Russia Looking for a Fight with Georgia Over South Ossetia

"Russia Invades Georgia, On the Verge of War Over South Ossetia" is the title of an article screaming of aggression in the Cleveland Leader. Russia's at it again, right? Not really. Georgia started it, or did they?

90 percent of South Ossetia's non-Georgian people have Russian passports. Something triggered a full-scale initiative by Georgia to regain control of South Ossetia.

According to the Cleveland Leader, Georgia's attack yielded 2 downed Russian planes and three dead Russian peacekeepers as well as 15 civilians.

Russia has responded with military might and rhetoric. 150 Russian tanks spilled into Georgia and new Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was quoted in the article as saying, "Under the constitution and federal law ... I must protect the life and dignity of Russian citizens wherever they are." Before the tanks crossed the border the Russian President told reporters, those responsible "will receive a deserved punishment".

As the Cleveland Leader goes on to report, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin also weighed in on the situation by saying that the "aggression" would bring a "response". Putin is still considered to be "the" power in Russia.

There are a couple issues that jump out at me with respect to this situation.

The first issue is the timing. This event occurred right as the Beijing Olympics kicked off. Is Russia trying to upstage China? I don't think so. This is an opportunity to make a move while the world is looking a different direction. It doesn't hurt that China has been under criticism for human rights violations.

I know, Georgia started it, right? They were trying to grab control of South Ossetia, right? That is the second issue that jumps out at me, the methodology used here.