Annoy Mouse:

“Half a strategist would have told the Georgian planners that rather than strike at civilian centers, thus hardening Ossetian resolve, it would have been better to bypass Tskinvali and secure the only road from the border with Russia to South Ossetia”

That makes sense, however it may be that the Georgians *had* to transit population centers to reach the Roki pass.

This map may shed some light on the roadways and terrain…

http://maps.yahoo.com/mapmixer?lid=2f2803a3&pg=view

It’s very difficult to parse through the “reports” (propaganda)to determine what actually occured in S Ossettia on Aug 8th.

From what I can ascertain from various reports, the Georgians were headed to the pass, but got bogged down with the SO forces in Tskhinvali, and the Russians made it through the tunnel while the Georgians were still in the city. The Russians attacked the Georgians holding that ground, and the resulting battle and artillery dual resulted in the reported damage to Tskhinvali, and the expulsion of Georgian forces.

The above narrative is a key detail to pin down, in terms of the ongoing info-war.

If it can be definitively shown that the damage to Tskhinvali was the result of a battle between oppossing forces, then the Russians should lose any Propaganda advantage they may hold in the West.

If it can be shown that the Georgians did, in fact, use indisciminate, indirect fires on Tskhinvali, and kill some 1500 “civilians” (civilian militia?), I’m thinking the info-war could turn in Russia’s favor.