The Triumph of Putinism - Understanding the Russian-Georgian conflict

Reason ^ | August 13, 2008 | Cathy Young

[neverdem]

The coverage of the Russian-Georgian conflict in the Russian and Western media has an odd "through the looking glass" quality. One side sees naked aggression by Russia toward small, defiant, democratic Georgia; the other sees naked aggression by Georgia toward the tiny separatist region of South Ossetia. Where Western observers tend to see a deplorable failure by the world's democracies to take decisive measures against Russia's bullying, Russian and pro-Russian commentators see blatant anti-Russian prejudice and a concerted effort to weaken Russia.

But this is not a situation with two equally valid opposing views of reality, or with roughly balanced rights and wrongs on both sides. True, on a political level, there are no real good guys in this conflict; the only true innocents are the ordinary people caught in the crossfire. But there are bad guys—and, at least in the short term, they seem to be the likely winners.

Mikheil Saakashvili—the pro-Western, pro-U.S. president of Georgia who was swept to power in 2003 in one of the peaceful, grassroots "color revolutions" that so rattled the Kremlin—is no liberal hero. Since 2007, he has moved to squelch the opposition and shut down the independent media, depicting his critics as puppets of Moscow in much the same way Putin has depicted his opponents as hirelings of the West. Saakashvili's decision to send troops to take control of South Ossetia and shell its capital Tskhinvali, though undertaken in response to a series of Russian provocations, was not only a major strategic blunder but also an assault on an area heavily populated by civilians.

Russia's military response, which most likely inflicted further damage on the South Ossetian population while repelling Georgian troops, quickly turned into an all-out assault on Georgia itself—a clear-cut punitive strike against a recalcitrant former colony that has been a major irritant to the ruling clique in the Kremlin, and to Putin himself.

Reliable information on many aspects of the conflict is hard to obtain. The Georgians claim that separatist-controlled Tskhinvali served as a launching pad for attacks on nearby Georgian villages. The Russians cry genocide, claiming that some 1,600 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the Georgian attack, and accusing Georgian soldiers of burning people alive and crushing them with tanks. Other observers, including Russian Human Rights Watch activist Tatiana Lokshina, dispute the high casualty estimates and say that the injured seen in area hospitals are mostly fighters from the South Ossetian militias.

Russia has pointedly compared South Ossetia's claims to independence to those of Kosovo, whose recognition it strongly opposed. (Russia's own war against secessionist Chechnya, which killed tens if not hundreds of thousands of civilians, goes unmentioned.) Yet many of Russia's critics, abroad and at home, see the South Ossetia breakaway movement as a faux separatism serving as a cover for a Russian power grab.

As evidence, they cite Russia's move a few years ago to grant citizenship to thousands of South Ossetians who were citizens of Georgia—even while paying lip service to Georgia's sovereignty over the region and serving as a supposedly neutral peacekeeper between Georgia and Ossetia. Notably, former high-level Russian military and security officers hold key posts in the South Ossetian separatist government. EJ.ru columnist Yulia Latynina calls the South Ossetian government "a joint venture of KGB generals and Ossetian bandits for the purpose of procuring money to finance conflict with Georgia."

Still, there is no denying that Ossetian separatism is based on real, longstanding grievances against Georgia. Partly, these grievances are rooted in the complex history of the Caucasus, a morass of tribal rivalries and hatreds. An experience recounted by the Russian Jewish journalist Grigory Svirsky (now living in Canada) vividly illustrates the local mindset. In the 1960s, as a young man, he was traveling through the region with a hiking group. In an Ossetian village, an elder invited the group to a wedding—except for Svirsky, who was emphatically told not to come. Some time later, to his amazement, the wedding party showed up to fetch him, with profuse apologies; he was brought to the feast and treated as the guest of honor. It turned out Svirsky had been excluded because the villagers thought he looked Georgian. When another hiker explained the error, the horrified elder hastened to make up for the dreadful insult of not only excluding a man from a wedding but mistaking him for a Georgian.

