The Grand Empire Chessboard

"...To put it in a terminology that harkens back to the more brutal age of ancient empires, the three grand imperatives of imperial geostrategy are to prevent collusion and maintain security dependence among the vassals, to keep tributaries pliant and protected, and to keep the barbarians from coming together...." (p.40)

So what you are seeing is a struggle to control a key region of the world that not only has a vast oil supply but is key to the stability and future of the American empire. The vassal state (Georgia) is being used to offset Russian (barbarian) power and interests while at the same time being rewarded economically and with membership in NATO.

Not surprisingly the 2 sides of the same coin John McCain and Barack Obama separately spoke with President Saakashvili and called for the protection of Georgian sovereignty.

But Putin, Russia's Prime Minister, is a different breed of cat and hugely popular with his own people for taking on the Oligarchs in Russia and increasing the Russian standard of living. It is too bad we can't borrow him to take on our own Oligarchs in this country. But he has obviously read the Brezinski playbook and doesn't like to be boxed in by puppet "vassal" states.