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millertime24

WTF is Russia Doing?

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Have the Georgians been massacring South Ossetians?



Yes. Political reasons aside, the immediate cause of the war was heavy shelling by Georgia of Tshinvali (the capital of South Osetia) and villages in the area, followed by Georian forces invading Tshinvali. In the process they have killed lots of civilians (most are Russian citizen) and a dozen of Russian peacekeepers. This would push any nation to respond, even without a political underlining.

On a political scene, in a nutshell, US and Russia are fighting over control of Georgia. Very much like Yugoslavia and Kosovo, with sides reversed.

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My co-worker, who apparently saw the CNN headline "Russia invades Georgia!" But didn't bother to actually read the article, just ran through the office yelling about Russia invading the southern US.

Co-worker: Russia just invaded the south! They're in Georgia!

Me: you mean they just invaded the country of Georgia, between Russia and Turkey, right?

Co-worker: Don't be an idiot. Georgia's a state.

Me (having flashbacks to Miss Teen South Carolina and considering purchasing a map for him): Okay. Whatever.

Co-worker (running on his way): Russia's invaded the south!


Wow.

I just rented a room from a friend. His girlfriend walked in my room this morning and saw my dog laying next to me on the floor. She's seen the dog many times. "Is that your dog?" NO. You stupid bitch. That's my FRIENDS CAT.:S
I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

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>the state of Georgia is a good deal older than the nation of Georgia.

The Kingdom of Georgia was around before Christ was.

There was no Christ. ;)
I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

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Have the Georgians been massacring South Ossetians?



Yes. Political reasons aside, the immediate cause of the war was heavy shelling by Georgia of Tshinvali (the capital of South Osetia) and villages in the area, followed by Georian forces invading Tshinvali. In the process they have killed lots of civilians (most are Russian citizen) and a dozen of Russian peacekeepers. This would push any nation to respond, even without a political underlining.



According the Georgians, the immediate cause was terrorist attacks by rebels in Ossetia, to which they are responding. (Much like the chicken-or-egg debate in the Russia vs. Chechnya conflict.) And so it goes.

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On a political scene, in a nutshell, US and Russia are fighting over control of Georgia. Very much like Yugoslavia and Kosovo, with sides reversed.



Agreed, in part. I'd say the US doesn't want to "control" Georgia as much as it wants to counter Russia in the US/Russia chess game .... by aligning itself politically with Georgia.

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My co-worker, who apparently saw the CNN headline "Russia invades Georgia!" But didn't bother to actually read the article, just ran through the office yelling about Russia invading the southern US.

Co-worker: Russia just invaded the south! They're in Georgia!

Me: you mean they just invaded the country of Georgia, between Russia and Turkey, right?

Co-worker: Don't be an idiot. Georgia's a state.

Me (having flashbacks to Miss Teen South Carolina and considering purchasing a map for him): Okay. Whatever.

Co-worker (running on his way): Russia's invaded the south!


Wow.



Wait a second... you guys... nobody told me dropzone's speakers corner had a real world office

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They seem to be invading another country for no apparent reason - where have we heard that before.



Ah, but here is a reason. Russia, the Soviet Union, whatever they're calling themselves, has ALWAYS been an expansionist empire. Historically, Russia has always invaded neighbor states like Ukraine, Georgia, the Baltic countries, and Poland. As well as the Islamic camel dung states, like Kazakhstan and the like. It shouldn't surprise anyone that they're doing it again. Under Putin (oh wait - he's just the Prime Minister anymore...), er, Medvedev, they sense the opportunity with this ethnic Russian uprising in the southern Ossetia province.



True, Russians have more or less always considered that expansion = security, but after the end of the Cold War the west could have behaved with at least a measure of magnanimity. Instead we've rubbed it in their face and with NATO and the EU advancing towards Russia's borders I'm not at all suprised the Great Bear is lashing out like this.

Question is though, what can be done? Calls for restraint don't seem to be doing anything (apparently there's been a second uprising in Abkhazia, and more Russian airstrikes recently), no-one's going to pick a fight with Russia for various reasons, and speaking from the British perspective the UK isn't in a position with any voice, never mind leverage just at the moment (Google 'Alexander Litvinenko'). Strikes me as a very dangerous situation.

