SUDETENLAND all over again?

I agree. I have found that it is much easier and preferable to deal with a problem while it is small instead of waiting until there is no choice but to face it later. It never fails that the problem then is much worse then it would have otherwise been.

Unfortunately, our only response, and the response of much of Europe, can only be diplomatic unless it becomes absolutely necessary to respond with force. Russia controls too much oil and natural gas so they know that they can basically do whatever they want at this point in time. The U.S. is already stretched thin militarily and still reeling from the drastic increase in oil so, while we *could* respond by sea and by air to a situation in the area of Georgia, we're not likely to. The western European nations that depend on Russia for oil and natural gas aren't likely to involve themselves in anything more than diplomacy either. Of course, the situation could change quickly and I do believe that there's a line Russia could cross that would bring a strong response from the rest of the world.

You are right but who is going to stand up to Russia. We cannot, we are tied up in Iraq and Afghanistan. Europe is at the mercy of Russia because they get their natural gas from the Russian pipe line. Who is out there to stop Russia here and now?

Based on the wikipedia link you provided, I guess the first comment I have is that we should never underestimate intent for one! And how many wars were started on the proviso of being 'small" rather than larger later and then escalated? The issue we have today is that the world is a far smaller place than it used to be; and pretty much everybody is in EVERYBODY's business. Look at the situation with the Mexican murderers in Texas as an example of this. There are always external entities that take umbrage at something or other and before you know it, the size of the playing field and the number of teams grows rapidly. God knows what the end result will be in Georgia but when you look at the strengths of each side militarily you would assume it will end quickly. But then again, these things rarely do. All we can hope is that the comparisons to Hitler you have made will exist only in regards to the annexures sought and not at any other level.

I know I'm going to sound like the bad guy here, but S. Ossentia broke away from Georgia in the 1990's and Georgia awoke the Sleeping Giant when they tried to reclaim the province. Did they expect Russia to take this lying down? Didn't they realize that Russia would react swiftly and brutally to stop their efforts? They shouldn't have started it, in my opinion. It would have saved a lot of bloodshed and destruction if they had let the Sleeping Giant alone.

You are right about the Sudetenland. This situation does sound similar but we are already spread so thin. I hope we find some other way to defuse it but I fear that we won't.