Re: Georgia under attack by Russia
Russians take South Ossetian capital -DAWN - International; August 11, 2008
Re: Georgia under attack by Russia
Stalin was from Georgia
Re: Georgia under attack by Russia
Correct me if I am wrong but when they start to talk about BTC and AGT in the same breath only then the tension will begin to settle.
http://www.bakuceyhan.org.uk/publications/ffm_azeri_report_04.pdf
It seems to me that Russia are upset about the new changes which are driven by the West (i.e. non-Russians) to get non-Arab sources secured. 100% production is bound for the Mediterranean coast.
A major supply of oil is being re-routed away from Russia and they have an opportunity to vent some anger at Georgia for this change under the guise of protecting their ethnic bretheren.
Re: Georgia under attack by Russia
Good News Muslim Brothers
Israel is backing Georgia in its war with Russia and Russia is threatening to cut ties with Israel as Israel has sold over 400 million in weapons to Georgia
So naturally, the muslims should back Russia in its war with Georgia, right? 
DEBKAfile - Israel backs Georgia in Caspian Oil Pipeline Battle with Russia
Muslims do not always have to sit opposite to Israel. Israel is doing it to protect western interests which coincide with its own. Middle eastern countries do not have to say peep, they have their own oil. Better to shutup and be a spectator.
So what show is more spectacular, the Chinese Olympics with it's grand opening or Russia with it's onslaught of a country that has a population of 4.6 million?
This situation greatly magnifies how badly the U.S. and EU needs to get off foreign oil. Russia has clearly gone beyond it's stated goal of 'protecting' those in South Ossetia as it pours troops over the boarder and into Georgia, a small country of 4.6 million. Let the world see the barbaric face of Russia clearly and without the filter they used to justify the barbaric acts in Chechnya.
So what show is more spectacular, the Chinese Olympics with it's grand opening or Russia with it's onslaught of a country that has a population of 4.6 million?
This situation greatly magnifies how badly the U.S. and EU needs to get off foreign oil. Russia has clearly gone beyond it's stated goal of 'protecting' those in South Ossetia as it pours troops over the boarder and into Georgia, a small country of 4.6 million. Let the world see the barbaric face of Russia clearly and without the filter they used to justify the barbaric acts in Chechnya.
Is there any country which doesn't need oil. US and UK are no exception. What it does magnify is that US cannot meddle wherever they want without repercussions. And it also serves as an eye-opener to countries who wish to be front-runners for western politics that they are just the pawns in a chess game. And it does expose Russia's way of dealing with things. Diplomacy later, you screw us then we'll screw you back, we can discuss the doctors report later on.
This is big cat fight, Russia the Lion just kicked US the Lion out of its prideland and now has turned its attention to the cubs.
No, Georgia is trying to give up and beg for peace. But looks like Vlad "The Impaler" Putin is in no mood to accept surrender. Russia's continuing to pound deeper and deeper inside Georgia.
It really does look like he is trying to send a strong message to any country that Russia considers to be in Russia's sphere of influence, that if you try and align with the West there will be consequences.
Ukraine would do well to pay attention to events in Georgia, lest it continues to try and push for closer ties to NATO and the EU too.
Although i am a big admirer of postwar soviet/russian military but i dont think that russians will attempt a similar campaign against ukraine, which is much bigger and militarily much more powerful than georgia [e.g gorgians have only 7 modern warplanes].There is a good chance that the russian military will suffer severe losses in conquering ukraine militarily.
Georgia is not a puppet but a Democracy, elected fairly and freely. It's clear that support for the free and former soviet territories, the key word being *forme*r, must be brought closer to the U.S. and not be allowed to be threaten by Russia. If the message is for the U.S. to back off you can expect the answer to be a resounding no, the U.S. will support democracies without Russian permission and we see today in Georgia why this must be U.S. policy.
Re: Georgia under attack by Russia
Interestingly both Abkhazia and Ossetia have substantial Muslim populations. :p
Georgia is not a puppet but a Democracy, elected fairly and freely. It's clear that support for the free and former soviet territories, the key word being *forme*r, must be brought closer to the U.S. and not be allowed to be threaten by Russia. If the message is for the U.S. to back off you can expect the answer to be a resounding no, the U.S. will support democracies without Russian permission and we see today in Georgia why this must be U.S. policy.
