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Are the US and Russia Heading for Another Cold War?
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Are the US and Russia Heading for Another Cold War?

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As Russian troops moved further into his country and bombs fell close to his capital city, Georgia's president, Mikheil Saakashvili, decried Russia's actions as an "invasion, occupation and annihilation of an independent, democratic country." Also, the impact of the war in Georgia on the campaign for the president, and Hillary Clinton's role at the Democratic convention in Denver.

Banner image: Georgian soldiers ride a tank through the streets in Gori, Georgia. Both Russia and Georgia have accused each other of continued attacks after Georgia called a ceasefire and withdrew their forces from South Ossetia with Russian forces now firmly in control in the disputed region. Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images

Making News

Fighting in Georgia Spreads ()

Russian forces have moved further into Georgia's rebellious province of South Ossetia, despite Georgia's call for a ceasefire. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili ran for cover, saying Russian planes were flying over the presidential palace in his capital city.  Russia's Prime Minister Putin has flown home from the Olympics, but President Bush was still in Beijing when he denounced Russia's "disproportionate" response” to explosive hostilities in the region. We catch up with events and get the background on a long running local dispute with international implications. What are America's interests in a dispute between Russia and a former Soviet Republic? What's the possible impact on the campaign for president? 

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Main Topic

Russian Intentions and US Response ()

Barack Obama has taken a week off from his presidential campaign. From his vacation retreat in Hawaii, he has condemned Russia's aggressive actions and demanded that it withdraw ground forces and cease flights in Georgian airspace. Obama called for the US, the United Nations Security Council and others to try to make peace and said the conflict resulted in part from lack of a "neutral and effective peacekeeping force operating under an appropriate UN mandate."  Campaigning hard, John McCain seized the issue by declaring "Russian actions in clear violation of international law have no place in 21st century Europe."

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Reporter's Notebook

Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Convention ()

The latest foreign policy challenge comes amid talk of "Obama fatigue" and new attention's being paid to the role of Hillary Clinton at the Democrats' nominating convention in Denver. Clinton has not taken steps to quash a move to place her name in nomination two weeks from now in Denver. The result would dramatize that the Democratic Party is still divided.

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