Such local hostilities are not merely the spontaneous product of local culture and history. Over time, they have been cleverly exploited and cultivated, first by Tsarist Russia, then by the Soviet Union, and now by Putin's Russia on the "divide and conquer" principle. If Georgia loses South Ossetia and the other secessionist province, Abkhazia, this will not translate into independence for the two regions but into de facto annexation by Russia.

As Russia agrees to a ceasefire, on terms that at least for now will allow it to maintain a strong presence in the two regions, it is still too early to predict the full consequences of this crisis. Some liberal Russian commentators, such as EJ.ru's Dmitry Sidorov, argue that Saakashvili walked into Moscow's trap, giving Russia an excuse for an invasion that will fatally destabilize Georgia's political system. Meanwhile, opposition leader Mikhail Kasyanov believes it was the Kremlin that let itself be provoked into a military confrontation that will badly hurt Russia's international standing. That depends on the extent to which the U.S. and Western Europe will be willing to risk a major chill in relations with Russia. It remains to be seen whether Georgia and Ukraine will gain the NATO membership they seek, whether Russian "peacekeeping" forces in South Ossetia and Abkhazia will be replaced by an international force, or whether Russia will lose the coveted choice of Sochi—only a few miles away from Abkhazia—as the site of 2014 Winter Olympics.

One outcome, at least, seems clear: a consolidation of Vladimir Putin's power in Russia. In recent weeks, the independent Russian media had started to talk about Dmitry Medvedev growing more assertive in his role as president, particularly after a Medvedev aide mildly rebuked Prime Minister Putin for unleashing a war of words against Mechel, a leading Russian mining company. But in the operation against Georgia, Putin has dominated the news, acting as commander-in-chief and perhaps showing not only Saakashvili but Medvedev who's boss. Meanwhile, if Medvedev's plans for a new rapprochement with the West were ever anything more than a façade, those hopes have suffered a severe blow. Putin, the Russian strongman, not only firmly holds the reins of power; he is also riding a popular wave of jingoism, one-upmanship, paranoia, and grievance toward the West—the very sentiments that have always formed the core of Putinism. For now, the Putin regime wins; Russia and Georgia lose.

Contributing Editor Cathy Young is the author of Growing Up in Moscow: Memories of a Soviet Girlhood.

[HAL9000]

This article is a good summary of the situation. I would only add that the underreported roadside bombing attack against several Georgian officials on July 31st was the event that started the major escalation of hostilities.

[justa-hairyape]

Looks like we know what the Russians are going to do with the Humvees they stole.

The U.S. hands over military secrets to Moscow

An elite group of Georgian special forces drove into the "Russian-occupied" Poti on 5 U.S. military Hummers this week. The vehicles were carrying explosives, firearms and top-secret satellite technology — the pride of NATO generals.

The Russian military learned the special forces were approaching the city long before their arrival. Their movement was detected by satellite and reports had been received from local Georgians angered by Saakashvili's recent military actions.

According to Russian officials, they didn't expect that a key unit of Georgian intelligence trained by top NATO specialists would drive directly into their hands. The Georgian officers were overtaken without causalities.

There were also three Arabs among the 20-odd Georgians. The Russian military is interrogating the officers who say they didn't intend to blow anything up. All the artillery in the vehicle was there by chance, they say. They forgot to unload the Hummers before departing. They had arrived together in such a large number to carefully study the situation in the port city.

[MarMema]

I don't know

Doesn't look so difficult to me.

[MarMema]

It remains to be seen whether Georgia and Ukraine will gain the NATO membership they seek

I believe Russia just jumpstarted that process.

The NATO Secretary General confirmed that the meeting of the NATO Council would be held in Tbilisi in September. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the NATO Secretary General, said at the briefing that he would send Robert Simmons, his representative, to Tbilisi for organization of the council. “I will come to Tbilisi to participate in work of the council, as well,” he said. The Secretary General stressed that a meeting of the Georgia-NATO commission would be held in this period, as well.

Look for NATO membership very soon!!! Congrats early to the Georgian people.

[Leisler]

Russia can only have vassals, or enemies.