Yes Georgia is a democracy but not without allegiance and inclination to a bigger power. Who such former territories should be brought closer to is a matter of whose better serves the interests of that country. US can support whoever they want however my point is their support does not always matter as is the case right now for Georgia. It is easy to sound magnifying NO's in words but other than that Georgians are the ones getting xeroxed. Both Russia and Western block have their own way to pressurizing countries to join them or not violate their wider agenda. Russians do it less diplomatically only because they can. If US was in a position to stick it to Russia militarily it would have done it by now. We know how lightening fast their response was when dealing with Afghanistan and Iraq. Similarly, Russia gave Georgia a lightening fast response. Countries who act on beahlf of their bigger master powers are always front runners in the battalion and have to pay the consequences for it. They are the first ones selected for oblivion. Pakistan is now becoming a prime example of that now as well just not as harsh as Georgia is though.
Although i am a big admirer of postwar soviet/russian military but i dont think that russians will attempt a similar campaign against ukraine, which is much bigger and militarily much more powerful than georgia [e.g gorgians have only 7 modern warplanes].There is a good chance that the russian military will suffer severe losses in conquering ukraine militarily.
With a conscript army, you don't need to worry about severe losses. And Russia's oil wealth can pay to replace material losses.
Though Ukraine still has pwoerful pro-Russian politicians. The baltic states, with their large and allegedly oppressed ethnic Russian minorities, should be more worried.
After watching how the West let the admittedly non-NATO, but still pro-West Georgia be thrown to the dogs, what if Putin gets tempted to interfere in NATO members Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania?
With the USA and UK so overstretched in Iraq and Afghanistan, would Putin bet that NATO would be paralyzed with indecision and inability about whether to act against a Russian operation against the baltic states?
Europe is now extremely dependent on Russia for its energy needs. Rather than face the economic disaster of a war against Russia severing energy imports (let alone the potential disaster of nuclear weapons), NATO countries could lose guts and appease Russia should it turn on the baltics.
Of course, if Putin tries that and NATO discovers it has balls and activates agaist Russia, then things get interesting, in a very bad way.
Though the likelyhood of this scenario is extremely low, just in case I'm going to renew my Pakistani passport. At the first hint of a potential NATO/Russia conflict I'm going to be on the first available flight to Pakistan to get the hell out of dodge!
Re: Georgia under attack by Russia
^^ This action reminds me of how Hitler invaded Poland in September 1939 which was a strong ally of France and England...the west did nothing to help Poland but then got dragged into a major war with Germany.
Russia is acting like the way Germany did in the 1930's expanding and trying to gain all the territory it lost during the break up of the soviet union
Dide note: Bush will be making a statement about the situation from the White House shortly after a UN emergency meeting begins at 5:00.
Re: Georgia under attack by Russia
^^ The only thing Bush can do is deploy the 82nd Airborne Division in the Capital city of Georgia and tell Russia that it cannot advance beyond that perimeter
or get Turkey which is the only NATO member which shares a border with Georgia to send its ground forces into Georgia to deter Russia
This has all the makings of a major war
Re: Georgia under attack by Russia
^ then it will inevitably be a NATO vs Russia war if turkey gets involved.
the baltic states scenario is interesting though, maybe the poles will retaliate by besieging kaliningrad ?
Re: Georgia under attack by Russia
as we speak, russias probably getting ready to interfere in iraq and afghanistan. the end result of which is uncertain but in the meantime iraqis and afghanis are likely to suffer
Re: Georgia under attack by Russia
This humiliating and speedy crushing of Georgia must be such a morale booster for Russian people's battered pride. Russian equivalent of "shock and awe" first practiced by good ol' US of A.
It's clear that Russia was prepared for this attack. I would think shame and disgust is what Russians would feel knowing what their country is doing to a free and fairly elected democratic nation of just 4.6 million. Russia has lied to the United States by going further that their stated campaign to "protect" those in South Ossetia. The consequences of the U.S. pulling intel. resources after 9/11 from Russian interests to Islamic interests is now showing.
The Georgia President has vowed that they will fight til their death before giving up their Democracy for A Russian puppet. It would boggling if this is what Russia's goal is, to have another Chechnya supported by the west in their backyard? Then again, the game is called Russian Roulette.
Re: Georgia under attack by Russia
^ :) Do you seriously think that Russians are feeling shame and disgust at this time... or was it just a rhetorical statement to keep the illusion alive?