What is the differance with Kosovo and Ossetia / Abkhasia.Kosovo was taken from the Serbs and given to Islamic terrorists.Russia stepped in only when georgia attacked.I support the Russian action taken to protect its people .The Georgian President started a conflict and now wants the west to step in

JOHN KENYON, PADIHAM, ENGLAND

European politicians, can't you be independent in the end and not follow american heavily biased, double standard politics. If you all hadn't recognized Kosovo independence obeying the US, Russia wouldn't do the same now. You've set the precedent and can't get away with it.

Dmitry, Moscow,

I hope that West could cope with the situation - and it would indeed do, if double standards would be thrown away. If it's all right for Georgia to leave the USSR, why it's so wild for S.Ossetia and Abkhazia (which never agreed to that move) to do the same? Are Georgian ppl just more equal then?

Victor Farazdagi, Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia - Alania

Agree, these are European isssues and given its grand history of opposing tyranny at every turn and with such ferocity that it and not the US must truly be said to be the vanguard of democracy itself, it is appropriate that Europe should attend to these matters. We have such confidence!

SalF, New York, USA

This has been brewing ever since Putin got power. There has been a well implemented plan to discredit America using proxies like, Iran, Chavez, etc......... A new Cold War might hurt the West at the beggining but we should have never let the East in to begin with!

JS, Houston, USA

Why is everyone acting like there supporting there two favorite sports teams. Does no one understand that nothing good can become of this for the West and for Russia

Eric, Boston, USA

Nana Mee, Horsham, uk
Georgians started bombing Tskhinval on August 7 night, August 8 morning, they occupied Tskhinval, August 8 afternoon, the Russians entered SO....
Did August 8 afternoon happen before August 7 night. If yes, your statement is true.

Stanislav, Baku, Azerbaijan

This unpredictable American servant from Georgia will forward the world to the WWIII should this country joins NATO.

Victor, Moscow,

Many people asking why Georgia started it. After announcing ceasefire and pleading for talks with South Ossetian separatist leaders they got a fierce shelling of Georgian villages as an answer and Russian forces moving through Roki tunnel. Of course they had a choice just wisely ignore it....

Nana Mee, Horsham, uk

"Of course, rich Russia is better than miserable Georgia. "
Tania, Madrid

The riches of Russia are in the hands of a tiny few. These shows of force are for the consumption of the masses in bread queues.

Russia has a new Tsar.

J. Christian, Birmingham, UK

It is hard to believe how so many of you hate the U.S. so much. Try to maintain some sort of objectivity. It is not the US that has troops in Georgia and signed a cease fire then ignored it. After a few of your countries are swallowed up by the new USSR, you will be screaming for the US to help.

James, Baton Rouge, USA

Congratulations Mr. Bush!
You really did find Pandora's Box when you declared Kosovo as an independent state. You even managed to open it. Well done!

Stefan, Malmo, Sweden

Nancy, Seattle, USA, does anyone remember the resolution tabled by the Russians asking for fruther UN back resolutions to stop a possible war and clear the conflict? Um NO becuase the US and the UK vetoed it. THe US wants its base in Georgia and its oil... No other reason, Saakashvili is corrupt.

Darren, London, UK

Congratulations South Ossetia & Abkhazia. Why should the US & the West be upset? Is this not the same situation as Kosova? Did the US & EU not encourage and welcome Kosova as independent? Or is it a case of "do as I say but don't do as I do". Such double standard will not be lost to the wider world.

george, London, UK

payback time for the mess in Kossovo, folks...

Pietro B, SP, Italy

This is a sorry turn of events. The failure of a permanent member of the Security Council to comply with international law in this way just shows Russia for what it is - untrustwworthy. There is little we can do but the less we have to do with Russia the better. Another pariah state.

JC, London, UK

Double standards - in what is Kosovo independence different to Osetia and Ingushetia? Investigate the facts and make your own judgement.

Piotr, Warsaw,

It appears to me that the most important reaction is how simple people in Abkhazia & South Ossetia react. They call this day their Victory Day. As for the glorious West democracies - they got what they deserve. The precedent of Kosovo gave birth to a lot of events in this world.

Dmitry, Arkhangelsk, Russia

Former Soviet satellites need to form a defensive union. Together their population is close to that of Russia, a dying country in any case. Only an Eastern European version of NATO can stop the imperialist Putin and his gangs from running wild. The Euro-elite in Belgium has no stomach for this.

Kevin Finnerty, Atlanta, USA

The only way to respect the Georgian territorial integrity is to cancel the Kosovo's independence
Rice, Merkel, Miliband & Sarkozy have no rights to talk about Osetia & Abkhazia because they wanted independent Kosovo
Soon they will talk about Crimea, Kurdistan, Basque, N.Ireland, Corsica, Macedonia

savo, london, uk

Very tricky and dangerous. Nobody loves war, and US and its allies must adjust and review their strategic approach. Hard words and hawkish reflections now are not good stance.

