NBC NEWS- As some fighting continued Tuesday between Russian and Georgian forces, 100,000 people uprooted, according to the U.N., Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice demanded an end to the bloodshed.

Secretary Rice said "the Georgians have agreed to a cease fire. The Russians need to stop their military operations as they apparently have said that they will, but those military operations really do now need to stop."

There was no hint of an American military response but Rice said the U.S. supports Georgia's pro-U.S. government.

At a rally in his capital, Georgian President Saakashvilli screamed defiance at the Russian demand that he step down. He claimed that Russia's pushing georgians out of two disputed provinces.

President Saakashvili said "this is classical case of ethnic cleansing."

Georgia has been punished for invading pro-Russian areas. That's what Russian Presdient Medvedev claimed Tuesday, then told French President Sarkozy that he'd call off his forces.

One reason why the world's focused on Georgia is oil. Major pipelines run through the former Soviet state.

Mamuka Tsereteli, President of the Georgian Association of the United States said "Russia wants to control this area, this transit area, bringing natural gas and oil to western markets so by controlling Georgia, Russia could control this flow of oil and gas."

John McCain called Georgia's president.

Sen. McCain said "I told him that I know I speak for every American when I say to him today we are all Georgians."

Like McCain, Barack Obama Monday night called for outside peacekeepers.

"The United States, Europe and all other concerned countries must stand united in condemning this aggression," Obama said.

But in Georgia, Russia remains unchecked.