First, poul, you do not bomb a city with artillery, you shell it. Meanwhile, shelling does not mean they made hits on people. The most likely rule, well borne out through history, is to divide the Russian numbers by ten. In which case, this falls safely under the heading of collateral damage. Never mind the Russians’ shall we say heavy-handedness in Chechnya – they killed more friendlies at the Moscow opera and at Beslan.

Meanwhile, SOs were setting IEDs to blow up Georgian policemen. A military response to such acts is not out of the question.

Second, where are the bodies? I don’t see any bodies. Except murdered Georgian soldiers and one guy of indeterminate origin with the top of his head blown off. No Russian dead, no Ossetians that I can see.

Third, if there was any proof of these assertions, the Russians would have allowed the world media to cover it, instead of relentlessly restricting their access.

I don’t know how fascist or otherwise Georgia is. I didn’t even call Russia fascist. I know, I know, it is unkind to make fun of your low intelligence (or is it just poor English skills) with these distinctions.

But if you are wondering why Russia should be opposed, the answer is that you don’t get a Near Abroad. You don’t get to monopolize the energy supplies of Europe. You don’t want to keep playing the Great Game, and if you do, it is necessary that you lose.

You made demands on Georgia. Now let me make some demands on you, or rather suggestions.

Stay within the Rus, and if anyone wants out, let them go – you can’t blame them.

Stop murdering journalists and robbing industrialists and acting like a one-party state run by savages.

Stop cooperating with nations like Iran.

Move the greatest part of your armies to the Chinese border where they may actually be needed, and stop selling the Chinese weapons and technology. Nobody is going to invade you.

Try and act like a member of the family of nations.