Instead of calming tensions down, a respectable news paper quotes abuses "russian pigs", "pig's farm".... Is there any story from other side, from S. Ossetia and Abkhazia? Or they can talk in "Have your say" only?

Oleg, Murmansk, Russia

Well Putin is kgb putin is this putin is an imperialist
let's see USA
Iraq a legal war LOL
afghanistan well the taliban were there
and who trained the taliban
Russia violates human rights
Abu Gharaib, Guantanamo LOL
Putin is kgb
W is the son of the CIA director lol
SOROS how's NWO now LOL

john, los angeles, usa

On Agent (once KGB always KGB) Putin's charges 2: As Mandy Rice-Davies remarked when told at trial that Lord Astor denied having sex with her: "Well 'e would now, wouldn't 'e."

Leonard, New York, United States

To Agent Putin's absurd charges: The US military is not stupid; had they encouraged the Georgians they would have counseled them to first seal off or blow up the Roki Tunnel, accomplish that and Tskhinvali is indefensible as it is ringed by mountains populated by Georgian towns.

Leonard, New York, United States

Smells like KGB, must be KGB.

Judy Bond, NJ, USA

Send Milliband to Moscow

Maybe Putin will die laughing!!

billy, Cardiff, Wales

I think that any nation (people) which is terrorized by tyrant regimes can solve that by their own resources, and there is no reason for USA, EU, Russia or any other external factor (including UN) to go in with military and bring "democracy". It should be internal matter.

perazdera, Belgrade, Serbia

One also wonders, Stephen, LA, how did you feel when Britain had decided to protect Northern Ireland from an Irish "genocide"...

pats, Samara, Russia

1939, Poland.... now Georgia... and all the West... do nothing, only talk....
Lost hope on ONZ UE NATO....

Rat, Zary, Poland

2 Andrew Webb, Tbilisi, Georgia
What are you talking about, who suffered from whom??
Since 18th century Russian empire defended Georgia from Osman empire (Turkey), see what happened 2 armenians. And Iosif Stalin was georgian - he destroyed millions of russians during his hunt for state enemies.

Yuri, Saint-Petersburg, Russia

>People in Georgia have suffered 2 centuries
> of Russian rule that were truly awful. Free them!

of Georgian rule by their compatriot Džugašvilli...

Nikolaj, Ljubljana, Slovenia

"You've got to be stupid to start a war with the Russians” So why was Israel and the US arming and training Special Forces in Georgia? BBC TV Panorama showed these special forces complete with ski masks, abandoned in a lay by. No officers in sight. Like it or not Putin is right to ask questions.

Chris Coles, Medstead, Alton, United Kingdom

1) Georgia was NUTS to attack first! 1) The U.S., E.U. and NATO were NUTS to establish the KOSOVO Precedent. That opened the Pandora's Box that's unlikely to close anytime soon. Total Stupidity on so many levels. The SOLUTION? Go Crazy with Energy Independence - Oil back to $40 and Russia=Poor

George, San Diego, USA

It just amazes me how many people in europe cannot think for themselves. Russia invades its neighbor and you lemmings blame the United States rather than the new empirialist Putin. Those of you happy to see russia doing what it is doing deserve the same fate to your wretched countries.

Kristina Jensen, Copenhagen, Denmark

If West is really for free speech, why I can't find the WHOLE interview Putin gave to CNN? I would like to listen the other side as well.

Alex, Seattle, USA

"...Soviet-era armoured vehicles..." - as opposed to what? The Americans are too still using "Soviet-era" hardware. The US Cutter Dallas was commissioned in 1968. The M1 Abrams tank: since 1979.The M16 rifles: 1961. etc.

Bob A, Melbourne, Australia

Stephen, Los Angeles, USA
1. There would be no Irish genocide of Nothern Ireland unless US "democratically" put someone like Saakashvili to rule them
2. Russia would never care about Ireland as long as it is far from its borders.

Nekruz Khamidov, Moscow, Russia

Putin won elections in 2000 same way by starting war with Chechya. So he knows how this works.