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For some history/perspective on the region (CBC, pretty objective commentary):

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/08/08/f-caucasus-quagmire.html#articlecomments

Don
_____________________________________
Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996)
“Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

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True, Russians have more or less always considered that expansion = security, but after the end of the Cold War the west could have behaved with at least a measure of magnanimity. Instead we've rubbed it in their face and with NATO and the EU advancing towards Russia's borders I'm not at all suprised the Great Bear is lashing out like this.

Question is though, what can be done? Calls for restraint don't seem to be doing anything (apparently there's been a second uprising in Abkhazia, and more Russian airstrikes recently), no-one's going to pick a fight with Russia for various reasons, and speaking from the British perspective the UK isn't in a position with any voice, never mind leverage just at the moment (Google 'Alexander Litvinenko'). Strikes me as a very dangerous situation.



I agree. This is a very tricky situation. Not only is Russia rebuilding as a superpower, but as an energy giant that supplies a critical amount of gas and oil to all of Europe, east and west.

Russia's already used their energy leverage, against Georgia in particular, by cutting off natural gas supplies in the dead of winter over a price dispute. There's nothing to stop them from doing that to anyone else if they want.

The west really did rub Russia's face in it during the nineties, which is something I think we'll regret - did we learn nothing from the way we treated Germany after World War I ? On the other hand, if I lived in a former eastern bloc country like Hungary or the Czech Republic, I'd sure as hell want my country in the EU and NATO with all possible speed.

As for the Litvinenko case, the Russian Duma, during the Putin years actually passed a law that sanctions the killing of Russian citizens anywhere in the world if the interests of the Russian state are deemed to be at stake. In other words, Litvinenko's murder is actually LEGAL under Russian law. Say what you will about our repeated attempts to assasinate Castro, or our role in other assasinations (Allende in Chile, Lumumba in The Congo, Diem in South Vietnam, etc), we've never actually passed a law saying it's okay.

So what are we going to do about this ? Bomb the Russian gas pipelines to Europe ? I think not.... This is one more reason to rethink attacking Iran, as Russia is deeply involved in Iran's nuclear program. We might just have to tacitly admit to a Russian sphere of influence, the way we did during the Cold War. We may not have a choice.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

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Say what you will about our repeated attempts to assasinate Castro, or our role in other assasinations (Allende in Chile, Lumumba in The Congo, Diem in South Vietnam, etc), we've never actually passed a law saying it's okay.



Because Russia and the US operate in different ways, how is this a talking point or defence of history??

"Say what you will" ummm ok... all the examples you listed have about 7 million or more reasons for being worse than passing a pointless domestic level law upon yourself (Russia) that you are allowed to kill your ex pats when you (Russia) would do it anyway.

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Ah, but here is a reason. Russia, the Soviet Union, whatever they're calling themselves, has ALWAYS been an expansionist empire. Historically, Russia has always invaded neighbor states like Ukraine, Georgia, the Baltic countries, and Poland. As well as the Islamic camel dung states, like Kazakhstan and the like. It shouldn't surprise anyone that they're doing it again. Under Putin (oh wait - he's just the Prime Minister anymore...), er, Medvedev, they sense the opportunity with this ethnic Russian uprising in the southern Ossetia province.



Up through WW1/2, every significant nation state was an expansionist one. Russian hardly stands out. They routinely fought each other in the 19th Century to win land, cull the population. Only after the nuclear bomb and the cost of WW2 entered consciousness did this tendency die.

Since the Revolution, the Russians have faced a stream of significant attacks, and it's hard to fault them for taking the buffer zone strategy. We have oceans, they had Eastern Europe. And Poland - hell, everyone invades them for a good time.

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Ah, but here is a reason. Russia, the Soviet Union, whatever they're calling themselves,


And thats where I stopped reading, right there.:S
When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

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My co-worker, who apparently saw the CNN headline "Russia invades Georgia!" But didn't bother to actually read the article, just ran through the office yelling about Russia invading the southern US.

Co-worker: Russia just invaded the south! They're in Georgia!

Me: you mean they just invaded the country of Georgia, between Russia and Turkey, right?

Co-worker: Don't be an idiot. Georgia's a state.

Me (having flashbacks to Miss Teen South Carolina and considering purchasing a map for him): Okay. Whatever.

Co-worker (running on his way): Russia's invaded the south!


Wow.



