This morning I spent a whole hour watching the UN Security Council live broadcast from start to finish. It was unpleasant to watch — Russia was basically being humiliated. The only ones who said even the ritual words, "we highly appreciate the work of the Russian delegation and its efforts...," were Vietnam. China limited itself to expressing outrage over the violation of the "Olympic truce." The US, the UK, and Croatia were more focused on some corridor through which, according to the Georgians, aid and some mythical volunteers are supposedly reaching South Ossetia. The rest mumbled something along the lines of, "we express our concern." Our man Churkin was very indignant and spoke sharply, stressing that the US delegation had not even "expressed concern." **Naturally, no resolution was adopted. **It is obvious that the UN and the UN Security Council have ceased to be places where serious decisions are made. And all that much-touted "rise in Russia’s standing on the international stage" exists only in Margelov’s head and on the state TV channels that put that head on screen. In today’s conditions, authority rests only on strength and on the ability to use that strength wisely and where needed. I am sure that right now it is exactly where it is "needed." Of course, there can be no talk right now of sending additional Russian ground troops into South Ossetia. But Russia should take the following steps (at a minimum): Provide serious military and financial assistance to South Ossetia and Abkhazia (to the extent that Abkhazia is actually prepared to fight in South Ossetia). Declare South Ossetia a no-fly zone and immediately shoot down any aircraft that enter it. Declare a total blockade of Georgia. Cut off all contact with it. Expel from the Russian Federation all Georgian citizens currently on our territory. After that, act according to the situation, while keeping in mind that, of course, it is very tempting to fire a cruise missile at the general staff of the "rodents" (a derogatory slur for Georgians), but that is exactly what the "rodents" are waiting for. By the way, right now Misha Romanov is sheltering from the shelling in one of the basements in Tskhinvali m_romanoff. All night he was sending Yashin messages like: the city is being pounded with howitzers, Grad rocket launchers, and mortars; people are being herded into basements and bomb shelters; dozens are wounded Let’s all send wishes for safety, security, and a speedy return home to Mezhgan and to all Russian citizens in South Ossetia, especially our military personnel.
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