wrote this in the am to the previous ossetia thread, may be outdated but here –
Mike Sylwester — an explanation without paranoid beliefs — which explanation?
An explanation that is consistent, to me, with other facts we have seen in the region is that the Russians are continuing their policy of consolidating control over petroleum and natural gas production and delivery. The plans for pipelines (of Azeri oil and Turkmen gas) going through Georgia, not continuing to Russia but going instead via Turkey to Israel (and on to elsewhere) must be stopped, in Russian eyes.
Russian imperialist propaganda is stronger than it has been in years, with press and blogs full of calls to smackdown Ukraine, Baltics (who know what’s up in this conflict and take Georgia’s side) and cut yankees down to size of course. The press is in adulation of the “gutsy moves of Medvedev”.
Meanwhile, Gazprom is getting real close to Libya.
Now the current Cheney’s remarks — who knows what chessgame goes on now, whether Cheney ‘ll make remarks for Georgian and other player consumption but without intent to follow through, and whether Russia is aware of this show, or whether it’s a bluff for russian consumption or what.