President Bush criticized Russia today harder than he’s ever lit into any country not ruled by an Islamist tyrant. He recounted the reports of Russian attacks on Georgian cities and said that, if the bear out to be true as reported, it would be a “dramatic and brutal escalation of the conflict in Georgia” that are “inconsistent with assurances we have received from Russia that its objectives were limited to restoring the status quo in South Ossetia that existed before fighting began on August the 6th”.

In other words, Russia lied to us and has crossed the line into something that’s going to draw serious consequences. The remaining G8 nations have already started to discuss what actions they could take. They could well expel Russia from the group and levy economic penalties, which could cause more than a little damage.

Right now, it looks like Vladimir Putin has weighed the benefits of taking Georgia and cowing the rest of the former Soviet states against anything the West is likely to do and found it worth the risk. I sincerely hope that the President proves him stunningly wrong. I got to see the statement and the President looked well and truly ticked off. Perhaps he’ll turn that anger into meaningful action.

Via Instapundit comes this commentary from the always insightful Belmont Club:

Georgia — under its old borders — has effectively been lost to Russia. Moscow now sits aside the transportation links joining Tbilisi to the Georgia’s Black Sea ports. A Russian column has also reached the Senaki, at the western end of Georgia’s main flatland, the Kolkhida Lowland. The heartland of Georgia is now split in two. But the Georgian army remains apparently intact.

But the Russians have repeatedly failed to “bag” or encircle the Georgian Army, whose losses appear to be relatively light. The Georgians may have decided to avoid a ruinous battle for Gori, preserve their army and keep their state alive — even at the cost of abandoning their Black Sea ports and Kolkhida Lowland — in favor of a withdrawal behind the second of their major mountain ranges: the Lesser Caucasus.

The Georgians have the wherewithal to hold off the Russians for a little while, possibly long enough for its allies to pull the Russians off of them, using whatever means they have. President Saakashvili is steeling for one heck of a fight until that happens. He doesn’t intend to give up his country without a punishing fight.

I want to say with full responsibility, we should save our country ourselves. Nobody else will be able to do it. Of course, international support is important, international diplomatic involvement is decisive, but if we are not very mobilized, if we do not show heroism, if we do not resist this huge brutal force, without our dedication Georgia will not be able to stop this confrontation.

All what is happening now – bombings, especially those of civilian facilities, at night, shelling – has the only objective, to demoralize our society, to seed panic in the society. I want to thank everybody, those tens of thousands of Tbilisites, who came out in the streets last night and expressed their huge support towards Georgian statehood. I want to thank those people – I traveled from the east to the west and back – although Russian aircraft were flying above us and although the highway was shelled during our movement, I saw Georgian national flags flying on cars and I saw Georgian flags flying on balconies – this is our response, our unity, our bravery, our endurance, and we will certainly liberate the entire Georgia. This is what is happening now, this is Georgia’s struggle for national liberation, this is a response to the war imposed on Georgia, a response by the Georgian society’s resistance, the Georgian society’s heroism in order to maintain liberty, statehood, and the future of our children. The officials of foreign countries should never define the future of our children. The future of our children and our country should be ruled by the democratic government elected by the Georgian society, which will act in the interests of the people, in the interests of multi-ethnic society, and will never dance to other’s tune and the time will never come, when we clean the shoes of foreign officials. We helped Georgia up from its knees within the last few years. We should not allow anybody to make us kneel again. Georgia should find its way out of this situation. Georgia should manage to restore peace and to establish good relations, including with Russians, who attacked us.

I also want to address the Russian public – of course, all media outlets are blocked now, but information is leaking out – we do not fight with the Russian people. We are not angry with the Russian society. Much injustice has been carried out against Georgia, against each Georgian. But the time will come – I am sure – when we will have very good relations again. But we will defend the freedom of our country, the independence of our country – with our teeth, to the last drop of blood. God bless each of us. God bless the freedom of Georgia. God bless our soldiers, our heroes. Long live Georgia.