Georgia's South Ossetia Conflict - Political Commentary

[jmm99]

Russia to keep 500 troops in Georgia buffer zone
REUTERS
Reuters North American News Service
Aug 21, 2008 07:29 EST

SOCHI, Russia, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Russia intends to keep 500 troops in a security zone surrounding Georgia's breakaway South Ossetia region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.

"Tomorrow, 8 checkpoints will be established in the security zone in which 500 peacekeepers will be deployed, no more than that," Lavrov told reporters. "Other peacekeepers will be moved to South Ossetia, while other troops will be moved to Russia."

Lavrov did not specify how many troops Russia planned to keep in South Ossetia.

"I want to state this clearly and unequivocally that Russia is carrying out in full the six principles agreed between Medvedev and Sarkozy," he said. .....

http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=308583

And, from the other side of the issue.

Saakashvili says West must make Russia quit Georgia
REUTERS
Reuters North American News Service
Aug 21, 2008 15:37 EST

PARIS, Aug 21 (Reuters) - The European Union and the United States should act to make Russian forces leave Georgia and stop further expansionism, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili told a French newspaper on Thursday.
....
Saakashvili criticised the French-brokered ceasefire as "ambiguous and unclear" and said it left the Russians the room to do as they wanted on the ground.

"The result is that we now have to depend on the goodwill of Russia. The only forces on the ground are Russian. All we can do is make declarations," he said.....

http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=309399

Hope is not a strategy. S's bottom line assessment is realistic given the totality of circumstances.

PS: "Hope" comment is not directed vs. Ron's discussion above. It is generally a comment on S's request to West, etc.