Second Front Opened By Russia In Georgia

I have been watching the news and reading stories concerning the fighting between Russia and Georgia, and today it looks like the Russians intend on continuing the fight, even as Georgia pleads for a cease-fire. The story below is 32 minutes old at the time I was putting this together, so this is a pretty clear indication that Russia is going to "finish" the fight that was started by Georgia as they tried to reign in South Ossetia the other day! Hopefully, the world mediators will be able to halt the killing, as it now sounds like thousands have been killed in the last few days!

The Yahoo News story reads:
Russia opened a second front of fighting in Georgia on Monday, sending armored vehicles beyond two breakaway provinces and seizing a military base and police stations in the country's west, officials said. The new forays into Georgia — even after Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili signed a cease-fire pledge — appeared to show Russian determination to subdue the small, U.S.-backed country, which has been pressing for NATO membership.

The latest developments indicate that Russian troops have invaded Georgia proper from the separatist province of Abkhazia while most Georgian forces are locked up in fighting around South Ossetia. The West has sharply criticized Russia's military response to Georgia's attack on South Ossetia as disproportionate, and the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations urged Russia on Monday to accept an immediate cease-fire and agree to international mediation.

"We want to see the Russians stand down," deputy State Department spokesman Robert Wood told reporters in Washington. With Europe depending on Russia for a quarter of the oil it consumes — and half of its gas needs — the conflict serves as a vivid demonstration of Russian power in the Caspian region.

link to full story