Russian troops with armored cars remained stationed in the Georgian city of Gori today despite Moscow’s pledge to withdraw from parts of the country. The Kremlin had announced that Russia would start pulling back today, but no specific time was given. While Russia has pledged to withdraw from Georgia, the Russian military has reportedly been moving short-range ballistic missile launchers into the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia. Meanwhile, the president of South Ossetia fired his government earlier today and declared a month-long emergency. On Friday, Senator John McCain suggested the situation in Georgia was a more serious crisis than the US invasion of Iraq or Afghanistan.

Sen. John McCain: “My friends, we have reached a crisis, the first probably serious crisis internationally since the end of the Cold War. This is an act of aggression.”

President Bush accused Russia of bullying Georgia.

President Bush: “With its actions in recent days, Russia has damaged its credibility and its relations with the nations of the free world. Bullying and intimidation are not acceptable ways to conduct foreign policy in the twenty-first century.”