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America Must Choose Between Georgia and Russia
wsj ^ | SERGEY LAVROV foreign minister of the Russian Federation

Posted on 08/19/2008 8:51:07 PM PDT by flyfree

In some Western nations an utterly one-sided picture has been painted of the recent crisis in the Georgia-South Ossetia conflict. The statements of American officials would lead one to conclude that the crisis began when Russia sent in its troops to support its peacekeepers there.

Meticulously avoided in those statements: The decision of Tbilisi to use crude military force against South Ossetia in the early hours of Aug. 8. The Georgian army used multiple rocket launchers, artillery and air force to attack the sleeping city of Tskhinvali.

Some honest independent observers acknowledge that a surprised Russia didn't respond immediately. We started moving our troops in support of peacekeepers only on the second day of Georgia's ruthless military assault. Yes, our military struck sites outside of South Ossetia. When the positions of your peacekeepers and the civilian population they have been mandated to protect are shelled, the sources of such attacks are legitimate targets.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: caucasus; geopolitics; georgia; russia; southossetia; war
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To: FreeInWV

So, I take it that Russia moved in “non-peacekeepers” and that triggered Georgia’s attack?


41 posted on 08/19/2008 9:37:12 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
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To: wardaddy; berdie
Russia is still capable of inflicting series harm on us and we have to act accordingly and no matter how much folks here feel froggy over Georgia, our options are limited to less than direct military confrontation.

They're capable of inflicting serious harm on us and we are capable of demolishing them.

I remember the cold war all too well and have no intention of living the rest of my life on my belly, cringing before a bestial bully who would only create more situations, more confrontations until they reign supreme.

Fortunately you are NOT in charge of determining how we have to act nor how you will limit our options.

Unfortunately, neither am I in charge, but if I were: I CHOOSE THE RIGHT SIDE; I CHOOSE GEORGIA.

42 posted on 08/19/2008 9:40:47 PM PDT by Sal (Pyrrhic Pooty just took Russia down to a 3rd class, 3rd world POS country that is dying.)
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To: Sal
I CHOOSE THE RIGHT SIDE; I CHOOSE GEORGIA

I am proud to stand at your side, Sal.

43 posted on 08/19/2008 9:48:32 PM PDT by MarMema (The people of Georgia have cast their lot with the free world, and we will not cast them aside)
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To: donmeaker; MarMema
In a few months there will be a full inventory of all the tanks lost by Russia, and Putin will be assassinated. After all, there is no law, so no legal protection of him.

From your lips to God's ear, except I'd prefer it this week.

I wonder if anyone other than Putin the Poisoner knows how to access the $40B he "skimmed" off the Russian people. Pretty deep skim I'd say.

44 posted on 08/19/2008 9:48:40 PM PDT by Sal (Pyrrhic Pooty just took Russia down to a 3rd class, 3rd world POS country that is dying.)
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To: FreeInWV
Actually Russian peacekeepers have been there since 1992 when they and Georgia signed a pact stating that Georgia would never use military force to retake the region.

Actually you skipped the insignificant detail about how the Russian "peacekeepers" and Ossetians were shelling into Georgia.

45 posted on 08/19/2008 9:52:25 PM PDT by Sal (Pyrrhic Pooty just took Russia down to a 3rd class, 3rd world POS country that is dying.)
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To: paudio

46 posted on 08/19/2008 9:52:45 PM PDT by redstateconfidential (A man who lets his friends down, is no man at all.)
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To: Sundog; Lasha
I can only see now that the Russians should have left a long time ago and are violating their own word.

Columbia doctor pleads for assistance to Georgia

"Despite the ceasefire today, the hospital in Gori and the University of Gori were bombed. All patients and staff were evacuated. We are taking them" in "at the National Gudushauri Medical Center. The first relief plane from Latvia carrying blood and plasma landed tonight in Armenia.…

Russia is a good guy?

47 posted on 08/19/2008 9:53:12 PM PDT by MarMema (The people of Georgia have cast their lot with the free world, and we will not cast them aside)
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To: Sal
Georgia!
48 posted on 08/19/2008 9:56:28 PM PDT by redstateconfidential (A man who lets his friends down, is no man at all.)
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To: Sundog

Right, the Russians came to the Ossetians’ rescue when the Russian “peacekeepers” and Ossetians were shelling Georgia.


49 posted on 08/19/2008 9:57:51 PM PDT by Sal (Pyrrhic Pooty just took Russia down to a 3rd class, 3rd world POS country that is dying.)
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To: ConservativeMind

Georgia is not innocent here. Tensions have been high in the region long before Georgia was ever formed. On August 7th Georgia attacked with armor and artillery killing sleeping South Ossetian civilians. Their peacekeepers also turned on and killed Russian and South Ossetian peacekeepers. It was a horribly stupid move on their part.

Here is some background on South Ossetia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Ossetia

And some less biased prewar (2006) info:
http://www.opendemocracy.net/democracy-caucasus/south_ossetia_4100.jsp

Just because we are the US, and Russia is Russia, does not make Georgia any less stupid or reckless.


50 posted on 08/19/2008 9:57:57 PM PDT by FreeInWV
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To: Sal

. . . Bad guys all the way around . . .


