U.S. demands Russia leave Georgia "now"

By Aydar Buribaev and Margarita Antidze MOSCOW/TBILISI (Reuters) - Russia began pulling tanks and armor back over its frontier, pledging all forces would quit Georgia's heartland by Friday night, but Tbilisi said Moscow was determined to keep a grip on the country. The West has been waiting with increasing impatience for signs of a full-scale pullout of troops and armor that Russia sent into its small Caucasus neighbor two weeks ago. Continued delays have raised fears of a drift back into conflict. "I can see 21 T-72 tanks moving towards the Roki tunnel in the direction of Russia," said a Reuters reporter at the tunnel, which is a few km (miles) from the Georgian-Russian border and is the main access route for Russian forces. "I can also see four Grad artillery launchers, several armored personnel carriers, and heavy trucks... [read full story]