Russia seizes Georgia base, opens second front

AP ^ | Aug 11, 2008 | MISHA DZHINDZHIKHASHVILI

[Jeff Head]

TBILISI, Georgia — Russia opened a second front of fighting in Georgia on Monday, sending armored vehicles beyond two breakaway provinces and seizing a military base and police stations in the country's west, the Georgian government and a Russian official said.

GEORGIAN FORCES

RUSSIAN FORCES

[Jeff Head]

Russian widens the war and enters Georgia proper. Also flanking in from the coast where they have made amphibious lanings.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

My guess is that Georgia is pretty much finished.

[Jeff Head]

FYI...Russia continuing to escalate and drive deeper.

[Gay State Conservative]

Time to grant Georgia full NATO membership.Today! Filthy,worthless knuckledragging Soviets!!!!!!!

[autumnraine]

And Bush’s statement to them in 2005, in a speech applauded by thousands of Georgian’s that America would stand with them was just crap.

I’m dissapointed in this. Regardless of what happened in South Ossetia, this is uncalled for.

[ex-snook]

Danzig revisited?

[McGruff]

It doesn't look good for the home team right now. I hope there's something significant going on behind the scenes but I'm not optimistic. Pretty soon it may too late.

[cripplecreek]

Unfortunately I don’t see any other possible outcome.

[squarebarb]

Are these fotos of Georgians or Soviets -— I mean Russians? The two soldiers on the tank look Russian.

God save Georgia.

[Carry_Okie]

Putin just may have have done more for US/European relations than any person since Ronald Reagan.

[eastforker]

I understand they have entered Senaki.

[Centurion2000]

So much for it just being about taking care of ethnic cleansing. They are making a full court press now.

[redstateconfidential]

The Russian Deputy minister was smiling on CNN telling the reporter that Georgia is an American satellite and it will pay for that.The Russian’s he said will not agree to a cease fire.
Smiling the whole time he said the Georgia counted on our iad , and that they would not get it.

[Jeff Head]

I believe if enough nations make it clear that Russia is going to hurt over this...hurt their locally as Javelins and other material take there toll, and then later in guerilla actions...hurt economically as the US, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe (which would flock to us on this issue if we will lead) exert economic measures and sanctions, and hurt politically as the war drags on and hurts the Russian people...that we could still contain it to the Russians just securing the seperatist provinces.

But to have any hope of doing that, the west will have to act forthrightly and quickly.

Otherwise, there will be a Russian puppet government in Tiblisi within a short time (probably a few weeks at the most)...and probably a protracted gureilla war which the Russians will attempt to quell very brutally.

[jhpigott]

ping

[Jeff Head]

The first ones under the label GEORGIAN FORCES are Georgian, down to the label RUSSIAN FORCES. After that they are Russian.

[paulcissa]

Putin just may have have done more for US/European relations than any person since Ronald Reagan.

I agree. Putin has just shot himself in the foot.

[eastforker]

To be fair about it, there wasn’t much we could do friday or saturday, this was a blitz of quick and large proportions.

[redstateconfidential]

The Russian Deputy minister was smiling on CNN telling the reporter that Georgia is an American satellite and it will pay for that.The Russian’s he said will not agree to a cease fire.
Smiling the whole time he said the Georgia counted on our iad , and that they would not get it.

[ChinaThreat]

While we are indeed friends with Georgia, it is ridiculous though to think we should get involved in a direct war with Russia over this. I do think we should provide them with intelligence and as much equipment as possible.

Getting involved with this on a direct combat standing would be absolutely stupid. The Russians are idiots and i think this will cost them dearly. We should do like we did in the Cold War and stir up trouble for them by provoking the Ukraine, Moldavia and the Balitc Republics. In addition, we should go ahead and level Iran while they are busy.