Russian jets bomb Georgian airbase - Tbilisi

Reuters ^ | 08 Aug 2008 | Reporting by Matt Robinson, editing by Tim Pearce

[Grzegorz 246]

TBILISI, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Russian jets bombed the Vaziani military airbase outside the Georgian capital Tbilisi on Friday, a senior Georgian security official told Reuters.

"No one was wounded but some buildings have been destroyed," said Kakha Lamaia. The airbase is some 25 kilometres (15 miles) from Tbilisi.

"They have declared war against us," said Lamaia.

[Grzegorz 246]

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[contemplator]

"They have declared war against us," said Lamaia.

They would have to recognize their sovereignty to declare war. As it stands, Russia views them more as a prodigal child.

[ken21]

what did they expect?

the russians were looking for the slightest excuse to get involved.

[1rudeboy]

Ever notice how the Russians always seem to go ape during the Olympics?

[Ukiapah Heep]

This is bad. It is no time for Kum-Bi-Yah.

[musicman]

The Russians must think nobody's gonna notice, since we are ALL surely glued to our TV's watching the Olympics and or anxiously awaiting the next word out of the Obammassiah's mouth....

[Slapshot68]

Just the beginning. I fear the Soviet Union is looking to be reborn.

[Moose4]

They've taken the mantle of some sort of "protector" of the South Ossetians on themselves and reacted to Georgia's move. Or should I say perhaps "overreacted", because while Georgia moved troops into their own sovereign territory to reclaim it from separatists, Russia just bombed the soil of another nation. That's a straight-up casus belli right there, except Georgia's in no position to declare war on Russia.

This has the potential to get hella ugly.

}:-)4

[Slapshot68]

Medvedev made a statement that Russia will protect it’s citizens wherever they are located.

That sounds a little open ended to me. Russian citizens are everywhere in the former eastern bloc.

This move is troubling.

[Soliton]

The russian mafia needs a conflict to stabelize oil prices. Oil became an official bear market today (no pun intended)

[LowTaxesEqualProsperity]

If Kosovo can be independent from Serbia, South Ossetia can be independent from Georgia.

[Psalm 73]

Since then, Georgia has shot down 4 Russian military aircraft, and Russia has retaliated by sending a column of 150+ tanks into Georgia.
We have a military presence in Georgia, and they are an ally.
This could get real ugly, real fast.

[RaceBannon]

look for the Islamic southern states to cecede en mass

While they are already separrate, there will be a cultural secession soon

[Moose4]

Medvedev made a statement that Russia will protect it’s citizens wherever they are located.

Sounds a little too much like Hitler saying that the Reich was concerned about the affairs of Germans everywhere...y'know, like the Sudetenland and the rest of Czechoslovakia. I don't think Putin and his sockpuppet Medvedev would go that far, but obviously they're willing to use force beyond what anybody was expecting. Building up tanks on the Ossetian border was one thing. Bombing an airbase outside Tblisi, that's a whole other level of escalation.

}:-)4

[sidewinder009]

OMG!!Somebody contact the UN !!Hurry!!

[agere_contra]

If Kosovo can be independent from Serbia, South Ossetia can be independent from Georgia.

This is true - Russia has the moral edge here: we bombed the cr*p out of Serbia for doing exactly what Georgia is doing.

Of course we were wrong then, and Russia is wrong now. Serbia/Georgia is a sovereign state and has the right to deal with internal revolt. But we will need to acknowledge how badly we screwed over Serbia when Russia points out the parallels - as they surely will.

[Scythian]

The Russians are poorly trained, have crappy equipment, low morale ... Go Georgia !!

[MARKUSPRIME]

Russian,chinese,iranian alliance vs the free western world is coming. Choose sides.

[SJackson]

We not only have military personel in Georgia, we have had personel at the Vaziani training center since 2002. They may well have come under fire today. From last month

Marines and Georgians move to the Field

VAZIANI TRAINING BASE, Georgia-Hungry Marines and Georgians finally arrive at the end of the chow line giving them their first hot meal of the day and allowing them to continue their conversations over dinner.

[henkster]

Putin never accepted the break up of the USSR. He’s an imperialist Russian; just another leader in a long line of imperialists.