[Cindy]

ON THE INTERNET:

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com (NEW YORK POST): "THE PEACE-AT-ANY-PRICE PERIL" by Ralph Peters (August 21, 2008)

FOX NEWS.com (AP): "RUSSIA THREATENS MILITARY RESPONSE IF U.S., POLAND FOLLOW THROUGH WITH MISSILE DEFENSE DEAL" (August 20, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "US WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT GEORGIA'S DEMOCRACY, BUSH SAYS" (August 20, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "RUSSIAN FORCES REPORTEDLY WITHDRAWING FROM GEORGIAN TOWN" by Gerry J. Gilmore (August 20, 2008)

MESSENGER.com.ge: "NATO-GEORGIA COMMISSION TO BE SET UP" by Mikheil Svanidze (August 20, 2008)

MESSENGER.com.ge: "PRISONERS EXCHANGED ON GEORGIA'S TERMS" by David Matsaberidze (August 20, 2008)

MESSENGER.com.ge: "THE LONGER THEY STAY, THE MORE WE RESIST" by Shorena Labadze (August 20., 2008)

Link

FreeRepublic.com - Discussion Forum (INTERFAX via translation): "SENIOR RUSSIAN ARMY OFFICER ARRESTED ON CHARGES OF SPYING FOR GEORGIA" (August 20, 2008)

FreeRepublic.com - Discussion Forum (WALL STREET JOURNAL - Opinion, August 20, 2008): "AMERICA MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN GEORGIA AND RUSSIA" by Sergey Lavrov (Posted August 19, 2008)

MFA.gov.ge: "STATEMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF GEORGIA" (August 19, 2008)

THREATS WATCH.org - blog: "SWEDEN HALTS RUSSIAN MILITARY TIES" (SNIPPET: "Yesterday, the Swedish Prime Minister announced that Sweden is canceling planned military exercises with Russia in objection to Russian actions in Georgia.") by Steve Schippert (August 19, 2008)

YNET NEWS.com (REUTERS): "RUSSIA SAYS CAN'T BACK UN DRAFT GEORGIA RESOLUTION" (ARTICLESNIPPET: "Russia's UN ambassador said on Tuesday Moscow could not support a French draft of a proposed council resolution demanding an immediate Russian military withdrawal from Georgia.") (August 20, 2008, 00:58)

MESSENGER.com.ge: "'WITHDRAWING' RUSSIANS STILL ROAM AND DESTROY" by David Matsaberidze (August 19, 2008)

MESSENGER.com.ge: "SUPPORTERS STILL COME, BUT IS IT ENOUGH?" by Mikheil Svanidze (August 19, 2008)

MESSENGER.com.ge: "QUESTIONS AND BLAME BEGIN TO EMERGE" by Shorena Labadze (August 19, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "RUSSIAN BEHAVIOR IN GEORGIA ISOLATES MOSCOW, RICE SAYS AT NATO MEETING" by John J. Kruzel (August 19, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (Special to AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Stuttgart, Germany - "U.S. MILITARY CONTINUES GEORGIA HUMANITARIAN AID EFFORT" by Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Dana M. Clark (August 19, 2008)

HOT AIR.com - blog: "PUTIN PUPPET: GEORGIA CANNOT GO 'UNPUNISHED'; UPDATE: RUSSIAN NAVY TO 'VISIT' VENEZUELA" (Posted August 18, 2008)

Link

JEWISH WORLD REVIEW.com: "GEORGIA ON OUR MIND" by Thomas Sowell (August 19, 2008)

OSAC.gov - Consular Affairs Builletins - Report - Europe - Russia: "WARDEN MESSAGE: RUSSIAN/GEORGIAN BORDER SECURITY INFORMATION" (August 18, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "$2 MILLION HUMANITARIAN MISSION IN GEORGIA TO CONTINUE" by John J. Kruzel (August 18, 2008)

WTOP.com (AP): Gori, Georgia - "GEORGIANS WAIT FOR RUSSIAN TROOP WITHDRAWAL" (August 18, 2008, 6:55 am)

MESSENGER.com.ge: "PULLOUT ANNOUNCED AFTER FURTHER INCURSION" by Mikheil Svanidze (August 18, 2008)

