The West and Russia: Moral Hierarchy or Equality?

Apparently, undermining some generic Western media source's earlier prediction/speculation/wild guess that Russia would not want to undermine its own position vis-a-vis the Chechens by recognizing South Ossetian and Abkhazian independence, it has done exactly that. So much for the civilizing force of hypocrisy? (Just imagine a third party attempting to secure an agreement by Russia to the "non-use of force" with the Chechens, which is what the Russians have insisted on the Georgians doing with regard to their breakaway regions.)

Meanwhile, the West finds itself continuing to stand by "the independence, the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Georgia." Two sides playing at the same hypocrisy game?