First Russia extended their troops to the borders of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, then there was a rebellion of a tank battalion, followed by the expulsion of two Canadian diplomats working for NATO.  Kind of like a tit-for-tat and tat in response to the ejection from NATO of two Russians accused of spying.  Moscow has blamed the Baltics for trying to upset the “reset button” deal with Washington, but it seems apparent that some of the hardline clans within the Russian leadership believe there is an opportunity to advance their interests in the Caucasus without any cost. 

Observers like Pavel Felgenhauer believe that Georgia is on the brink of yet another war with Russia.  Judging by rhetoric, he may be prescient.  Today Georgia’s envoy to the United Nations,  Alexander Lomaia, attacked the Russians and angrily denied their claim that the Georgian military was carrying out a military build up:  “The Russian ambassador’s statement is yet another example of Soviet-era propaganda which is not factual and whose sole purpose is to mislead.“