MESSENGER.ge: "AID ARRIVES FROM ALL OVER" by Shorena Labadze (August 18, 2008)

FreeRepublic.com - Discussion Forum (THE GUARDIAN): "SOUTH OSSETIA HOLDS CIVILIAN GEORGIANS HOSTAGE" (August 18, 2008)

FreeRepublic.com - Discussion Forum (TIMES ONLINE): "'Putin has given us an order that everyone must leave or be shot'" (August 18, 2008)

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com (NEW YORK POST): "BAD NEW BEAR" by Peter Brookes (August 18, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "GATES VOICES DOUBTS ABOUT SWIFT WITHDRAWAL OF RUSSIAN FORCES FROM GEORGIA" (August 17, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "RICE EXPECTS RUSSIAN TROOPS TO WITHDRAW FROM GEORGIA" (August 16, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "MILITARY HUMANITARIAN MISSION IN GEORGIA TO CONTINUE, BUSH SAYS" (August 16, 2008)

WHITEHOUSE.gov - News Release: Crawford, Texas - "REMARKS BY SECRETARY RICE TO THE TRAVEL POOL" (August 16, 2008)

WHITEHOUSE.gov - News Release: Crawford, Texas - "PRESIDENT BUSH DISCUSSES SITUATION IN GEORGIA" (August 16, 2008)

MESSENGER.com.ge: "PARLIAMENT OF GEORGIA RATIFIES DECISION TO QUIT CIS" (August 15, 2008)

YNET NEWS.com: "SOURCE: SECRET IDF MATERIAL WENT UNGUARDED IN GEORGIA" (Published August 16, 2008, 15:47)

MESSENGER.com.ge: "DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS CONTINUE AS RUSSIAN FORCES FAIL TO LEAVE" by Mikheil Svanidze (August 15, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "GEORGIA TRANSPORTATION PLAN DEMONSTRATES U.S. FLEXIBILITY, RESPONSIVENESS" by Jim Garamone (August 15, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "CEASE-FIRE ACCORD SPECIFIES RUSSIAN TROOP WITHDRAWAL FROM GEORGIA" by Gerry J. Gilmore (August 15, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (Special to AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Stuttgart, Germany - "HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE FOR GEORGIA CONTINUES" by Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Dana M. Clark (August 15, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "U.S., ALLIES 'STAND WITH PEOPLE OF GEORGIA,' BUSH SAYS" by Gerry J. Gilmore (August 15, 2008)

WHITEHOUSE.gov - News Release: "PRESIDENT BUSH DISCUSSES SITUATION IN GEORGIA" (August 15, 2008)

IBD EDITORIALS.com: "RUSSIA'S BIG LIE" by Investor's Business Daily (Posted August 15, 2008, 4:20 pm PT)

Link

JCPA.org - Vol. 8, No. 6: "THE RUSSIAN-GEORGIAN WAR: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE MIDDLE EAST" by Ariel Cohen (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Moscow formulated far-reaching goals when it carefully prepared - over a period of at least two and a half years - for a land invasion of Georgia.") (August 15, 2008)

TIMES ONLINE.co.uk: "VLADIMIR PUTIN'S MASTERY CHECKMATES THE WEST Russia has been biding its time, but its victory in Georgia has been brutal - and brilliant" by Michael Binyon (August 14, 2008)

FORCES.gc.ca - NR-08.054 - Media Advisory: Ottawa - "STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENCE ON THE CANCELLATION OF A PLANNED NORAD MILITARY EXERCISE WITH RUSSIA" (August 14, 2008)

Link

FOX NEWS.com (AP): "GEORGIA: RUSSIAN TROOPS APPEARED READY TO PULL OUT, THEN RETURNED" (August 14, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "GEORGIAN INVASION SENDS MESSAGE TO WORLD, GATES SAYS" by Jim Garamone (August 14, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "GATES SAYS RUSSIAN ACTIONS HAVE LONG-TERM IMPLICATIONS" (August 14, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "GEORGIAN HUMANITARIAN MISSION CONTINUES" by Jim Garamone (August 14, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (Special to AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Tbilisi, Georgia - "AIR FORCE COMPLETES FIRST GEORGIA HUMANITARIAN AID MISSION" by Air Force Capt. Erin Dorrance (August 14, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (Special to AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Kaiserslautern, Germany - "SOLDIERS, AIRMEN IN EUROPE WORK TO PROVIDE GEORGIA AID" by Army Capt. Bryan Woods (August 14, 2008)