51 posted on 08/19/2008 9:59:36 PM PDT by Sundog (Hussein . . . B. Hussein or S. Hussein?)
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To: singfreedom

I will go out on a limb here and claim that we did not win the Cold War simply because of Reagan...even though I admired him.

We had fought the Cold War for almost 40 years and our winning of it more or less was due to cummulative efforts from bomb development to proxy wars and ICBMS and so forth.

Regan simply reupped the ante after Carter’s malaise.

The rest of your post is an attempt to pick a fight by ascribing words to me I never uttered nor insinuated.


52 posted on 08/19/2008 10:00:09 PM PDT by wardaddy ("Cause my grey hair just can't cover up my redneck.")
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To: singfreedom

I will go out on a limb here and claim that we did not win the Cold War simply because of Reagan...even though I admired him.

We had fought the Cold War for almost 40 years and our winning of it more or less was due to cummulative efforts from bomb development to proxy wars and ICBMS and so forth.

Regan simply reupped the ante after Carter’s malaise.

The rest of your post is an attempt to pick a fight by ascribing words to me I never uttered nor insinuated.


53 posted on 08/19/2008 10:00:14 PM PDT by wardaddy ("Cause my grey hair just can't cover up my redneck.")
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To: Sal

Of course we are capable of demolishing them. We were always capable of that. Wonder why that didn’t happen?

If you read my post in its entirety, I mentioned Europe (most of Europe depends on Russia for energy). That wasn’t the position in the past. Europe will not support full military action, imo. I don’t throw any option out, I’m not Neville Chamberlain.

In today’s “global” world, there may be other solutions.

I didn’t say Georgia was wrong...but what would a good solution be, in your opinion?


54 posted on 08/19/2008 10:00:27 PM PDT by berdie
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To: Sundog

NOPE.


55 posted on 08/19/2008 10:02:23 PM PDT by Sal (Pyrrhic Pooty just took Russia down to a 3rd class, 3rd world POS country that is dying.)
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To: Sal
Well Bush doesn't share your foolish grandstanding.

I sure don;t see us mobilizing for shite.

We will continue to do what we can like these deals with Poland and Czech Republic and economic and political sanctions.

But the notion we would endure a nuclear volley over Georgia is asinine.

I'm glad you and your nutty trigger happy folks are not in charge and willing to destroy our country and a big chunk of the world over Georgia and their President who dug himself a foolish hole he needn't have.

Idiots. Nuclear war with Russia over Georgia?

Are you nuts?

You and the rest of ya’ll are just selling wolf tickets. Military conflict between two nations capable of destroying one another is a complicated affair best left to adults.

We have been far more provoked the past 50 years by Russia than this and never took the fight to direct military engagement between us and for good reason.

I suppose Truman, Eisenhower, LBJ, Nixon and Reagan were all just pushovers....lol...the logic on this forum is amusing sometimes.

Just out of curiosity, what do you cowboys propose?

56 posted on 08/19/2008 10:08:42 PM PDT by wardaddy ("Cause my grey hair just can't cover up my redneck.")
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To: FreeInWV; Sal
From your second link...

"The South Ossetian leadership, despite having legitimate grievances against the Georgians, is mired in suspicion and introspection, making endless statements about "provocations" and "conspiracies" from the Georgian side, but reluctant to let in people (such as foreign journalists, regional analysts and constitutional experts) to whom they could put their side of the story."

I guess you probably missed the early reports showing that the Russians had actually evacuated in buses the women and children from the capitol of South Ossetia a few days before they began shelling Gori, eventually provoking the Georgians into military action.

57 posted on 08/19/2008 10:11:02 PM PDT by MarMema (The people of Georgia have cast their lot with the free world, and we will not cast them aside)
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To: FreeInWV

the facts and realities don’t matter to tuff guys and gals

i cannot believe that on a usually fairly intelligent forum that we have clowns who think Georgia acted like angels and that we should risk nuclear obliteration as a result...over Georgia?

it’s hysterical

what sort of historical perspective do these geniuses have?


58 posted on 08/19/2008 10:12:02 PM PDT by wardaddy ("Cause my grey hair just can't cover up my redneck.")
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To: Sundog; Sal
"It's not true that the Georgians have destroyed Tskhinvali. Russian troops were stationed in Tskhinvali and from their base in the city have provoked the Georgian side [over a long period]. I work in Gori and there was hardly a day when there wasn't any shelling - virtually every day we had wounded delivered to our hospital - there was no end to Russia's provocation, all year round. So Georgia had no choice but to defend itself." However he insists that, even now, there is "practically no national animosity" between Georgians, on one hand, and Ossetians and Abkhazians on the other. "I'm absolutely convinced that we can live together. If the Russians don't provoke the situation, Georgians, Ossetians and Abkhazians could live a normal life together," he says.
59 posted on 08/19/2008 10:16:11 PM PDT by MarMema (The people of Georgia have cast their lot with the free world, and we will not cast them aside)
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To: flyfree
Germany 1938 = Russia 2008

I wouldn't have advocated siding with the Nazis then. I don't advocate siding with the Russian fascists today. To hell with them.
60 posted on 08/19/2008 10:22:08 PM PDT by Antoninus (The greatest gifts parents give their children are siblings.)
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