People are now talking Russia going back to old cold war sentiment. To me it's US & its allies never giving up it instead

sam.scw, Shanghai, China

The "West" needs to learn that they need to make peace with Russia, not war.

It is obvious they would try to "protect" their own citizens in a manner of speaking, so it's only obvious why they're against Russia. They want it to stay on its knees because they're scared. A shame. Wrong tactic, guys.

Dmitri, London, UK

Russia is a little cub. America and Britain are sending aid to Georgia with several war ships. "If you cross us we will crush you". What a joke! Russia is all talk and no teeth. When Bush leaves in 5 months will have a new regime. Why is Putin in this picture, I thought he wasn't president
HA,HA,HA

Tyler, Springfield, USA

No matter what your position is in regards to this conflict, the Russian disregard for the ceasefire settlement by keeping troops or its 'allies' in Geogia proper is a ridiculous stance that just flames the fire of mistrust.
It prolongs the conflict and is the gesture of a clown- okay so was that of the Georgian president but why duplicate the stupidity?!

Derek, Cambridge, UK

Joseph, we're talking about Russia here, the country where you need to offer a "gift" to get even the most insignificant things done, like obtaining a vehicle permit. Yet you call the US corrupt? Spend some time there before you make broad generalizations about a government's professionalism.

Matt, Chicago, IL, USA

All european politicians, please be independent and don't follow american double-standard politics. Isn't it so obvious that if you all obeying the US hadn't recognized Kosovo independence, Russia would have done the same now. You've set the precedent and you can't get away with it.

Dmitry, Moscow,

All european politicians, please be independent and don't follow american double-standard politics. Isn't it so obvious that if you all obeying the US hadn't recognized Kosovo independence, Russia would have done the same now. You've set the precedent and you can't get away with it.

Dmitry, Moscow,

What did they say in Pristina?

Jez W, Leeds,

Americans won`t die for Georgia. This is a lesson for other NATO countries. Does anyone seriously think that the US would start a nuclear war if Russia attacks Estonia. Russians do have the stomach to fight, americans don`t. Russia defeated the Wehrmacht. The US defeated Iraq, Serbia, Haiti, Granada

Dejan, Belgrade, Serbia

please God can the MOD invest in some anti balistic missile technology please. we can be as diplomatic as we like with russia and you never know this might not be what it looks its going to be, but the old addage of hope for the best prepare for the worst is at its best at a time like this

will, grimsby, uk

"The Georgians can live here no longer, in Abkhazia they can only die."Quote by Vitaliy Smyr,"Komsomolskaya Pravda"Dec 19, 1992.The total number of killed in the process of ethnic cleansing ranges from 10,000-30,000 in 1991-93. Roughly 230,000-250,000 ethnic Georgians were expelled from their homes

Matt, London,

They are BEGGING for help and its right in Europes backyard. Yet its US ships delivering aid, US planes flying in and our politicians on the ground while fighting will still raging. Yet somehow, Europeans blame Bush. No wonder the national-socialists in Russia arnt afraid. Obama will save you.

William, Atlanta, USA

Information on ethnic cleansing by Georgians (2000 dead on the first day (?)) is a KGB propaganda stunt. The Russian officials later stated that number of dead and wounded on the Russian/Ossetia sides does not exceed 133. On the Georgian side there are more than 600 dead and still counting…

Nina, Falls Church, USA

Why should we help Georgia when they went to war?

B.Benzi, Cesena, Italy

john, london - have you learnt nothing from history? Bush may well be one of worst US presidents ever and has done huge harm with his blundering policy. This pales into insignificance with the wrecked Russia has left in its wake in the last 60 years. Its europe this effects most not the US!

david, leeds,

If Georgia 2008 is Czechoslovakia 1938, who's going to be Poland 1939?

Unfortunately, the answer is obvious.

The only good news (for Poles) is that it isn't Poland.

Albert, Paris,

No one has commented on Turkey's view; presumably if Russia annexed the whole of Georgia or merely occupied Georgia up the border with Turkey it would be viewed with displeasure in Turkey. Russian combat troops along the border with Turkey would be a receipe for another Russo-Turk conflict.

Stephen, Manchester, UK

I am happy for Ossetians and Abkhasians. If they want to join my country (first time in long time I say "my country" with pride), let them do it. Of course, rich Russia is better than miserable Georgia. I hope Russia will support them if they want to be independent, and do the same for Chechnya.

