Georgia says it has moved in to "restore peace" in South Ossetia after attacks by separatist militias in recent days.
Posted on 08/08/2008 3:41:39 AM PDT by edpc
TBILISI, Georgia - Georgian troops launched a major military offensive Friday to regain control over the breakaway province of South Ossetia and the president accused Russia, which has close ties to the separatists, of bombing Georgian territory.
A Russian official denied the bombing. But Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said the Georgian attack will draw retaliation and the Defense Ministry pledged to protect South Ossetians, most of whom have Russian citizenship.
An Associated Press reporter saw tanks and other heavy weapons concentrating on the Russian side of the border with South Ossetia and villagers were fleeing into Russia.
"I saw them (the Georgians) shelling my village," said Maria, who gave only her first name. She looked shocked and was reluctant to speak. She said she and other villagers spent the night in a field and then fled toward the Russian border as the fighting escalated.
The fighting in South Ossetia has raised fears of an all-out war that could draw in Russia, which has peacekeepers in the region. Putin said an unspecified number of the peacekeepers have been wounded.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
This is something to watch carefully. It could get real ugly real fast.
Very possible.
This is just politics by other means. Everybody does it. Always have—always will.
The south Ossetians want to unite with the North ossetians.The north ossetians are in Russia but the south ossetians are in Georgia. Georgia wont let them go but the Ossetians themselves dont want to be part of Georgia.
The Kosovo pandora’s box is open and this is one of the results.
Don’t be surprised if the Russians get involved. Georgia may be independent but it is still in their sphere of influence.
Don’t be surprised if the Russians get involved. Georgia may be independent but it is still in their sphere of influence.
Godspeed to the Georgian Army!
yeah,putins tuning his army up,gonna be like china,take all the land close to them
One thing is for sure. Don’t F*** with Putin.
UPDATE : Russian military trucks and “volunteers” are heading to Ossetia.
I fully sympathise with the Georgians, but our dumbsh*tn policy regarding Kosovo since the 1990’s is going to bite us now. Now an ally, Georgia, is the same situation as Serbia. Russia is returning our favor. But IMO the Georgians shouldn’t suffer because of our wrong in Kosovo.
marmema - your opinion please.
Things could get ugly real quick.
I see Fox News now. Russian troops facing Georgians. Errr I hate the Russians again.
Georgia says it has moved in to "restore peace" in South Ossetia after attacks by separatist militias in recent days.
Putin “regrets” this action on the opening day of the Olympics.
Live coverage on Russia Today,
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,399962,00.html
Fox reporting that Georgia claims two Russian planes have been downed.
Hot war in progress?
NATO needs to back Georgia 100%. Enough of the russian double talk. They are the reason Iran is the threat it is now.
Georgia has to be careful here. The Americans are not really in a position to help them out here.
moderators, we need to get a separate pin in breaking news for this . . . Russia has now invaded Georgia, armor across the border and fighter bomber jets hitting Georgia positions
Fox online news banner only : Georgian official reports shootdown of two Russian aircraft. Ruh-roh bigtime.
Just heard a report that the US military was in Georgia doing training exercises with the Georgian military and just left yesterday.
????
If they left yesterday I wonder then if we got a “heads up” to get out before the fur flies or did the Russians time their invasion to avoid any friction with our troops?
That doesn’t make sense if we just left yesterday. Wouldn’t Georgia be better off if they did this a couple of days ago with American troops there? We probably wouldn’t allow them to do anything but now its hands off, it appears.
Good question. I just hope that they are indeed gone from the area as reported.
Hopefully, this will not escalate into a regional war. Oil will probably go through the roof on this news.....better go inflate your tires.../sarcasm
Russia's Channel 1 shows heavy tanks purported to be on their way to South Ossetia.
Russia has declared war on GEORGIA!!
FOXNEWS REPORTING.
The Left will have to figure out a way to blame this on the U.S.
Perfect day for the Rats to talk about dumping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
Can we move the election to tomorrow?
I wonder if Obama is worried about Russian tanks rolling into Atlanta?
Of course he is. Georgia is one of our 57 states.
Russia becomes officially involved in war against Georgia
08/08/2008 [article] / World / Former USSR
The Georgian aviation attacked South Ossetia on Friday morning. Five Su-25 fighter jets dropped bombs in the area of the town of S.Ossetian town of Tkverneti. The jets also bombed a humanitarian aid column. The President of North Ossetia, Teimuraz Mamsurov, who was traveling to South Ossetia in the column personally confirmed that the jet fighters attacked the column.
The intensive fighting began just hours after Georgia's president declared a unilateral cease-fire, officials on both sides said.
Unbelievable isn’t it. Iran threatens to close the Straits or Hormuz, Russia looks like it is invading Georgia and the democrats want to tap our SOR!
Hot war?
A senior Georgian security official says Russian jets have bombed Vaziani military airbase outside the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, Reuters reports.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/08/08/georgia.ossetia/index.html
Russian peacekeepers??? Orwell has won.
Keep the snide comments to yourself. I am fully aware that the aggressive Russians are always up to havoc. But our involvement in the Serbia-Kosovo matter gives Moscow an excellent argument. If the West supports the secession of Kosovo what argument do we have to deny it to Ossetia!? I am not saying that we should cowtow to the Russians now and let Ossetia secede. We should fully support Georgia for their sovereign rights. But the issue of the Balkans needs to be adressed. At the very least majority Serb areas in Bosnia should be given to Serbia in exchange for losing Kosovo.
I hope that (at the least) we are selling heavily discounted arms to the Georgians at this very minute. A ground war in Georgia would be brutal, but if the Georgians are up for it then we should do our part - and make sure the Turks don't gain influence there in our stead.
There are lots of Americans in Georgia, though, not just military.
And may peace come to them all, Lord have mercy.
You are right, the Kosovo precedent will haunt us perhaps for decades.
Very troubling situation. Wonder if Europe will step up to the plate? It really should fall to them to help Georgia before America has to step in imho.
What I said is the truth. You don't like it, ok, continue not to like it. You have your first amendment rights, so do I. You exercise yours, and I'll exercise mine. And don't try to tell me not to.
Please be so good and read my comments on the other threads on Russia-Georgia. If you suggest that I am a “Blame America” person, you my good are an joker.
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