Russia Deploys Ships as Georgian Troops are flown home from Iraq

Russia, despite a Georgian cease-fire offer and its claim to be withdrawing from South Ossetia, has expanded their attack, and has begun to deploy ships.

Russia has claimed to have sunk a Georgian boat that was trying to attack Russian vessels in the Black Sea, and Georgian officials said Russia sent tanks from South Ossetia into Georgia, heading toward a strategic city before being turned back.

Russian planes twice bombed an area near the Georgian capital's airport.

The Russian determination to subdue Georgia, even at the risk of international criticism, has grown into an expanded campaign and a refusal to observe Georgia's cease-fire.

Meanwhile, The U.S. military began flying 2,000 Georgian troops home from Iraq after the Georgians recalled the soldiers following the outbreak of fighting with Russia in the breakaway province of South Ossetia.

An added note, Georgia was the third-largest contributor of coalition forces after the U.S. and Britain, and most of its troops were stationed near the Iranian border in southeastern Iraq.

And where is Congress as this, and many other emergencies, is happening? As THIRDWAVEDAVE put it, "The whole world is on fire. And where exactly is our Congressional leadership? Eating ribs at an election BBQ fundraiser or partying in Beijing?"

Also, there are reports there is more to this story than meets the eye. Is Russia after a regime change in Georgia? Are they attempting to pull Ossetia, and possibly even Georgia, into a new U.S.S.R.? Is the Russian government using this war as an excuse to move closer to Middle Eastern Oil?

Or is there something even deeper?