A column of Russian armored vehicles, heading towards the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia, are seen in North Ossetia, Russia, Friday, Aug. 8, 2008. A surprise military offensive by Georgia, a staunch U.S. ally, to retake the breakaway province of South Ossetia reportedly killed hundreds of people Friday, triggering a ferocious counterattack from Russia that threatened to plunge the region into full-scale war. (AP Photo/Musa Sadulayev)