Tania, Madrid,

Nazis in Czechoslovakia — good comparison, but it's rather applicable to Saakashvili's invasion to Ossetia, his army, all equipped and trained by the US, bringing death and destruction to civilians. Czechoslovakians didn't invite Nazis, and neither did Ossetians ask Saaki or Bush to be their guests.

Boris, Moscow, Russia

Everybody has had enough of this unstable paranoic Saakashvili.
It was already said US is working on new "democratically ellected Georgian president". Georgian parlament said Saakashvili will not last longer then half year. Well done Georgia!

M Connors, London, UK

Russia, hold tight !

M Connors, London, UK

Ironically, it's the Russians who initially expelled these minorities (most of them) a couple hundred years ago, most of the Muslim ones were forced to move to Turkey.

Rati, Brighton, UK

Saakashvili foolishly started this conflict and directly caused thousands of innocent people to be killed, maimed and displaced. Instead of praising and supporting him the West should be denouncing him as a War Criminal. The man is unstable and unpredictable. Thank God Georgia is not in NATO.

George, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset

It is a very big day for South Ossetia - a country
divided in two by murderous regime in Tbilisi. All ossetians
dream of unifying their small republic as one again and hope that Russians
will help them to protect their independence.

Ahmad Armadjaev, Akhalgori, Ossetia

for all russian friends: history listen us that some fact always resort ... the war is for the stupid people and for the ignorants nations

pietro, padova, italia

Please Europe, ask the US to remove all of it's armed forces and start spending your Euros on your own defence. Then you can show the world how to live as one without the evil influance of the corupt USA.

Al , Tracy, USA

Pretty much gives the lie to the Russian claims that they were peacekeepers repelling Georgian aggression. Russia is clearly carving off bit of Georgia, including Abkhazia where the non-Georgian majority was created by expelling Georgians.

Summers, Menlo Park, CA, USA

Does anybody remember the speeches in which the Russian ambassador to the United Nations asked the General Assembly or Security Council to endorse his country's plan to send forces deep into the territory and waters of a former colony that is now a UN member state?

Nancy, Seattle, USA

If Russia wants Ossetians to be independent, it should first have granted independence to North Ossetia that is currently part of Russia. That would be a very powerful argument in favour of South Ossetian independence. Russia of course just wants to expand its territory.

Sander Heinsalu, New Haven, US

Why did Georgia attack South Ossetia? How can the West reward such aggression with NATO and EU membership?

Manny Goldstein, London, UK

After the well-timed offensive on 7th August on the South Ossetia's capital, Mr. Saakashvili showed the true face of the Western "democracy" with it's double standards to the whole world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sHswA0yRkw

Andrei, Tallinn, Estonia

It's interesting that the U.S. media display none of the hysterics over this situation that UK and Euro papers do. For most of the past two weeks, it's been hard to even find the front page article related to this story.

David, Washington, DC , USA

Russia has overplaid it's hand. It is a relatively small country populationwise. It is a shame that its leaders are so full of bravado and braggadocio. They will die on their vine...again. Russia is back? Yeah..back alright....way back.

Mark, Helsinki, Finland

Nice to see a slap in the face for Bush, yes Russia is back, but this time with more economic power (Oil and Gas). Interesting times ahead.

John, London, UK

Now we have a stooge calling global politics and telling every one else what should do.Saakashvili is time to tell who arm him who order him to kill so many women and childrenin their sleep and then face justice with the ones who arm him and order him to do what he did in the name of politics.

Mark Bolan, Vladikavkaz,

Remember the hundreds of South Ossetian women, children, elderly, killed sleeping by Georgian bombs, broaken off in pieces by Georgian grenades in basements, where they tried to hide from the Georgian "democracy", burned alive in their homes and even churches, crushed by tanks Ossetian children.

Serge, w. warwick, USA

NATO is an organisation for mid-20th century geopolitical realities, and not of much use in 21th Century, even for a frozen crisis like Georgia one. So I think Russia proved very clever in using NATO expansion as an excuse for furthering its interests.

N Kumar, London, England

Nobody in Russia wants CCCP and "red`s" back. It`s obvious to all russians that in this case our long-suffering country again will have to rise and feed poor satellits, whose only wealth is clean air and "love" to Russia. And one day they will anyway tell whole world about threats of occupation

Kirill, Saint-petersburg, Russia

I'm proud to be Russian. Russia is back.

Stas, Moscow, Russia

What's the problem? This is exactly the same as NATO recognising Kosovo's independence.

Bojan Timotijevic, London,

It's time for the US to exit NATO and let the eastern hemisphere deal with it's own issues. 63 years was a pretty good run at keeping you fools from tearing each other apart. I for one don't think 500 million europeans is worth a single hair on an American head. Obama 08. God help you all.

Rob, Tacoma, U.S.

