GEORGIA COMMITS WAR CRIMES BY BOMBING CIVILIANS IN SOUTH OSSETIA

An editorial in today's The Washington Post is about the outbreak of hostilities between Georgia and South Ossetia. The WashPo's editors seem to blame Russia for starting this bloody conflict. But wait. Anyone who has been watching BBC News knows that Georgia started the war by shelling civilians in South Ossetia and its principal city, Tskhavili.

And why did Georgia, led by its "democratic" president Mikheil Saakashvili, shell innocent civilians? Because many residents in South Ossetia want to belong to Russia, not Georgia. So Saakhashvili starts a war because he does not want South Ossetia to have its way and attach itself to Russia. Instead of shelling and bombing, Mr. Saakhasvili, how about calling for a referendum and then abiding by the vote of the people?

No wonder the Russians intervened in the conflict. Georgia was bombing and shelling civilians, a true war crime, if we need yet another example. Saakhashvili should be brought before the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

And what about the biased and/or incomplete editorial in the WashPo? These guys are just following the Bush line which takes Georgia's side to counter what some think is inordinate Russian influence in South Ossetia.