Update- Putin: "War has started" between Russia and Georgia

Sanjay Jha, thanks for getting this story out so quickly. News is still streaming in and the news networks are doing live coverage. Anyone in Georgia or Russia, it would be great to hear from you what the national networks there are saying

Also, Georgian forces claim to have shot down Russian planes:

I just heard something very disturbing on Sky News, there are claims of "ethnic cleansing" in some villages.

A Georgian cabinet minister is now claiming that 4 Russian planes have been shot down, according to Sky News.

Fox News reported that government officials in the former Soviet state of Georgia said, “Russia has declared war on us.” Nighttime video footage of a Georgian air base being bombed by Russian aircraft followed.

A short time later, a CNN video report on the breaking news conflict. It features video from Russia’s Channel One television and includes mention of Russian tanks, artillery and mortar attacks in addition to the previously-mentioned aerial assaults.

Bloomberg reports:   Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said “war has started” in the breakaway region of South Ossetia while Georgia accused Russia of “a well-planned invasion” and appealed to world leaders for help.

-- Bob McCarty Writes

McCain has called on Russia to withdraw from Georgia:

South Ossetia has said that a thousand people have died in the fighting now:

>U.S. Presidential candidate John McCain on Friday urged Russia to immediately withdraw

McCain is free to express his personal opinion, but he isn't President yet.  The Pres is in China and more than capable of doing what is necessary from there.   

Georgia are going to withdraw 1,000 troops from Iraq and redeploy them in Georgia (Alertnet).

Putting the events involving Russia and Georgia into a domestic political context, one must now realize that John McCain Understands Vladimir Putin, the antagonist in this conflict, better than any other candidate running for president of the United States.  To elect Barack Obama during these troubling times might hasten our great country's demise.

The South Ossetian leader has said that 1,400 people are now dead.

Remember mettacara! http://ashinmettacara-eng.blogspot.com/

The only thing leaders can do is action rather than sit in their various countries talking without any solution, It is the  innocent people who are dying while the political leaders who brought the war sit in front of their wide screen TVs and enjoy meals.

Condoleezza Rice is also calling for International Mediation on South Ossetia.

Georgia is going to impose martial law:

I think the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />USA has an obligation to defend Georgia without coming into direct confrontation with Russia. The USA has the military capabilities to roll over Russia if need be, but we like to take a more diplomatic approach to things since the Iraq war so that we don’t upset other limp noodle nations such as Britain that’s a lot closer than we are, and is not offering any help. We need to fly supplies, tanks, apaches, and support troops to Georgia and move into the break away region and secure it. We need to be the peacekeeping force within, not Russia. Russia is just playing this peace keeping crap to attempt to look good internationally, even though everyone knows Russia is just trying to retake land that it lost when the Soviet Union fell. It’s simple; we station ourselves there and dare Russia to pull the trigger. Walk softly and carry a big stick. Instead we have been walking loudly and carrying a not so big stick. We supported Georgia and the democratic process there, and promised to help in a time of need, Georgia has even helped us in Iraq, but when the former communist Russia decides to flex it’s Esteemed military might against our Staunch ally, that we wont be able to call a Staunch ally in the future, we do nothing but sit around and issue statement’s, the same policy with Iran, Issue statement’s. The problem is no one gives a flying hoot about what the USA says anymore, because we don’t back what were packing. Just issue more statements. This will be the turning point in the East-West struggle that’s been brewing for several years now. If the USA allows Russia to retake control of the breakaway region that is a part of Georgia, and reback the separatist’s and leaves Georgia hanging high and dry, the world will know that the USA is not what it talk’s. The world will know that all we do is talk, and we won’t back anything we say. Allies will know that we won’t back them when large countries bully them. Ally’s will begin to switch sides, until were standing all alone. Don’t get me wrong I love my country, and I hope we go in and draw a line in the sand. But somehow I have a feeling that Russia will own the breakaway region, and possibly Georgia when this is said and done. My final comment is GO GEORGIA!!!! What a brave little country, reminds me of Israel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufCeQ0Kyl04&feature=related

There's a lot on youtube about this as well.