"Carol, I have said for many years, and from the beginning of this thread, that Georgia's actions were wrong, but Russia is using Ossetia as an excuse to further it's own goals, which are quite obvious even to people who have never been in Russia."

True. I can't recall the Russians being greatly interested in allowing Chechnya to secede. Seems to me they bombed the shit out of the place.

Lots of pot 'n kettle going on in that part of the world, and it's STILL all about control of oil, gas, etc. etc. etc.

Don T