Reply #5: Kadima is correct. This is not an ethnic conflict. It is a geo-political

[Tutonic]

Conflict. There are not that many Jews in SOuth Ossettia for a claim of ethnic cleansing to stick. For the last eight years, the US has attempted to portray every conflict as "ethnic cleansing" or "ethnic strife." Ethnic cleansing like what occurred in Rwanda or Kosivo during the Clinton years gave greater authority to our government to pursue military solutions. However, as the deputy head of the Congress stated this is not "ethnic" cleansing or strife. It is a geo-political conflict that requires negotiation and a political solution. Use of military force as instigated by Georgia was not reasonable and Putin's reaction was something that should have similarly occurred when the US used unprovoked military force in Iraq--Russia, the Arab states--the UN, or somebody--anybody-- should have hit back hard. South Ossettia does not have a large enclave of Jews--so the statements by this guy are both worrisome and conflicting. The conflict has more to do with what kind of government will control Ossetia than with ethnic cleansing.