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Russia Retakes Georgian Village Near South Ossetia
The New York Times ^ | December 13, 2008

Posted on 12/13/2008 7:43:31 AM PST by Strategy

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) -- Russian troops retook a village near the breakaway region of South Ossetia Saturday just hours after withdrawing, Georgia's Interior Ministry and European Union peace observers said.

Georgian police had already moved into Perevi on Saturday to remove Russian-built roadblocks when Russian troops and helicopters unexpectedly returned, said Shota Utiashvili, a ministry spokesman.

"They left, and we went in with about 40 people to remove the roadblocks," he said. "While they were doing this, the Russians deployed a battalion of special forces with helicopters and armor and told the Georgian policemen to get out immediately," he said.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Russia
KEYWORDS: geopolitics; georgia; israel; russia

1 posted on 12/13/2008 7:43:31 AM PST by Strategy
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To: Strategy

There are also reports of the South Ossetian Rebels attacking Georgian Forces and European Peace Observers recently.


2 posted on 12/13/2008 7:49:37 AM PST by neb52 (Go Frogs!)
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To: Strategy

I don’t think this is going to be anything to worry about. I don’t see a large scale invasion under way, but it is interesting that they would re-take a town that really has no strategic value. Maybe the Russians are calculating that with our economy in the dumps, our president-elect embroiled in a scandal, and our military stretched thin that it can get away with bullying smaller republics? Should be interesting to see how this Russia-Georgia scenario plays out.


3 posted on 12/13/2008 7:49:41 AM PST by 82ndABNOfficer
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To: 82ndABNOfficer
Maybe the Russians are calculating that with our economy in the dumps, our president-elect embroiled in a scandal, and our military stretched thin that it can get away with bullying smaller republics?

True, and we certainly are in a mess, but even if we weren't, I can't see the American people wanting to intervene to save the Ossetians from the Russians. Why would we possibly do so?

4 posted on 12/13/2008 8:08:19 AM PST by xJones
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To: 82ndABNOfficer

Of course it’s nothing to worrry about, it’s just Russia getting a little more breathing room...


5 posted on 12/13/2008 8:09:23 AM PST by Frank_Discussion (May the wings of Liberty never lose a feather!)
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To: xJones

It would be saving the Georgians from the Ossetians and Russians.


6 posted on 12/13/2008 8:16:48 AM PST by SolidWood (Sarah Palin - Everything that is Sweetness and Light! WE STAND WITH HER!)
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To: Strategy

This is a constant of world affairs: you can never, never, never trust the Russians.


7 posted on 12/13/2008 8:53:23 AM PST by docbnj
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To: SolidWood
It would be saving the Georgians from the Ossetians and Russians.

And our interest in this would be....? The vast majority of the American people identify Georgia with a southern American state. Most don't know and wouldn't care about the Republic of Georgia, even those few who could locate it on a world map.

We're in dire financial trouble, and our military is almost stretched to it's limit. We're not Gort, we can't afford to be the world's police force.

8 posted on 12/13/2008 9:00:42 AM PST by xJones
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To: xJones

No, I was just correcting your comment. The Ossets are on Russias side. I wasn’t commenting on whether we should engage there or not.


9 posted on 12/13/2008 9:58:56 AM PST by SolidWood (Sarah Palin - Everything that is Sweetness and Light! WE STAND WITH HER!)
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To: 82ndABNOfficer; xJones
Maybe the Russians are calculating that with our economy in the dumps, our president-elect embroiled in a scandal, and our military stretched thin that it can get away with bullying smaller republics?

Not disagreeing with anything else you said, but the Russian economy is in far worse shape than ours right now. The Russian stock market tanked in August when they started this Georgian adventure, and the subsequent $100/bbl drop in oil prices has put a huge strain on the Russian economy generally.

10 posted on 12/13/2008 1:46:34 PM PST by c-five
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To: xJones

“And our interest in this would be....? “

possibly Energy...Should Russia continue to acquire the land of Georgia, then Armenia/Azerbaijan, eventually they will come to Iran, their ally, and could control the Strait of Hormuz/Persian Gulf, a major thoroughfare of a major portion of the world’s oil.

The one who controls the oil reserves controls the economy of the world

They’re obviously having second thoughts about leaving the area they so recently acquired...


11 posted on 12/13/2008 4:15:22 PM PST by AprilfromTexas
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To: Strategy
You can get AP and other news service providers at other websites. I hate downloading from the NY Times. It takes almost forever. Just the news on Yahoo, Google, etc. for the title.

Russia retakes Georgian village near South Ossetia

The Charlotte Observer

12 posted on 12/14/2008 5:18:33 PM PST by neverdem (Xin loi min oi)
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To: Strategy
Just search the news on Yahoo, Google, etc. for the title. Having a verb helps too.
13 posted on 12/14/2008 5:21:29 PM PST by neverdem (Xin loi min oi)
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To: 82ndABNOfficer
but it is interesting that they would re-take a town that really has no strategic value

It's called a slap in the face.

14 posted on 12/14/2008 5:24:59 PM PST by Centurion2000 (To protect and defend ... against all enemies, foreign and domestic .... by any means necessary.)
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To: Strategy

Anytime a nation neighboring russia dares try to occupy itself, Moscow is entitled to react to such a provocation with deadly force. International relations 101.


15 posted on 12/14/2008 8:10:02 PM PST by nkycincinnatikid
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To: AdmSmith; Berosus; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Fred Nerks; george76; ...

Oh yeah, it must be the US economy is in bad shape, what with Russia’s main source of foreign exchange having dropped by $100 a barrel in the past few months. Russia will be having problems this winter, and for some time thereafter, if the Putin regime (in all but name) continues down the current path.


16 posted on 12/15/2008 11:44:31 AM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______Profile finally updated Saturday, December 6, 2008 !!!)
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