Dmitry, Moscow, Russia

Putin is correct…
Randall Scheunemann:
He is a director of the Project for a New American Century (PNAC).
While the foreign affairs advisor to Republican presidential candidate John McCain, Scheunemann was also a registered foreign agent (lobbyist) for the Republic of Georgia

Phil Ishmael, Liverpool,

I have read in The Independent today what some Georgians think: - "Please tell everyone in Russia, in the world, that we want to be with Russia, we don't want Saakashvili." The article is called "Georgians stuck in limbo begin to lash out at Saakashvili". It is more complex case, isn't it?

Wagner, Neuss,

America says 'do what we say and do not do what we do'. Remember Greneda, Panama, Nicaragia etc ect.... Kettles and black pots abound.

David, London, UK

Andrew Webb,

Well, in 1920s Americans did to Ireland what Russia is doing now to South Osetia and Abkhazia, you should feel affiliated with them, not with the Georgian aggressors, who committed genocide and were rightfully wipped and ran away with their tail between their legs.

Peter, Washington, USA

It will be interesting to see if the Russians now decide to stay until after the US transition in January. That way Putin can "reward" whoever wins and not let Bush take any credit. If the West had criticised Georgia more for the invasion at the time this situation probably would not exist.

Jeff Larsen, Chch, NZ

If you lived here in Russia for some time you would understand that Putin isn't tyran or fasist or something of the kind. Surely he makes errors, but he's russian patriot, and we russians feel this and respect him for this. And don't worry we russians are not fools.

Oleg, Moscow,

I think US and EC should mind its own business. Where is USA and where is Georgia better take care of Panama.

Alex, Moscow, Russia

To Andrew Webb

How about the freedom of the people of S. Osetia and Abkhazia from Georgia constantly trying to take their land by force? Free them!

Iannis, Thessaloniki, Greece

seems to me the whole thing was a set up to get Poland and the Czech republic scared enough to sign up to the missle agreement, which they had previously been wavering on.

Andrew Wakeling, London, uk

One wonders, PD, how you would feel if the Russians had decided to protect Northern Ireland from an Irish "genocide" and if you would still support Mr. Putin if Russian "peacekeepers" were now "protecting" Dun Laoghaire.

As an American, I abhor U.S. foreign policy. That doesn't make Russia right.

Stephen, Los Angeles, USA

Didn't the Americans anticipate this situation developing?
In Iraq Bush thought only he can act irresponsibly and get away with it, without imagining what precedence he will be leaving behind.
I am happy to see Russia doing what it is doing..it leaves a lesson for the Americans to learn.

Jason, Sydney, Australia

To PD of Dublin, Ireland.
I suppose the USA should not have intervened in the 1920's with financial and political support (and waepons by all accounts) to help you get your freedom from Britain then?
People in Georgia have suffered 2 centuries of Russian rule that were truly awful. Free them!

Andrew Webb, Tbilisi, Georgia

"Its about time someone stood up to the American Government and told them to stop meddling in affairs that don't concern them. Good on you Mr Putin."

If that statement is not incredible foolish I do not know what is. Mr Putin is a tyrant, far worse than Bush in my opinion.

Max, Calgary, Canada

Insanity. Putin's imperialist ambitions know no bounds. His lies, refined in the KGB are serious business. After Clinton's non-UN sanctioned adventure in Kosovo, Putin said "We will re-double our efforts to return Ossetia and Abkhazia to Russia". The West was warned. It continues to do nothing.

David Hunt, Cambridge, England

Sadly, I agree that the Americans not only knew about the Georgian plans but were fully supportive of it taking place while the world attention was towards the Olympics. It was all done with a wink and a nod from the White house. Totally not possible that the stupid georgian president did it himself

Arvin, Lon, GB

Of course Putin blames all this on America. He's KGB trained, sow as much dissent amongst the enemy as possible. And he knows from his cold war days that there are plenty of "useful fools" in the West who blame the US when it rains, or their bus it late.

Ian Bannen, Oxford, UK

The wearing of blue helmets by these so called Russian 'peace keepers' is a perversion of its symbolism and mockery of the United Nations.

Walter, Victoria, Canada

Its about time someone stood up to the American Government and told them to stop meddling in affairs that don't concern them. Good on you Mr Putin.

PD, Dublin, Ireland