I don’t think this is going to be anything to worry about. I don’t see a large scale invasion under way, but it is interesting that they would re-take a town that really has no strategic value. Maybe the Russians are calculating that with our economy in the dumps, our president-elect embroiled in a scandal, and our military stretched thin that it can get away with bullying smaller republics? Should be interesting to see how this Russia-Georgia scenario plays out.
True, and we certainly are in a mess, but even if we weren't, I can't see the American people wanting to intervene to save the Ossetians from the Russians. Why would we possibly do so?
Of course it’s nothing to worrry about, it’s just Russia getting a little more breathing room...
Not disagreeing with anything else you said, but the Russian economy is in far worse shape than ours right now. The Russian stock market tanked in August when they started this Georgian adventure, and the subsequent $100/bbl drop in oil prices has put a huge strain on the Russian economy generally.
It's called a slap in the face.