!'. First, by encouraging countries like Poland and little Georgia to join NATO. Then we can site some missiles on Polish soil. A defence system aimed at? Why, Iran of course!
Having cosied up to these states, knowing of Russia's suspicion of them, when an emboldened Georgia sends troops into disputed territories and Russia retaliates, NATO backs the foolish Georgian President. Russia is, of course, in the wrong and the Bear can be goaded just a little more.
This political chess game puts us all at risk. Brown & co are foolish to go along with it. We have enjoyed peaceful and thawing relations with the Russian Federation since the demise of the old Soviet Union. We (that is Europe) need to keep Russia on side in order to safeguard energy supplies for the forseeable future. Successive, incompetent governments have left us at the mercy of foreign suppliers, including the Arabs and now possibly the Russian Federation. There has always existed the possibility of alternative methods of providing energy but the stranglehold of fossil-fuel suppliers has remained in place due to the complacency of politicians.
What is needed in Europe is a sort of buffer-zone with the countries bordering the RF kept neutral. The neutrality of Poland would mean the American missiles would have to be sited elsewhere. There must be somewhere equally suitable? In the meantime we have to continue, even redouble efforts to head off Iran's 'nuclear threat'.
By the by, the transparency of politicians can also be observed in the McCain camp (Perhaps he thought his chips were down?) (Sorry - British in-joke!). Fans of Hilary Clinton defect to the GOP because they want a woman in the White House. You can almost hear the cry falling from the old guy's lips: 'They want a woman! Find me a woman! Any woman! Governor of where? Ok, ok, she'll do!

There will never be another cold war. The next one will be the Warm War. Global warming don't you know. Right is right and wrong is wrong. Russia is wrong. Muslim extremism is wrong. You either stand up and fight or get your butt kicked. You can disagree but that doesn't change anything. Evil exists in this world. We must fight evil or it will destroy us. Like it or not this world will never be perfect. Perfection will be achieved in the next life. Fight evil with all you have. Never give up. Never give in. Great people(nations) find a way to succeed. Weak nations (people) become targets. Stand and fight or cower in the cover. If you are scared say you are scared. We (USA and Allies) will eventually come to your defense.

Time for the West to reduce their reliance on Russian oil and gas supplies.The Russian Government cannot be trusted, and there will be little or no compromise in any dealings with them.

"One day the great powers will become friends - Their great power will be seen to increase - the new land (USA) will be at the height of its power - to the man of blood (Bin Laden) the number is reported. The two will not remain allied for long" Not my words but those of Nostradamus. He saw it coming - what a shame Putin and Bush are not clever enough to prove him wrong.

The race is on
Mutually assured destruction
Is time running out?
http://www.thebulletin.org/

What happens to the interview of the Abkhazia president on this web ? Where is the freedom of speech you have been crying for in China, Russia, Zimbaboue North Korea? Shame on the west.

Even though the questions were not fair, this leader anwsered them in a political way. Saakashvilli is always out of topic. I wander where he get his law degree from. All you hear from Saakashvilli is , "this is what we are talking about, this is what we are talking about" but nothing concret. Saakashvili speaks street english. His french don't be impressed ,it is broken.This Abkhazian leader proves he is a smart leader. Saakashvili even denied the were Russian in those territoeies. He claimed that Russian bruoght those people to occupie his country. Saakashvili's claim proves he is not the wost leader on earth. Who could pretend to lead people he denied existence ? This West should sacrifie Saakashvili for peace in the world. Send Saakashvili to the international criminal court for war crimes and have Russia engaged in Afganistan. Abkhazie leader proves his leadership. Judge his response for yourself. Smart leader Sergei Bagapsh

There is no place for a comparation of the breakup of former Yugoslavia and declaration of independence of Kosovowith the two provinces of Georgia. Kosovo became independet as the result of breakup of former Yugoslavia that came as a result of the attempts of the butcher of the Balkans to create e Greater Serbia and destroy Yugoslavia. The independence of Kosovo came after Milosevic killed more than 400.000 citizens of Yugoslavia by attaking first Slovenia than Croatia, Bosnia and Hercegovina than Kosovo. Soccre fields were fiilled with graves, the old city of Dubrovnik was under seige for three months, Sarajevo for four years, Vukovar for three months, more than 8000 muslim men have been killed in Srebrenica, more than 1000000 (one milion) Albanians deported from Kosova. Thanks to intervention of NATO this war did not go beyond boundaries of former Yugoslavia. Milosevic was a threat to regional peace and security -he was the Hitler of Balkans. Under this condition no one wanted to live with Serbia: Albanians, Bosnians, Croats, Macedonians, Montenegrians, Slovenians etc. It is my opinion that today's Russia is using its Russian national minorities in "near abroad" countries "to protect" them with only goal to destabilize those countries the same way as Milosevic wanted to "protect" Serbian ethnic groups in other countries as a way to create a greater Serbia. Therefore, there is no comparation with independence of Kosova and the status of two provinces of Georgia.

its time united nations called a meeting to clarify the pandors box which the west has opened over the reconisation of kosovo.and its reluctance to reconise akhabia and south ossetia.

Russia is part of Europe (more than Georgia, geographically), and EU will miss point until they do not enroll this country in Union. Hitler and former Soviet Union are history, today only economic, company interest prevail (not political and national interest in global superpower countries US, Russia, China).

With Kosovo the internationals roles are broken, in Europe not in America (broking territory integration of European country Serbia). If EU really want justify, they have to start spiking with Russia on the level of partner, not with a way to scare it, and treat Georgia's attack with more critic and sanction then Russian answer. Critic on the Iraq invasion on same way as Russian attack. There are a lot of shame in EU to be resloved before EU start to judge in this world. But this is another story

Let the Russians feel good about their newfound strength in crushing and dismembering tiny Georgia. After their euphoria ebbs, Russians may wonder why all their neighbors are re-arming themselves and why Russia must again spend itself into poverty kitting out its once-proud military. But that's ok; Russia's kulak farmers and hardy patriots who live outside Moscow can wait another 1,000 years to cast off their medieval living conditions. And what of Russia's newly rich oil gentry and Kremlin business partners? Doubtless, they will be inconvenienced by the travel restrictions to Karlovy Vari or Chamonix, and perhaps even by the flight of capital from their fledgling economy. But then again, Russia never believed much in those G8 and WTO ideals beyond their Potemkin-like photo opportunities. The outrageous fortune of endless natural gas supplies will comfort a sullen giant as it struggles for respect in a world that has forgotten its triumphs. This is the land of Gagarin and Pushkin and it does not need to earn your respect. Who has time to develop a real economy or institutions of a civil society when this modern-day Gold Rush will go on forever? Wake, Mother Russia and rouse yourself from this sleep!

The west can only criticise Russia for recognising Abkhazian and South Ossetia if they in turn sever formal diplomatic ties with Kosovo. Also, one would have to admire Russia's willingness to mirror the west's recognition of Kosovo. We now have three "states" with the same status, not recognised by the UN, but with formal recognitoin from one or more permanent security council members, but not unanimous recognitoin. I think Abkhazia and South Ossetia's recognition from Russia gives moscow the chance to "bargain" with the west over the status of Kosovo, and maybe a resolution may be reached on the status of Kosovo, Abkhazia and Georgia that mirrors resolution 1244? Although, we all know the west will risk conflict by going against a security council resolution, so there is little if not no hope for an agreement, unless Russia recognises Kosovo, and US, France and UK recognise Abkhazia and South Ossetia? (china would probably not use it's veto if all four parties agree, and maybe reaffirm publicly china's claim for sovereignty over taiwan?)