South Ossetia has been maintaining its autonomy from Georgia for hundreds of years, and Russia has been involved in that conflict for hundreds of years. About two-thirds of the population of South Ossetia considers itself to be Ossetian and about a third considers itself to be Georgian. During the Soviet period, South Ossetia was an autonomous oblast within the Georgian republic.

The Russians’ involvement in this old and continuing ethnic conflict is a continuum of generally maintaining lawful and peaceful transport and development throughout in the Caucasus region. This is not a conflict that is being “turned on and off” by Russia because of plans to develop oil pipelines in the large region of the Caucasus.

If any country is being mischievous right now in this conflict, I would have to say it’s the USA.