MESSENGER.com.ge: "CEASEFIRE PROPOSED, BUT NOT KEPT" by Mikheil Svanidze (August 14, 2008)

MESSENGER.com.ge: "TORRENT OF REFUGEES SURGES THROUGH TBILISI" by Shorena Labadze (August 14, 2008)

WHITEHOUSE.gov - News Release: "PRESIDENT BUSH DISCUSSES SITUATION IN GEORGIA, URGES RUSSIA TO CEASE MILITARY OPERATIONS" (August 13, 2008)

WHITEHOUSE.gov - News Release: "SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT: PRESIDENT BUSH HAS TAKEN ACTION TO ENSURE PEACE, SECURITY AND HUMANITARIAN AID IN GEORGIA" (August 13, 2008)

FOX NEWS.com (AP): "RUSSIA SAYS GEORGIA CAN 'FORGET' REGAINING PROVINCES, AS TROOPS CRIPPLE GEORGIAN MILITARY" (August 14, 2008)

TOWNHALL.com: "TIME TO GET SERIOUS WITH RUSSIA" by Charles Krauthammer (August 14, 2008)

VIDEO: "GLENN BECK INTERVIEWS PRES. SAAKASHVILI - Part 1 (Added August 13, 2008)

VIDEO: "GLENN BECK INTERVIEWS PRES. SAAKASHVILI - Part 2 (Added August 13, 2008)

VIDEO: "GLENN BECK INTERVIEWS PRES. SAAKASHVILI - Part 3 (Added August 13, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "RICE CALLS MILITARY RELIEF MISSION IN GEORGIA 'CONTINUOUS, ROBUST'" by John J. Kruzel (August 13, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "AIR FORCE DELIVERS HUMANITARIAN AID TO GEORGIA" by Jim Garamone (August 13, 2008)

MESSENGER.com.ge: "RUSSIAN 'PEACE' DECLARED" by Mikheil Svanidze (August 13, 2008)

MESSENGER.com.ge: "GEORGIANS EVERYWHERE DEFY RUSSIA" by Shorena Labadze (August 13, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "BUSH OUTLINES HUMANITARIAN, DIPLOMATIC INTERVENTION IN GEORGIA" by John J. Kruzel (August 13, 2008)

WHITEHOUSE.gov - News Release: "PRESIDENT BUSH DISCUSSES SITUATION IN GEORGIA, URGES RUSSIA TO DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "AIR FORCE DELIVERS HUMANITARIAN AID TO GEORGIA" by Jim Garamone (August 13, 2008)

Travel.State.Gov - UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE Bureau of Consular Affairs - Travel Warning: "GEORGIA"

WHITE HOUSE.gov - In Focus: "GLOBAL DIPLOMACY"

FOX NEWS.com (AP): Tbilisi, Georgia - "GEORGIA SAYS TRUCE VIOLATED AS RUSSIAN TANKS ROLL IN, SEIZE BASE" (August 13, 2008)

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com: "THE ASHES OF VICTORY" by Stephen Brown (August 13, 2008)

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com: "BEHIND RUSSIA'S BLUSTER" by Vasko Kohlmayer (August 13, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "RICE URGES CEASEFIRE, DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION IN GEORGIA" by John J. Kruzel (August 12, 2008)

WHITEHOUSE.gov - News Release: "REMARKS BY SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE ON SITUATION IN GEORGIA" (August 12, 2008, 1:21 pm EDT)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "U.S. COMPLETES GEORGIAN TROOP REDEPLOYMENT; U.S. CONTINGENT REMAINS" by John J. Kruzel (August 12, 2008)

BBC NEWS: "RUSSIA 'ENDS GEORGIA OPERATION'" (Page last updated August 12, 2008, 17:19 UK)

