Georgia contributed to the problem, but even Europeans dependent on Russian natural gas have to admit ’twas the Bear.

EVEN BEFORE the shooting ended, Russia’s invasion of Georgia last year prompted an international debate about who bore responsibility for the conflict. For many in the United States, the answer was fairly obvious: Russia, after all, had been overtly preparing for war for months before its troops began their rampage, and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin made clear from the outset that his goal was to overthrow the pro-American government of Mikheil Saakashvili. But many Europeans were reluctant to allow their relations with Russia to be soured by a small country in the Caucuses. So at the impetus of Germany, an independent “fact-finding mission” was established.

The results, released Wednesday in a lengthy report, won’t please the hard-core partisans of either side. But they ought to be particularly disappointing to Mr. Putin and his apologists. Written by Swiss diplomat Heidi Tagliavini, the report rejects Russia’s main claims about the conflict, finds it guilty of sponsoring or tolerating human rights crimes, and asserts that any country that follows Moscow’s lead in recognizing two provinces of Georgia as independent nations will itself be violating international law.

Full WaPo story here. And of course click the “Georgia (Sakartvelo)” link below for the Gormogons’ screaming on the topic.

Confucius, Œc. Vol.

Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu.