http://www.realclearpolitics.com/…

Mikheil Saakashvili’s decision to use the opening of the Olympic Games to cover Georgia’s invasion of its breakaway province of South Ossetia must rank in stupidity with Gamal Abdel-Nasser’s decision to close the Straits of Tiran to Israeli ships.

Nasser’s blunder cost him the Sinai in the Six-Day War. Saakashvili’s blunder probably means permanent loss of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

After shelling and attacking what he claims is his own country, killing scores of his own Ossetian citizens and sending tens of thousands fleeing into Russia, Saakashvili’s army was whipped back into Georgia in 48 hours.

Vladimir Putin took the opportunity to kick the Georgian army out of Abkhazia, as well, to bomb Tbilisi and to seize Gori, birthplace of Stalin.

Reveling in his status as an intimate of George Bush, Dick Cheney and John McCain, and America’s lone democratic ally in the Caucasus, Saakashvili thought he could get away with a lightning coup and present the world with a fait accompli.

Mikheil did not reckon on the rage or resolve of the Bear.

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• The attack on the US embassy has resulted in the death of one person who’s burned body was found. I’ve yet to hear any identifying info.
• Russia is threatening to use “force to resolve the dispute over Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia if NATO forces breach the terms of their U.N. mandate.”
• While watching CNN this morning report on rallies in Kosovo I saw 2 or 3 individuals wearing Che Guevara t-shirts. The city is 50/50 serb/albainian and there are great fears that it could turn violent. Let’s hope it doesn’t and those Che supporters aren’t the rock throwing types.
• Serbs have cell phones

• They only have US flags to burn in order to keep warm

• Foreign-owned shops were vandalized, Serbian police did nothing about it.
• Russia and China still oppose the declaration of independence and Spain is afraid that official recognition will encourage other secessionist movements… like the Basques in their north.
• Given that… blog of bile fully supports the people of Kosovo’s choice in becoming independent of Serbia and recognizes Kosovo as a nation. Don’t throw rocks at the Serbs unless they throw first.