Rice calls Russia "outlaw" in Georgia fight

By Susan Cornwell

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States accused Russia on Tuesday of targeting civilians in its conflict with Georgia and said Moscow wants to strangle Tbilisi, the latest in a steadily escalating stream of criticism from Washington.

"It's becoming more and more the outlaw in this conflict," U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said of Russia in an interview with "CBS Evening News."

"They intend and probably still do intend to strangle Georgia and its economy," she told CBS in the interview in Brussels, where she attended a NATO meeting on the crisis.

Rice said Russia had used its overwhelming force to beat up a small neighbour and former Soviet republic.

"Well, that's what they've done -- wanton destruction of civilian infrastructure, reports of the use of munitions that should never be used against civilians, the harassment along highways of legitimate comers, the closing of the Port of Poti, which is now starting to affect neighbouring states," she said.

"I think this is not a very good picture for Russia's strategic objectives."

Conflict between Georgia and Russia erupted when Georgia tried to reimpose control over the breakaway, pro-Russian South Ossetia region on August 7-8. Russia responded with a massive counter-attack that overwhelmed Georgian forces.

Russia then moved troops beyond South Ossetia and a second separatist region, Abkhazia, and into Georgian territory.