[Stilor]

Originally Posted by dromano

Was Georgia "set up" by Putin? It was not the normal course of events for Russia to have such a large force so close when Georgia attacked starting the conflict.

Really, I am not sure I understand what "large force" you're talking about. I do not have any official information, but according to the unofficial information the only corps which are not normally stationed along the Russian south border are airborne divisions and strategic aviation - which were not "so close" to Georgia.

Originally Posted by dromano

Remember he stated "the break up of the USSR was the 'most' tragic event of the 20th century"!!!!

To be exact, he called it the most tragic geopolitical catastrophe. He further explained that the result of that collapse was that the world suddenly became unipolar, without any checks and balances. So I guess he just placed the wars into a separate category.

And imagine the same happening to US - would you call it a catastrophe if it suddenly breaks into 15 separate countries which try to survive at the expense of each other? I tell you, you don't want to live in Russia as it was in the 90-ies. Not that most of the surrounding states were any better.

Originally Posted by dromano

try discussing the topic.

Well, my $.02 contribution to the news coverage:

• Live interview with Ossetian girl who was visiting her relatives in South Ossetia when the war broke out.

• More complete interview from the same girl and her aunt - which was not interrupted by the news host.

• You probably saw some CNN coverage on the outcome of bombstrikes in Gori. Here CNN has been caught red-handed using the footage of Tskhinvali as if it were Gori.

• Want to see more of Tskhinvali ruins? Look here. Or here (just photos).

So, I am not saying that you fell victim of big media brainwashing. But the fact is, the brainwashing IS very strong in the US mass-media. Please keep that in mind and take the news US with a grain of salt. Russia may not be the best country in the world, but whatever "set up" there was for Georgia (if there was one), it could not justify multiple-launch rockets systems use on a sleeping city at night.

PS. I have not been to S.Ossetia myself, but I have been to Abhazia in 2003. I talked to some people and if I said the Abkhazians hate the idea of being a part of Georgia, that would be a gross understatement.