Isn’t it a wonderful idea - to convert the warships into a cargo fleet? All the Big Powers should follow the example! Let turn the arms to ploughs! And the carriers to a holidays cruise liners!
We all thought they carry missiles and torpedoes - it turns they are stuffed with humanitarian goodies!

Plamen, Dubai, UAE

pardon me, who exactly is Dimitri Medvedev?

edoardo chioni, Rome , ITALY

I'm ssooo happy to be Russian, you know, It's great to be a part of this all, my Country is one of a very small list of those who do not kneel to US. we are really fighting for justice, believe me. see youtube for what western tv does not show. don't want this hell in S.Ossetia to go on!

Amir, Moscow, Russia

Strong step from Russia! New world order has already come.
Forget any agreements after WW2.

Alexey, Kaliningrad, Russia

It is interesting, whether the western politics will recollect a principle of territorial integrity when China will intrude Taiwan. I think to the West it is necessary to think better of tomorrow's day.

Sergey, Saint-Petersburg, Russia

Of course there is no mention of North Ossetia, which is in Russian territory. If Russia really wants to recognize Ossetia independence, let the North and South join together. Right. When Lennon returns from the dead. Russia has no intention of letting Georgia fall into the hands of NATO.

Dalton, Toronto, Canada

Ossetia and Abkhasia can never been the part of Georgia , and de facto they are not, after Georgian's orgy in 1991 and 1992. Medvedev,s decision was suprising for me, it was too early to this de jure. Why blaming Miloshevochand others for Kosovo orgy, nobody in Europe blames Saakashvili?

Peter, St-Petersburg, Russia

Putin behaves like a thug. Where's the surprise? Leopard - spots. You know? He wants the CCCP back, and isn't fussy about how he does it. Better start building nukes again.

George Edwards, Beijing, China

Is the West already regretting its decision on Kosovo :D?

Fernando, Silicon Valley, CA, USA

If Kosovo can be recognised by the US and NATO after continued shelling of Serbia by US for months why not these republics of Georgia be recognised.They have been demanding snce 1990's and its high time UN act as a good samaritan and accept it.Africa, Asia and S.America will defintely support it.

Dr Kumar, London, UK

President Medvedev has told today that it is not afraid of new cold war if the West will go on it. What do the military ships of NATO in Black sea? Russian do not want war and we love the West, especially the Europe - but the West itself arranges new wars and now arms Georgia for new aggression against Ossetia. People be vigilant! - so spoke after 1945

Vladimir, Moscow, Russia

Its fine for U.S. to declare independence of Kosovo, yet S. Ossetia & Abkhazia aren't allowed to?

Its fine for Israel to launch attacks, setup military road blocks, cut off oil and food supply to Palestine and Gaza. Yet this is wrong?

Does being US ally give you unparalleled rights to go mad??

Alex, Melbourne, Australia

Please could someone explain to me why it's OK for the West to "liberate" Kosovo and declare it to be an independent state, whereas it's an act of perfidious aggression for Russia to declare Abkhazia and South Ossetia to be independent?

Michael Clarke, Basel, Switzerland

Russia is BACK! Fantastic!

James Mason, Dubai, UAE

Suddenly Europian left feels comforteble with Russian cluster bombs, ehtnic leansing,350000 Georgian refuges and with Destroyed Georgian Villages ...
I wonder what would be their reaction if Israel will act the same way...
Hypocracy indeed...

Raz, Ashdod, Israel

Your move Nato,you've lost your major supply route to Afghanistan, Iran has become bed buddys with the kremlin, and your plans for Georgia are in ruins. Best get your geopolitical chess heads back on,because you are being sorely embaressed.....
And well played The Kremlin,making fools of the USA :D

Chris, rochdale, GB

GOOD MORINING MR BLAIR and MR BUSH - what a beautiful day!!!!

peter, melbourne, australia

Vladimir Vladimirovitj Putin = Tony Soprano
But not so clever pherhaps just a copycat, seams like a gangwar now

Svea Svensson, Oslo,

Joseph Picard is right. In this era of the collapse of US supremacy to the European Lion, Russian Bear and Chinese Dragon things will revert back an unsecure and chaotic world because the US hasn't realised that it's war mongering and injustice will lead us into oblivion.

Andreas Andreou, Cyprus,

US and West Europe got what they claimed all 90's and 2000's.
Spitting and provokating at Russia gave its result.
Looks like West overrated itself as World's polismen.

alex, Sevastopol, Ukraine

The US and the UN are two corrupt organizations and are such are innefectual now that the Russian Bear has awakened. Taunted, provoked and defied, it has no option but to reassure it's own citizenry that they will not kneel to the US and the UN, just like US ally Israel. Good Luck,,,World

joseph picard, ottawa, canada