The Russians have to be the ultimate neighhbours from hell. One minute their garden fence is to the right of your house, the next day, you'll wake up and find it is on your left!

Richard, Bexhill, UK

He lost the war, which he started in first place. It is obvious that looser pay the price. After more than sixty years Germany and Japan still having Foreign soldiers in their soils. Hyper power America is about to realize that it was a mistake to invade Iraq.

Lulu, Salford, England

We're still stuck in Afghanistan because of the NATO security guarantee we gave the US, which they called in after 9/11. Fighting "terror" and likely to do so indefinitely. I doubt if there is any appetite in the UK for further NATO expansion. History shows that pacts create big wars.

John, London, SE,

It is simple. Russia has a choice between being a neo-fascist aggressor nation, or being a democratic responsible member state of the international community. So, which will it be? For now Russia is on the wrong side of history.

Hans, Schenectady, USA

I think most people do not know/remember that just few days before the Georgian attack on a civilian city at night, Russia asked at the UN an emergency meeting which would have stopped the conflict. It was rejected by UK and USA because it said "both parties MUST NOT USE MILITARY FORCE"

Luca, Trento, Italy

And no one should forget that Saakashvili does not go to the toilet without US permission. Georgia is poorest country in the Caucasus, with 60% of population having incomes of less than 45 per day. US pumped 5 billion into Georgian military and is fthe party behind this attack on Russia.

Roob, St. Petersburg, Russia

Elena are you sure that West now will not take control of South Caucasus if they have as allied Turkey, Ukrain, Georgia and probably later Azerbajian?

Piel, Hong Kong, China

Where the United States supported the poor countries which would like to develop democracy, everywhere they send poor men of a gun and machine guns, instead of cows and a tractors.
Russian always bad) To the Europe is what to forget It is a pity. It does not promote objectivity of opinions .

Andrew, Moscow, Russian Federation

davidsalome
Looking at how you simply deny plain facts makes me wonder: Do you believe everything else you are told on CNN? Did you believe everything the Neocons said about Iraq too?

rfmikael, denver, usa

Don't believe by any means the Russians are finished. They will likely find a way to finish the rest of the job of annexing all of Georgia. Russia has emerged from its Weimar Republic phase,and now it is like Nazi Germany, minus the death camps.

First Georgia, then Ukraine, then the world.

John, Philadelphia, USA

Where is USA UKandEU now. They only attack smaller countries like Serbia, Iraq and Afganistan which they know they can win against and where there money can be stolen. Stand up to Russia now and why are they not in Sudan and Zimbabwe because UK took all the gold and different minerals100 years ago

Marko, Birmingham, UK

Nikolai Melnikov, Moscow, Russia - have YOU ever been awaken in the night by a rockets exploded next to your door? Have YOU ever lived under other country's occupation? Have YOU ever seen news programme or article without heavy propaganda of nowadays Russia?

Ilze, Riga, Latvia

@ 'andy, London' -
I'm sure you can explain how a country can 'invade' one of its own provinces?
Or are 'internal affairs' in a country only internal according to Moscow?
I mean - if South Ossetia has the right, declared by Moscow, to secede from Georgia - why aren't the Chechens given that right?

VGEvans, Cardiff,

To Ian&Benzi: I agree the US should not be involved directly for Georgia, it should be the EU. But Russia is not justified like you portray. They were agrivating this situation before then act as though they're keeping peace. Now they pillage Georgia during cease-fire. good job? make friends? never

Evan, Columbia, SC, USA

When the soviets invaded Afghanistan they wanted to stop the spread of Islam. When America invaded Afghanistan it was to kill or capture OBL. When the soviets left they built nothing and destroyed everthing.
America has built thousands of schools,hospitals,and an afghan army.
Do u see a difference

Tyler, Springfield, USA

TO Tomasz, Opole, Poland
If you care to learn what really happened in Chechnya you would know that Chechnya was de-facto indepedent after Hasavurt agreement signed by Yeltsin in 1998. A year later they invaded another Russian province - Dagestan that led to the war, which ended Chechen independence

Vlad, Nizhny Novgorod/London, Russia/UK

The method Russia seems to be using in gaining its objective of restoring the Soviet Union is to separate a piece from another country and then move in its „piecekeepers“ to keep that piece for itself.

Sander, New Haven, US

Saakashvili really had a choice between a slow and creeping occupation of Georgian territory or an actual war. In hindsight it is not clear whether the slow annexation would have been better – it would not have drawn international attention and the meagre international help that Georgia got.

Sander, New Haven, US

Nikolai Melnikov you are so naive to believe your own propaganda. After Putin's lies as he blew up two Moscow buildings to start his Chechnian war, after all Putin's crimes described by Anna Politvskaia, you still believe in this criminal? Anna told you that you will pay an heavy price in blood.

davidsalome, Saint Petersburg, Russia

Dear Mrs Elena, Moscow, Russia you could be sure from now that the West will not recognize Russia to have a right to manage the South Caucasus. Only the West and NATO members will have - adding Ukhrain, Georgia and later other Caspian Sea Countries.Russia is isolated as Putin succeeds.

davidsalome, Saint Petersburg, Russia

It is true dear Mr Yulya, Kirov, Russia that so many countries desire to join Russian Federation - even BieloRussia has refused!!!! And surely not Ukrain and Georgia who will become NATO members. Of Russian people goe back to North Ossetia - most of them Russians and not Osetians!

davidsalome, Saint Petersburg, Russia

Russian forces have destroyed a main railway bridge 30 miles from Tbilisi. Apologists, take note that this duplicitous regime is abiding by neither the letter nor the spirit of the ceasefire agreement. I hope I'm wrong but I think we're watching Sudetenland. To act now, dangerous: later, hopeless.

