The hot air continues about Russia's recognition of Abkazia and South Ossetia

The hot sand blows from Whitehall. David Millibrand who covets prime minister Gordon Brown's position, is quite exercised over Moscow's decision to recognise Abkazia and South Ossetia. A lot of good that will do him in Russia. He's playing to the folks at home, showing how he's a big, strong boy with heavy balls between his legs. Moscow cares not a whit. It won't back down on its realpolitik, and why should it? It surely knows that it's witnessing a passing gale storm which will quiet down. It's cash rich and has all the tea in China in oil & gas which Europe depends on. Herr Bush may bluster and fume and stamp his foot like Rumpelstilskin and get it stuck in his failed foreign ventures, but he won't get anywhere unless adventuresome soul he, starts another war!
Moscow did make a slight 'bevue'--it had counted on its allies in the Shanghai Co operation Organisation to back it up. How could it since it embaced the Leninist principle of self determination which is an anathema [sic] to China faced as it is with Taiwan and Tibet and the Turkmen in Xinjiang. And of the other Central Asian stans, don't like it either since they, too, harbour with its port breakaway ethnic groups. Nonetheless on the whole, Russia has re asserted its historic rights in the southern Caucuses, and there it will remain.