"Morons! Your bus is leaving!! -- Phil Connors (Bill Murray) in "Groundhog Day"

CENTCOM needs more cannon fodder, er ah "heroes" to enlist right now to fight the evil . . . uh, youknow, bad ones. USA! USA!! USA!!! :ph34r:
“Keep your elbow up!"

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They seem to be invading another country for no apparent reason - where have we heard that before.

This does loook crazy



So it would seem--if your only source for becoming misinformed is corporate western media, esp. Faux news. [Pravda never had it so good].

In fact, Georgia flouted the UN General Assembly's request for a truce during the Beijing Olympics. They have pummeled civilian targets in South Ossetia--some might call it "ethnic cleansing".

Georgian tanks and infantry, aided by Israeli military advisers, captured the capital of breakaway South Ossetia, Tskhinvali, early Friday, Aug. 8. The Georgians engaged in artillery and missile volley fire into civilian towns--completely destroying many areas and killing many people.

Russian warplanes bombed only AFTER the Georgian's invasion of South Ossetia.

Here's the second layer of the onion you missed on ABCNNBCBSFox:

"DEBKAfile discloses Israel’s interest in the conflict from its exclusive military sources:

[Israel] owns a strong interest in Caspian oil and gas pipelines reach the Turkish terminal port of Ceyhan, rather than the Russian network. Intense negotiations are afoot between Israel, Turkey, Georgia, Turkmenistan and Azarbaijan for pipelines to reach Turkey and thence to Israel’s oil terminal at Ashkelon and on to its Red Sea port of Eilat. From there, supertankers can carry the gas and oil to the Far East through the Indian Ocean.

Aware of Moscow’s sensitivity on the oil question, Israel offered Russia a stake in the project but was rejected.

Last year, the Georgian president commissioned from private Israeli security firms several hundred military advisers, estimated at up to 1,000, to train the Georgian armed forces in commando, air, sea, armored and artillery combat tactics. They also offer instruction on military intelligence and security for the central regime. Tbilisi also purchased weapons, intelligence and electronic warfare systems from Israel.

These advisers were undoubtedly deeply involved in the Georgian army’s preparations to conquer the South Ossetian capital Friday.

In recent weeks, Moscow has repeatedly demanded that Jerusalem halt its military assistance to Georgia, finally threatening a crisis in bilateral relations. Israel responded by saying that the only assistance rendered Tbilisi was “defensive.”

This has not gone down well in the Kremlin. Therefore, as the military crisis intensifies in South Ossetia, Moscow may be expected to punish Israel for its intervention. [DEBKAfiles.com--an *Israeli* independent news source]

And that's the REST of the story. We return you to your regularly scheduled pablum. :S
“Keep your elbow up!"

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They seem to be invading another country for no apparent reason - where have we heard that before.

This does loook crazy



So it would seem--if your only source for becoming misinformed is corporate western media, esp. Faux news. [Pravda never had it so good].

In fact, Georgia flouted the UN General Assembly's request for a truce during the Beijing Olympics. They have pummeled civilian targets in South Ossetia--some might call it "ethnic cleansing".

Georgian tanks and infantry, aided by Israeli military advisers, captured the capital of breakaway South Ossetia, Tskhinvali, early Friday, Aug. 8. The Georgians engaged in artillery and missile volley fire into civilian towns--completely destroying many areas and killing many people.

Russian warplanes bombed only AFTER the Georgian's invasion of South Ossetia.

Here's the second layer of the onion you missed on ABCNNBCBSFox:

"DEBKAfile discloses Israel’s interest in the conflict from its exclusive military sources:

[Israel] owns a strong interest in Caspian oil and gas pipelines reach the Turkish terminal port of Ceyhan, rather than the Russian network. Intense negotiations are afoot between Israel, Turkey, Georgia, Turkmenistan and Azarbaijan for pipelines to reach Turkey and thence to Israel’s oil terminal at Ashkelon and on to its Red Sea port of Eilat. From there, supertankers can carry the gas and oil to the Far East through the Indian Ocean.

Aware of Moscow’s sensitivity on the oil question, Israel offered Russia a stake in the project but was rejected.

Last year, the Georgian president commissioned from private Israeli security firms several hundred military advisers, estimated at up to 1,000, to train the Georgian armed forces in commando, air, sea, armored and artillery combat tactics. They also offer instruction on military intelligence and security for the central regime. Tbilisi also purchased weapons, intelligence and electronic warfare systems from Israel.