Sebastian, Prague, Czech

I suspect Russia can guarantee a plethora of pieces Elena, or are you referring to something different?!

Gerhard Schmidt, Berlin, Germany

Mr.Savo is correct.Next step is Crimea.The next american
President and EU will have to shut.In Georgia Russia did
a good and correct job.Forget about imperialism.America
is not better than Russia.

B.Benzi, Cesena, Italy

The US has been immature & shortsighted in its foreign policy: Rather than cooperate with Russia & win her over it has tried to meddle in her backyard & used her former satellites against her. This is intolerable for Russia & we must not be surprised at her reaction.

ian cheese, london, uk

By invading South Ossetia Mr Saakashvili has proved to be an adventurer playing disastrously with Georgia's, and the region's future. Displaying hubris he has allowed himself to be too much influenced by the illusion/delusion of The American Dream as a political world model.

andy, london,

Georgian were acting like fascists during their war against Ossetians. They attacked the town of Tskhinval in the night by using multiple launch rocket systems. Hey you, guys, have you ever been awaken in the night by a rockets exploded next to your door? Saak will be revenged for his crimes.

Nikolai Melnikov, Moscow, Russia

For the West and USA in particular it's not the defeat - just a good chance to concentrate on domestic problems instead of irresposible provocations abroad. Russia is interested as well as one of the biggest holders of US state debt.

Vlad, Moscow, Russia

*see Prague Spring 1968, NATO formation following East Berlin blockade 1948, and the Yugoslavian revolt from Warsaw Pact following Hungary invasion 1956

Sean Robinson, Gresham, USA

This is not a "total defeat," for the price of two insignificant provinces, the US has seen the speedy acceptance of the ABM treaty with Poland, Ukraine threatening Russian access to the Black Sea, among other strong showings of support in EE. Russia confuses military gains with diplomatic strength

Sean Robinson, Gresham, USA

Any war is bad and any piece is good. Can Saakashvili guarantee a piece in the Caucasus? No. Can Europe guarantee a piece? It could but, it seems to me, it is not willing to. Can America guarantee a piece? No, because it has chosen only one side. Can Russia guarantee a piece? Yes.

Elena, Moscow, Russia

A total defeat for the West. A total victory to the USSR. Disgusting. Rice and Bush should be ashamed, let's hope McCain can sort this mess out!

matty, frankfurt, germany

The author praises Russia quite nicely and fails to mention the defeat of the EU/West, not just Georgia, in this matter. 1.Russia is not and was not acting as peacekeepers, and we should not accept that false pretense. 2.Russia's not making any consessions nor leaving Georgia. We're being compliant.

Evan, Columbia, SC, USA

Keith S.- don't know which stock market you are following but the one I am following seems ok. Russia's leading industries of oil, gas, metals, timber and wheat are all very much in strong sectors with plenty of customers.
Lesson to Georgia- don't punch a bear on the nose unless it is tied down

Luis, London, UK

It will take three or four presidents to mend the damage done by George Bush. Can't he just go away until after November. Problem, crisis and onto disaster will be the legacy of George Bush.

thomas fullman, Midfield, United States

I might be extremely cynic but I think that Russia's inflated claim of 2000 deaths mainly is aimed towards the Ossentian and the militia following the russian army. Simply a means to inflame them. They then watch them raping/murdering/pillaging which makes reconciliation in the area impossible.

Andreas, Kumla, Sweden

Why Ossetins run to Russia if it has attacked them? (According to the USA) nobody runs to Georgia!

Yulya, Kirov, Russia

Anyone who owns shares in Russian companies has just seen the market value of their investment drop to near zero.

The good news is housing prices in posh parts off London will be dropping and spaces at public schools will be opening up.

Keith S, Winnipeg, Canada

Neighbouring countries should be ineligible to be peacekeepers. The conflict of interest is too great, and too often there is unpleasant history between neighbours.

We are now paying the price of not having learned this lesson in Africa.

Keith S, Winnipeg, Canada

Only USA, EU and NATO are at fault because they decided to dismember Serbia as if international law does not exist.
If Kosovo is OK to UDI, so have others:
Osetia, Abkhazia, Krim, Kurdistan, N.Ireland, Basque, Scotland, etc, etc.

savo, london, uk

In Poland, just over the fence from Mr Putin's hacienda, we have a say after one of our popular writers - when Kali steals a cow it is good (Russia in Tchechnia), when a cow is stolen from Kali it is wrong (Russia on the territory of Georgia)

Tomasz, Opole, Poland

"Peace in our Time".

leon, Melbourne, Australia