For anyone that has watched the news in the past week, at least knows about the recent conflict between Georgia and Russia. I unfortunately wasn't able to post about the conflict until now.

This was probably the most difficult conflict for me to read about - simply because the propaganda on both sides were so strong. Both still insist the other side committed genocide, intentionally killed hundreds/thousands of civilians and many other claims...oh yeah, almost forgot ethnic cleansing.

Once the dust somewhat settled, some facts were found out:

• Technically Georgia started the War. South Ossetia, some elements, fired upon Georgia which sparked the Georgian invasion of South Ossetia. (ironic, invading your own country...)
• The 2000 killed by Georgia in South Ossetia, accused by Russia, was discounted by Human Rights Watch, citing hospital sources at about 44 dead and 273 wounded.
• After the initial cease-fire was declared, Russia advanced further into Georgia.
• There have been incidents involving South Ossetia, Russia and Georgian troops actually firing at Journalists. Angry Georgian troops started pointing and firing a pistol at Journalists (video shown on FOX News), a now famous youtube video of a Russian sniper shooting at a Journalist and another video of two Turkish journalists in a car being caught in the cross-fire, one was shot in the head. (but is somehow okay)

In the end of this...well there isn't an end in sight. Russia has no intent of letting Georgia EVER get back South Oessetia or Abkhazia. Whereas Georgia (as well as it's citizens) intend to get both back someday. If there's good news, it could be if UN troops take over "peacekeeping" duties from Russia, this will at least delay the inevitable.

Maybe the worst part of this, aside from the negatives of war, is the long-term relations hit this will have on the US and Russia. What's more is that it has now peaked a big question in the minds of analysts and normal everyday person - does this now mean Russia will take action against other countries that were once under USSR control?

The tactics, military aside, taken by Russia were quite interesting. Cyberwar took another front seat as now one of the prominent aspects of war (many Georgian political sites were hacked) and Russia even gave out passports to citizens in South Ossetia not long before the war. Why?

"President Dmitry Medvedev stated that his country's goal was "to force the Georgian side to peace", and that he "must protect lives and the dignity of Russian citizens wherever they are,"

Clever, isn't it? Give out passports to anyone that wants it in South Ossetia and the second Georgia entered the country Russia could claim to protect Russian Citizens. I could go on, the dynamics of this situation, especially long-term, are so intriguing and some, frightening.

Will Georgia still be accepted into NATO? If so, faster or will it take longer?

Will we be facing a new cold war? Or...a hot war?

Will Russia start to try and land-grab, trying to install puppet governments or what?

I guess we'll find out. Just the other day Poland agreed to the Defensive Missile Shield placement, so fuel to the fire. Will be interesting to watch.