[PhilDragoo]

FARS, what's up with Turkey; would the Islamists like to settle a score with Russia.

Russia's chickens comin' home t'roost.

[Myrddin]

The Russians would like nothing better than a legitimate excuse to jump on the Islamists. They have little patience with the Islamist acts of terror in Moscow and Beslan. Recall Beslan is in North Ossetia. It's still a sore spot.

[BIGLOOK]

No way, Phil. Georgia is an ally but not a member of Nato. Any US retaliation will be diplomatic, sanctions against the Neo Sovs but not an act of war.

We can cut 'em off at the knees economically but the problem is the Neo Sovs can cut off LNG to Europe this winter. And they can cut it off to the Turks too if they shut down the Georgian pipeline.

Turkey will play the middle on this one.