As conflict erupted in South Ossetia, both Democratic candidate Barack Obama and his Republican counterpart John McCain quickly spoke up.

Political pundits call this event the first major test of the candidates’ international policies. While neither is yet president, Americans – and many people in other parts of the world – care deeply about how the candidates handle this situation. It demonstrates how the candidates, if elected, would react if leading the United States during such a crisis.

As fighting broke out August 8, Obama issued a statement calling on “Georgia and Russia to show restraint and to avoid an escalation to full-scale war” and encouraged international organizations to help mediate a peaceful solution. U.S. media says this statement echoes similar comments made by President Bush. Later the Democratic candidate spoke more critically of Russia, saying “what is clear is that Russia has … encroached on Georgia’s sovereignty, and it is very important for us to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.”

The Obama campaign says the Illinois Senator spoke to Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice about the situation.

McCain also quickly issued a statement August 8, followed by additional statements. He has also spoken with Saakashvili. In a press briefing August 11 McCain said “Russian aggression against Georgia is both a matter of urgent moral and strategic importance to the United States.” The Arizona Senator said that Russian leaders should know that their actions could have “long-term negative consequences” on the country’s relationship with the United States and Europe.

McCain outlined what he believes the next steps should be, which would include a U.N. Security Council condemnation of Russia’s actions, an emergency NATO session to discuss the deployment of a peacekeeping force to South Ossetia and a trip to the region by Secretary of State Rice to meet with European diplomatic partners.

For more, see “United States Seeks Emergency Mediation to Defuse Georgia Crisis.”