In the jaws of the bear

Georgia: With a weak allied response, Russia extends its reach into Georgia | Mindy Belz

Associated Press/Photo by Dmitry Lovetsky

As Russia continued to escalate the conflict with the West over its invasion of Georgia, words seemed to fail. "Russia recognizes breakaway Georgia regions" is how most wire services headlined the Aug. 26 vote by Russia's parliament to, in effect, begin a process of annexation of the pro-Russia regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia. The Associated Press called them "rebel regions."

By unilaterally declaring independence for two regions within another country's borders, the Russian government began yet another advance: to negotiate a separate peace with these areas and to continue supplying them while Georgia proper faces $1 billion in damages from Russia's five-day invasion and a Russian blockade on aid. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called Moscow's decision to claim independence for the two enclaves "extremely unfortunate." Later she said Moscow's actions were "regrettable."