This is a good article by Reuters. As far as I know, only Cuba and Venezuala are openly cheering on the Russians.
Stop reading right there, folks.
“Commentators in Russia said Moscow was caught off guard by this reaction from its ex-Soviet neighbors.
“Everyone in Moscow thought: ‘We are in the right and the enemy will be destroyed’, but in Minsk and other CIS capitals everyone was in disarray,” Nezavisimaya Gazeta daily wrote.
“This has totally paralyzed the CIS leaders including Belarus. Moscow did not expect this from its closest ally.””
There must be something in the water if by invading one neighbor one is surprised that other neighbors don’t support you.
Kristinn, with this and your earlier thread you have found a very interesting, underlying story IMO.
The Armenians wear extra white flags at all times in case they accidentally encounter a Russian on the street.
Armenia will join them shortly.
Azerbaijan has also openly supported Georgia. As far as I know to date only Cuba came on a side of the Soviet Un... err, Russia. Not even Hugo and Mahmoud. Can’t buy me love. Even with a lot of petrodollars...
2) I can hardly believe Rootin Tootin Reuters reported this so straight out. I wonder if the militia thugs shot at some Reuters reporters...
3) I thought Vlad had almost total control over "his" media especially after killing that woman reporter (embarrassed I don't remember her name). How wonderful to find out otherwise.
Thanks for posting this--it's a great picker upper.
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are a study in neurology. The Ukraine is divided into the Eastern Ukraine and the Western Ukraine. The latter sides with Poland, the former show a middle finger to both. What Ukraine are we talking about?
Kazakhstan should be immediately offered an Membership Action Plan to join NATO. Let the Russkie bastards react to that.
My thought process went something like this:
"...Hmm. I just don't know.
On one hand, we have Georgia. They have been friendly to us, and polite. They like America and Americans by all accounts. They have invited our military to work closely with them, and they have the third largest contingent of troops in Iraq after the USA and Britain. I understand they even have a highway named after George W. Bush.
On the other hand, we have Russia. They were the heart and soul of the Soviet Union, one of the most evil, bloodthirsty, expansionist and repressive countries to have ever existed. Many Americans lost their lives due to the efforts of the Russians during the Cold War. They are led by Vladimir Putin who was not only a high level member of the Communist Party, but worked in the arm of the KGB that was tasked with crushing and eliminating dissent. They have worked at odds against the West and the USA in particular, going the extra mile to thwart, hinder or outright sabatoge our efforts in nearly every international arena. They not only did everything they could to hinder and obstruct our efforts to deal with Iraq and Afghanistan, but have actively aided our enemies. To top it off, on what may be one of the most dangerous and fateful events in our lifetimes, they have sided with a lunatic Islamofascist regime in Iran that has openly and proudly called for genocide by wiping out Israel and has the blood of thousands of Americans on their hands including American Marines in Lebanon. They are obstructing international efforts to keep this hideously dangerous regime from acquiring nuclear weapons, and are doing it partly to inflict damage on the West and partly for a few pieces of Judas Silver.
I just don't know. I am SO conflicted about this. I just cannot make up my mind..."
Russia just reminded all of its former victims of the humiliation and torture it put them through before. This could swell into a burning desire to knock the crap out of the Bear if it doesn’t get humble real quick. The stories that will be coming out of Georgia in the next few weeks will sour Russia’s neighbors even more.