[sam_paine]

I find it absurd that posters think Georgia should have just ignored separatist attacks. Russia was working to provoke Georgia into attacking.

Not sure I follow your connection in those two sentences.

I agree that Russia and the Ossetians were itching to provoke Georgia. And it even sounds like Georgia and the US knew that.

So why did the Georgians take the bait without any kind of preparation for the snapping trap? They didn't have to ignore it, but the Ossetians have been cut off by Georgia and "self governing" for how long now?

[Dr. Frank fan]

So why did the Georgians take the bait without any kind of preparation for the snapping trap?

I would think we would all be able to agree that the Georgians were unwise to take the bait from a position of weakness without simultaneously approving of or excusing the Russian behavior that set the trap in the first place.