[justa-hairyape]

They have to go through Tibilis to get into Armenia proper. The other path is far east and around the Lower Caucasas range. If they moved east then Azerbaijan might feel threatened and they still have MIGS and the backing of the Turks. This is the stalemate. The Stand in Tibilisi stalls the advance of the Horde. So the Horde gets mad and rapes and plunders the land.

[justa-hairyape]

I should add that they probably wont move west to get around the lower Caucasus because that would put them too close to the Turkish border itself. I need to verify this though by looking at a detailed road map. Just guessing based on the general geography. They could try doing an old fashioned siege of Tibilisi, but the US is doing the airlift now. Other option is they could get help from that Russian base down south in Armenia. Or maybe Putin is saying to himself, where are my Iranian friends when I need them. Perhaps we should also look for the possibility that Iran might light things up soon.

[Alia]

Good input, thank you.

I've read an earlier report which has Russian forces leaving Gori. Later, Russian Forces are retaking Gori, journalists and civilians leaving Gori.

Something interesting caught the Russian attention. Has an ally of Russia worked out a deal with Armenia? Could Russia be thinking Saakashvili knows more about U.S. Humanitarian aide, and felt threatened?

Is there a major route between Gori and the Black and Caspian Seas?

[iThinkBig]

I would not count on the Turks as a buffer. They are more likely to simply let the Russians pass through there country, but such things aren’t likely now. The Russian military complex is still being built up. And the world keeps forking over the wealth for oil. America could do what it needs to do but the liberal movement will make sure we have lots of solar panels the common American cannot afford and a nice wind project in Texas T. Boone and a few dozen Dems will make uber-uber rich. Being uber rich is not enough.

The leadership of Turkey is mixed moderate and radical Islamic and the shift in leadership in radical Islam has grown much these last 10 years.