US, Europe denounce Russian support for Georgian provinces' independence

The general tenor of the statements from Western governments was to attack Russias action as a violation of Georgias sovereignty and territorial integrity and a threat to peace and stability in the Caucasus. All of these statements are drenched in hypocrisy, since the US and its European allies precipitated the crisis in the Caucasus by backing independence for Kosovo, over strenuous objections from Serbia and Russia, last February, and the US is fully complicit in Georgias August 7 attack on South Ossetia, the event that sparked Russias intervention and subsequent backing for South Ossetian and Abkhazian independence.

US President George W. Bush immediately denounced the Russian decree as an irresponsible decision... which only exacerbates tensions, and went on to warn Russia to respect the borders of Georgia. Bushs comments were echoed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who described the Russian decision as regrettable and warned that it would have no chance of support (dead on arrival) at the United Nations.

Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate, rushed to put out an even more belligerent statement, not waiting for Bush to issue his. This was in keeping with the line adopted by the Obama campaign over the Georgian crisis, which is to seek to outdo the Bush administration and Obamas Republican opponent, Senator John McCain, in sabre-rattling threats against Russia.