These advisers were undoubtedly deeply involved in the Georgian army’s preparations to conquer the South Ossetian capital Friday.

In recent weeks, Moscow has repeatedly demanded that Jerusalem halt its military assistance to Georgia, finally threatening a crisis in bilateral relations. Israel responded by saying that the only assistance rendered Tbilisi was “defensive.”

This has not gone down well in the Kremlin. Therefore, as the military crisis intensifies in South Ossetia, Moscow may be expected to punish Israel for its intervention. [DEBKAfiles.com--an *Israeli* independent news source]

And that's the REST of the story. We return you to your regularly scheduled pablum. :S
No. It's not about oil. Where have I heard that before. > http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L9618164.htm Russian jets targeted major oil pipeline-Georgia 09 Aug 2008 14:07:00 GMT
Source: Reuters
TBILISI, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Russian fighter jets targeted the the major Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline which carries oil to the West from Asia but missed, Georgia's Economic Development Minister Ekaterina Sharashidze said on Saturday.
I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

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They seem to be invading another country for no apparent reason - where have we heard that before.



Ah, but here is a reason. Russia, the Soviet Union, whatever they're calling themselves, has ALWAYS been an expansionist empire. Historically, Russia has always invaded neighbor states like Ukraine, Georgia, the Baltic countries, and Poland. As well as the Islamic camel dung states, like Kazakhstan and the like. It shouldn't surprise anyone that they're doing it again. Under Putin (oh wait - he's just the Prime Minister anymore...), er, Medvedev, they sense the opportunity with this ethnic Russian uprising in the southern Ossetia province.


Glass houses. The US has 725 military bases in over 130 countries. I call it empire. You can call it Mabel. Who cares? We spend so much freaking money on the military to make the world safe for Haliburton, McDonalds, Monsanto, Exxon et al that the entire world struggles to even match what we spend on keeping "Mabel" up.

But it's all about spreading "democracy", right? You'll have to have a chat with Mr. Right Hand for that one. :S
“Keep your elbow up!"

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Glass houses. The US has 725 military bases in over 130 countries. I call it empire. You can call it Mabel. Who cares? We spend so much freaking money on the military to make the world safe for Haliburton, McDonalds, Monsanto, Exxon et al that the entire world struggles to even match what we spend on keeping "Mabel" up.



Here's a list of military spending based on GDP.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/mil_exp_of_gdp-military-expenditure-of-gdp

Here's a list of our country's military budget since 1940. It's been hovering around 4% for nearly 15 years.

http://www.truthandpolitics.org/military-relative-size.php

No doubt the military is expensive, but I think saying 'the rest of the world struggles to keep up' just isn't true.

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Stay positive and love your life.

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They seem to be invading another country for no apparent reason - where have we heard that before.



Well, we didn't hear it in that case of the U.S. going to reign in a dictator who was making a mockery of U.N. sanctions imposed after he was stopped from invading Kuwait, that's for sure. Because one of many valid reasons for that invasion was the fact that this dictator was spitting in the eye of the toothless United Nations and someone had to have the balls to shut him down.
Spirits fly on dangerous missions
Imaginations on fire

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Vladimir Putin is no longer at the reigns of the USSR. Now wh have some clown at the wheel of the country who obviously took notes from Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday who have done just about anything they wanted for almost the last 6 years,

I see further invasions of Syria, and who knows where it will stop. I feel they are moving in for a logistic aquizition. Nothing that happens will suprise me....nothing.
-Richard-
"You're Holding The Rope And I'm Taking The Fall"

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The same statistics but not as a percentage but in dollar figures... the US outspends its nearest rival (China) by close to 5x

US' expenditure: $276,700,000,000.00
China's expediture: $55,910,000,000.00


edit to include link: http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/mil_exp_dol_fig-military-expenditures-dollar-figure

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They seem to be invading another country for no apparent reason - where have we heard that before.



Well, we didn't hear it in that case of the U.S. going to reign in a dictator who was making a mockery of U.N. sanctions imposed after he was stopped from invading Kuwait, that's for sure. Because one of many valid reasons for that invasion was the fact that this dictator was spitting in the eye of the toothless United Nations and someone had to have the balls to shut him and countless thousands of INNOCENT men, women and children that just happened to get in the way:S down.


(1) Never forget that America is part if the Toothless UN
(2) Was the slaughter of all those innocent civilians justified because their leader spit in your eye?

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

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