LAUNCHING A WAR WHILE THE WORLD IS DISTRACTED WITH THE BEIJING 2008 OLYMPICS

IT'S A DIRTY TRICK BUT THE RUSSIANS DID WHAT ANY MILITARY TACTICIAN WOULD PREDICTABLY DO -- WHILE THE WORLD WAS DISTRACTED BY THE IRRESISTIBLE PULL OF THE OLYMPICS GAMES, THE RUSKIES PULLED OFF AN ATTACK ON GEORGIA. IT IS A CASE OF TEXT-BOOK WAR TACTICS FOR THE MODERN MEDIA-SATURATED AGE. AND A VERY SAD DEVELOPMENT, CONSIDERING THE LOSS OF SO MANY LIVES.

VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS PULLED OFF A COUP AS A RUSSIAN, BUT WORLD LEADERS AND PUBLIC OPINION ARE AGAINST THE ATTACK ON GEORGIA. THE UNFORTUNATE THING IS THAT AS THE WORLD FROWNS ON WHAT THE RUSSIANS HAVE DONE -- PUTIN'S FROWN OUTDOES THEM ALL! :-(