That leaves Iran from whom? the guys with the black hats? The Indians? The guys whose asses we said we would whup so that little countries don't stand against our view of the world?

It seems to me fairly obvious that the only way towards a peaceful future is when the rich and powerful lead us away from flexing military muscles. When we strengthen the UN rather than bully small nations into support and then when we still don't convince enough people there say "fuck it! We are strong enough to go ahead anyway."

When we begin to treat the lives of all the little people in the world as significant and support the principles of law order, human rights and due process.

The concept of teaching the population (as opposed to the military) a lesson wasn't invented by the Georgian Air Force, or the Russians if you think that is what they have been doing, it has been used by the rich and powerful since time began. The march of civilisation is the march away from Shock and Awe, away from torture, detention without trial, arming and training the enemy of my enemy, talking up democracy when they vote the way we like but supporting dictatorships like the Saudi Royal family when they grease our palms.

Yes it's all very well to condemn the leaders of Georgia, South Ossetia or Russia but the real change in attitudes needs to come in the people around us so that those who take decisions in our name know we are bothered about what is done on our behalf. When you throw the big stones it is foolish to moan about the harm the rippples do.