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Russia sends forces into Georgian rebel conflict


Flashermac

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It wasn't meant to be an in depth analysis of Solzhenitsyn. Very confused person IMO. Never happy anywhere, blaming everybody for everything. Surprised you would quote him. It would be interesting to watch him doing mental acrobatics on the current Georgia/Russia situation. He would probably praise the South Ossetians for wanting independence and criticize Sakhashvili for taking a firm stand. Then two days later he'd say the Russians were brutalizing a sovereign state and call NATO weak and the UN spineless. Then if NATO did anything he'd call them imperialist puppets. Very confused. Like I say...a right twit. Cherry pick that lot.

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The South Ossetians claim they were forced by the Soviets to be part of Georgia. They declared their independence and Russia has helped them maintain it.

 

 

Georgia reports new air attacks at military bases

 

 

DZHAVA, Georgia (AP) - Russia dispatched an armored column into the breakaway enclave of South Ossetia on Friday after Georgia, a staunch U.S. ally, launched a surprise offensive to crush separatists. Witnesses said hundreds of civilians were killed. Fighting reportedly raged well into the night with Georgia's interior ministry saying early Saturday that warplanes attacked three Georgian military bases and key facilities for shipping oil to the West.

 

The fighting, which devastated the capital of Tskhinvali, threatened to ignite a wider war between Georgia and Russia, and escalate tensions between Moscow and Washington. Georgia said it was forced to launch the assault because of rebel attacks; the separatists alleged Georgia violated a cease-fire.

 

"I saw bodies lying on the streets, around ruined buildings, in cars," said Lyudmila Ostayeva, 50, who had fled with her family to Dzhava, a village near the border with Russia. "It's impossible to count them now. There is hardly a single building left undamaged."

 

The fighting broke out as much of the world's attention was focused on the start of the Olympic Games and many leaders, including Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Bush, were in Beijing.

 

The timing suggested Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili may have been counting on surprise to fulfill his longtime pledge to wrest back control of South Ossetia - a key to his hold on power. The rebels seek to unite with North Ossetia, which is part of Russia.

 

Saakashvili agreed the timing was not coincidental, but accused Russia of being the aggressor. "Most decision makers have gone for the holidays," he told CNN. "Brilliant moment to attack a small country."

 

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I suppose that being a staunch US ally in this type of situation doesn't count for much.

The chances of the US sending troops to protect the freedom and democracy loving Georgians would be fairly remote.

"Sorry guys, we'll be a long as soon we tie up a couple of loose ends elsewhere".

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Isn't the issues in Georgia involve an oil line (sounds familiar to Afghanastain) and Georgia trying to get into NATO?

 

It looks like those are the two main factors. Georgia trying to get into NATO (or NATO trying to get into Georgia) and the BTC pipeline. You can probably throw the fact that Russia is still pissed off about the breakup of Yugoslavia into the mix.

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I'd say NATO is a huge issue with the Russians.

Would the US allow Mexico to elect a socialist government and start playing pattycake with guys like Chavez?

The Mexican peoples love of freedom and democracy would count for jackshit than.

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