Big problem is that there are still a lot of Russians in the former Soviet republics and a lot of places they've become whipping boys for other problems. And Russia isn't going to stand for that. This is like Hitler invading Poland in that Hitler's excuse was to intervene on behalf of the German minority in western Poland.

Whether this is an excuse for Russia or a real concern is, I guess, what the argument is about here. Not so sure I'll judge that before things shake out a bit more.

Scary either way.

I think the rush to bring former East Eruopean countries and especially former Soviet republics into NATO is destabilizing in itself. Russia still considers itself "Papa Bear", and problems like what we see in Georgia should be resolved before we risk getting NATO into it.

A lot is being made about corruption, instability and dictatorial tendencies in Russia, but you've got much the same problems in Georgia and other former Soviet Republics as well.

I'm half expecting to hear that the president of Georgia starts referring to the people of the small breakaway republic as "terrorists". (edit. Nevermind)

Is there oil in Georgia?

If there is --- USA will be there pretty soon.

I read a piece by some Russia experts in Norway, and basically it's that North Ossetia is in Russia and South Ossetia is in Georgia, the people of Ossetia are unhappy with how they're being treated as a minority and broke free and now Russia has peacekeepers in there and a lot of people in Ossetia have russian passports, so even if Russia don't want a fight, they have to do a lot of posturing on both sides. 

Georgia doesn't want to set a precedent for other parts of Georgia that are unhappy with the central government and want to secede, Russia isn't happy about Georgia trying to get into Nato (they don't want too many Nato forces on their border) et cetera.

It doesn't look like a fight anybody wants, it's too damn trivial, but they have to stick to certain principles like keeping Georgia together and sticking up for Russians abroad. Sticky.