Tacoma SDS

From the moment Georgia launched a surprise attack on the tiny breakaway region of South Ossetia last week, prompting a fierce Russian counterattack, Israel has been trying to distance itself from the conflict. This is understandable: with Georgian forces on the retreat, large numbers of civilians killed and injured, and Russia's fury unabated, Israel's deep involvement is severely embarrassing.

After seeing the inspiring actions of the Olympia police department, and the stunning indifference of local elected officials, police and special forces in Georgia, a former republic of the Soviet Union, chose to carry out their own solidarity actions. President Mikheil Saakashvili sent riot police to shut down the main television stations in the capital city of Tbilisi on Nov. 7. On the following day, he imposed a state of emergency.