offtopic to neolex re turkey:
ataturk did not build anti-islamic institutions strong enough nor durable enough. Turkish army (ctr-alt-del of turkish politics) may help in spite of Condi making noises that it’s “undemocratic” to depose a ruling party even as it moves towards sharia but the pressure of Islam is relentless and cracks are showing in Turkish secular institutions all over.

Haven’t looked at the latest news but it looks like Russia is exactly where it would want to be, controlling Georgia’s vitals without having to enter into more populated areas.
Their story will be that they moved in just far enough to assure non-aggression from Georgia.
Doubt Russia cares about its casualties much, its Finnish campaign achieved objectives (pushing back the border from Leningrad) at tremendous human cost but they have plenty where that came from.

Now they’ll start producing evidence of genocide and shaking it in NATO, UN, Haague etc.

Not clear to me that Russia is that much of a loser yet, even long-term, if they can spin the story well in the coming days/weeks.