Georgian army flees in disarray as Russians advance

TimesOnline ^ | August 11, 2008 | Tony Halpin

[brytlea]

Georgia’s army was in complete disarray tonight after troops and tanks fled the city of Gori in panic and abandoned it to the Russians without firing a shot.

As Russian armoured columns rolled deep into central and western Georgia, seizing several towns and a military base, President Saakashvili said his country had been cut in half.

For the first time since the crisis erupted last Thursday, Russia admitted that its troops had moved out of Abkhazia, the other breakaway region under Moscow’s protection, and seized the town of Senaki in Georgia proper.

[nikos1121]

Better to regroup and fight a guerilla war against them.

[tcrlaf]

"Russian soldiers are advancing and are in Mtskheta and heading for Tbilis" if that is the case, then they have already forced the passes that lead to the city.

[MarMema]

Fox and another thread here are reporting it now.
I will ping you there.

[brytlea]

I pray for your friend.
susie

[tcrlaf]

Thanx

[nikos1121]

Say what?

[mad_as_he$$]

Have some more Chinese food and play volleyball/ Relax it is all part of the big plan.

[brytlea]

I suspect he will say this is bad, the Russians should stop it, and then not much else.
susie

[Xenophon450]

Argh, I mean have begun being lifted back today. It shouldn’t be long, although I don’t know how much those 2000 will actually impact the dire straights that Georgia is in.

[MarMema]

Oh, I am so upset that I didn't realize that this is the thread. Duh, sorry.

Yes, I have been there and Mtskheta is only about 1.2 hour drive from Tbilisi. It is only a short time now. I am so sad. Mtskheta is a beautiful and very ancient city.

[brytlea]

I’m not sure anyone will risk open war with Russia.
susie

[tcrlaf]

Given that the Russians took Senaki last night, this was not unexpected. It’s just a bit down the road, and gives the Russians a logistical port to drive on Bitumi...

[neverdem]

thanks, bfl

[redstateconfidential]

Yep thats a big 10-4

[Allegra]

They will need every man and every bullet when they have to defend Tblisi.

They need our help.

After all, they were there for us when we needed them.

This is about protecting freedom.

[Islander7]

“...Argh, I mean have begun being lifted back today. It shouldn’t be long, although I don’t know how much those 2000 will actually impact the dire straights that Georgia is in...”

Maybe if they are allowed to keep a few hundred of those Stingers they were issued...

;-)

[kronos77]

I agree.
Saakashvilli is just another little Stallin.

[InvisibleChurch]

How did this all start?

[Jack Black]

Tanks are really scary. I love my rifle, but faced with a tank column I think I'd run too. You have to give some credit to the Jihadi's (starting in Afghanistan in the 1980s against the Soviets and forward all the way to Iraq) for taking on tanks with small arms. They are the pre-eminant low tech tank and armored vehicle killers out there.

Before he died Jeff Cooper wrote that he had underestimated the importance of the RPG and that it was probably the third key squad level weapon, along with the rifle and machine gun.

[Dick Vomer]

They will need every man and every bullet when they have to defend Tblisi.

nope... defend nothing.

Every military aged man should just melt into the populace now. They should take and hide every piece of armament except for heavy stuff. Every artillery shell, mine, grenade, RPG, surface to air every single bullet...... then just fade away.

Then every night go out hunting and setting traps in order to bleed the Russians. The real men that want to sack up might take a couple of teams into Russia and start doing some damage as well..... just little things, being very careful not to kill civilians but just gum up the works by disrupting utilities, hydroelectric, sewage, rail, pipeline etc....

Once the Soviets stir up the hornet's nest, well there are an awful lot of little countries that would rather see a weak Russia swatting at all the ants. Might be time for the Chechnyans to go at it and blame the Georgians.... or even the Ukranians might want to add to the mix.

Of course the other little thing that the Russians might not have put in the mix is the Chinese. So who would benefit the most by a weak Russia..... the US... well not really, the Euro-weenies, not likely cause they depend on the Soviet oil .....

yep, the Chinese. they would benefit the most by maybe deciding that they like Siberian oil.

Now I know that our armed forces are stretched and the logistics favor Russian forces in Georgia.... but can they protect the entire area of Ukraine, China and possibly other countries that would love to stick it to Russia.

And then there is...... Poland. Poor, poor Poland. Just sitting there like it always has... the Germans on one side, the Russians on the other.

Do we defend Poland? They are even more of an ally than the Georgians or do we sell them out like we did in the second world war.

Yeah, I just want a f'ing community activist from an affirmative action position in Harvard to try some real "hard diplomacy" (whatever that means)...... I'd almost like to see the first 6 months of an Obama term of office.... it would be comical if it weren't so serious.