Russia are one of the low-life, pathetic countries of the world...these 'bully boy' attacks on a neighbouring democratic country are further evidence of this status.

Forget the perceptions in Iraq, this is real war. Iraq is almost at peace, but this is war at its ugliest. And as much as many of us may wish to get involved, this is no real advancement of American interests or ideals by choosing sides in this war.

begun? What else can it be called? Take a moment to look at emerging photos -- dead men lying in streets, armored vehicles in flames, buildings crumbling. This is Russia at its worst.

GK from England, you sound like a Scot talking about England. I've hear similar lines from Welsh and Northern Irish too. There's no contesting it, you're the expert here.

Russia is swimming in money, there is a renewed nationalism in Russia and Russia has always seen itself as an empire.

Georgia is a the first step to get there old colonies back in line. This is Georgia's reward for wishing to join NATO.

Today George, tomorrow Ukraine.

There's nothing this economically and morally bankrupt nation can do to stop Russia. Well, you can wave flags and reminisce about Reagan defeating the Evil Empire. What ever you do; don't entertain the idea you were lied to by conservatives. :-)

America has start the whole mess by not respecting the international laws. Russia is just doing what America has been doing for the last 15 years. How can anybody claims that this wasn't anticipated: "Western democracies" allowed Kosovo to gain Independence despite UN's different view on the matter. Now the same thing is happening in S. Ossetia and Abkhasia. So talk of Georgians sovereignty is absurd. The Americans allowed the state of anarchy. Now Georgians are paying the price. Moreover America is in no position to tell Russians what they can or can't do: we mustn't forget that Americans have been doing the same things: in Iraq, Afghanistan, Serbia... Thus the diplomacy and accusations of Russia's policy have quite the opposite affect: Russia is growing more and more angry with the western hypocrisy and double standards and this can only lead in to more and more suffering of the "small". Today Iraq, tomorow Iran!

Slavic man is right, in fact I don't know my history anywhere near as well as he does. But many American people are ashamed of current policies. We don't have the power to bring back the great, friendly country we once had. It is collapsing. All we can do is apologize in a sincere way. And it is so difficult to learn anything. Every thing you learn there is another webpage saying exactly the opposite. So people give up. Maybe that is the design of this insanity. Killing and war is always WRONG..I pray for peace in the world!

There is a substantial difference between Iraq and georgia. To be fair the S. Ossetians do have some valid complaints that need to be addressed and should have ben done so by Russia if they are so concerned at sometime during the past 15 years. But taking up arms in an act of land and resource graqbbing is unacceptable. Russia is using the S Ossetians as a vehicle to regain control of the oil pipeline. For 15 years, the situation has been contested locally until Russia proclaimed many ossetians as citizens after (key point) they broke away from the former USSR. Now for Russia to send offensive military units into another country, without first presenting an emergency petition to the UN Security Counsel (dont get me started but they wanted it so they should abide by it) is a text book definition of a wartime invasion. Putin and his KGB past is on the loose again. Remember Czechoslovakia, the poisoning of the Ukranian president? Uzbekistan? Where will this end? This will be a real test for the USA, and NATO, and their commitment to her allies.