Link

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com: "RUSSIAN IMPERIALISM - It's Back" by Michael Radu (August 12, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "BUSH DENOUNCES RUSSIA'S 'BRUTAL ESCALATION' IN GEORGIA" by John J. Kruzel (August 11, 2008)

WHITEHOUSE.gov - News Release: "PRESIDENT BUSH DISCUSSES SITUATION IN GEORGIA" (August 11, 2008, 5:21 pm EDT)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "U.S. TO COMPLETE REDEPLOYMENT OF GEORGIAN FORCES FROM IRAQ" (August 11, 2008)

DDANCHEV - blog: "THE RUSSIA vs GEORGIA CYBER ATTACK" -Posted by Dancho Danchev (August 11, 2008)

THE JAWA REPORT - blog: "UPDATE: GEORGIAN GOVERNMENT WEBSITES UNDER DDoS & CYBER ATTACK" (August 11, 2008)

Link

Link

Link

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com: "COLD WAR II" by Stephen Brown (August 11, 2008)

OSAC.gov - Consular Affairs Bulletins - Report - Europe - Georgia: "WARDEN MESSAGE: U.S. EMBASSY TBILISI AUTHORIZES FAMILY DEPARTURE" (August 9, 2008)

Travel.State.Gov - United States Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs - Travel Warning: "GEORGIA"

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "BUSH CALLS FOR END OF HOSTILITIES IN SOUTH OSSETIA CONFLICT" by Gerry J. Gilmore (August 9, 2008)

WHITEHOUSE.gov - News Release: "PRESIDENT BUSH CONCERNED BY ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE IN GEORGIA" (August 9, 2008)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "PENTAGON, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT MONITORING GEORGIAN SITUATION" by Gerry J. Gilmore (August 8, 2008)

Link

Link

FOX NEWS.com: "U.S. CALLS FOR RUSSIA TO HALT ATTACKS AS FIGHTING IN BREAKAWAY GEORGIA PROVINCE ESCALATES" (August 8, 2008)

stepping back in time...WHITEHOUSE.gov - News Release: Tbilisi, Georgia - Freedom Square - "PRESIDENT ADDRESSES AND THANKS CITIZENS IN TBILISI, GEORGIA" (May 10, 2005)

[Alia]

Good catch of an article.

Now, who is what doing what, remains to be seen. This could go in either direction, justa-hairyape.

The U.S. hands over military secrets to Moscow

It's likely NATO will have to re-encode their entire military and space system after the operation, which will be costly. This will certainly give them something to think about: Are closer military relations with Georgia and Ukraine really worth the hassle?

lol. NATO and the military do this routinely. It's not like its a "hassle".

[Alia]

Abkhazia—as the site of 2014 Winter Olympics.

Marking to make note to self: 6 years from now.

[Alia]

The NATO Secretary General confirmed that the meeting of the NATO Council would be held in Tbilisi in September.

Outstanding.

[justa-hairyape]

Here is another interesting article. Dont know if true but they have a lot of details.

Risky mission: Turkey water-bombs Georgia forest blaze

[M. Espinola]

Putin's Evil Empire -- Phase II

and his puppet...

[SunkenCiv]

The number one solution enters the chart with a bullet next to its name. Thanks neverdem.

[MarMema]

BRAVO, Turkey!!! Whoo-hoo for firefighting heroes!!

[Alia]

Goodness, WOW. What a spine-tingling article, filled with data! Yowsa! Thank you, Country of Turkey! I found myself snorting when I read the following:

The Russian air force helicopters were merely inspecting the fires to make sure Russian troops weren't threatened, Kremlin officials said.

Justa_hairyape - that was excellent reading, excellent reporting. Thank you for sharing this article with me.

[justa-hairyape]

And we got confirmation of Turkey fighting the forest fires in Georgia within the following email.

American in Tbilisi (email)

[a_Turk]

Thanks for the ping sweetie.

[MarMema]

“’Those Turkish pilots, they are Georgian heroes,’ Gvalidze said. ‘I don’t know their names, but they are brave men, and they have done a great thing for my country.”

[MarMema]

ping to number 5