The Russian economic and energy policies toward Ukraine is another manifestation of their imperial will. By diplomatic thuggery or brute force, a fascist Russia will regain the lost imperial provinces of the old USSR. Only the symbols will change.

[cartan]

Everybody relax: Angela Merkel has just demanded “an immediate end of all fighting.“

[DungeonMaster]

The Russians are poorly trained, have crappy equipment, low morale ... Go Georgia !!

And their military hazes recruits to such a degree that they are maimed or gay when it's over.

[agere_contra]

Thank God it’s all over!

[proudpapa]

Go Bulldogs!

[VaBthang4]

Am I mistaken in thinking we have troops in Georgia training their forces?

[Mannaggia l'America]

What does the 0bamassiah say we should do?

[esarlls3]

If Kosovo can be independent from Serbia, South Ossetia can be independent from Georgia.

The day will come when Mexican nationals will say the same thing about Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Southern California.

[Sig Sauer P220]

Go Bulldogs!

Go SEC! Bulldogs preseason #1.

[sidewinder009]

But they have larger no. of troops than Georgia and in the end that’s what will count...if there is a full scale war.

[sidewinder009]

i hope our troops there are safe!!

[spectre]

"What does the 0bamassiah say we should do?"

Join hands and sing Kumbayah?

sw

[LowTaxesEqualProsperity]

Yes, we opened a real can of worms with Kosovo.

This has been my fear, too.

[Centurion2000]

But they have larger no. of troops than Georgia and in the end that’s what will count...if there is a full scale war.

That's starting to look more and more likely as the hours progress.

[popdonnelly]

Last I heard, it was “inflate our tires”.

[ROLF of the HILL COUNTRY]

"The Russians are poorly trained, have crappy equipment, low morale ..."

"And their military hazes recruits to such a degree that they are maimed or gay when it's over."

Are you guys Nuts?? The dumbest thing you can do in war is underestimate your enemy! The Russians still have equipment that can match ours; I sure don't want to see our boys go up against them!

One final point: Russia is the ONLY nation in the world that can destroy the USA in a day, and if they start losing bad conventionally they may be inclined to go out in a blaze of glory.

[redstateconfidential]

We haven’t deployed Metal Storm for air defense yet, but our Possum Storm Cannons have brought down 4 Russkie Bombers!
Yee Haw

[Chickensoup]

This is something for us to stay out of!

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

Obama was so upset when he heard of the Russian attack on Georgia, he stated that he would not eat arugala for at least a week in solidarity with the Georgians.

Also, when he first learned of the attack, Obama asked, “Are my supporters in Atlanta and Savannah safe after the attack on Georgia?”

[Riodacat]

Georgia is fighting for independence??????
Damn, I knew the South would rise again.. Go Georgia!!!
The rest of the South is right behind you..

[tumblindice]

http://www.37thtexas.org/html/DixieLyr.html

[norcal joe]

From haaretz.com News Flash:
17:07 White House: U.S. Pres. Bush, Russian PM Putin discuss conflict in Georgia (Reuters)

[ElectricStrawberry]

Well....they did clamp down on the supposedly free-press a few years ago.....and then started telling the People that the bad ole U.S. is their biggest enemy.

Step one: Control the media the People sees.

[rbmillerjr]

“17:07 White House: U.S. Pres. Bush, Russian PM Putin discuss conflict in Georgia (Reuters)”

Bush will look into his eyes and see his soul, whereas realists only see a hole.

[brityank]

Medvedev made a statement that Russia will protect it’s citizens wherever they are located.

Think about it; we have Fox saying the same about the Mexicans in this country -- and a government and President who don't care!

[omega4179]

OK everyone take a deep breath then go read about this conflict. Georgian troops have always fought alongside russians in this separatist war. This is not Russia vs Georgia.

[serbami68]

“If Kosovo can be independent from Serbia, South Ossetia can be independent from Georgia.”

Damn straight.

[tumblindice]

Is that you, Jack Ryan? (I watched `The Sum of All Fears’ last night)

[Centurion2000]

This is not Russia vs Georgia.

Dude, Russian and Georgian armor are shooting at each other. It is Russia V Georgia.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

“Just the beginning. I fear the Soviet Union is looking to be reborn.”

That's what I was wondering. “The children of Gog and Magog shall rise up ...” [Keeps haunting me, although I doubt this this is a truly Biblical moment. FRegards ...]