Georgian army moves to retake South Ossetia

[Nono]

Agreed.

"It is worse than a crime -- it is a mistake."

-- Joseph Fouché

[LtMisha]

Worse than a mistake, dear old Bush's moves to get his troops into Georgia. This war really started when Russia realised that some Russians in South Ossetia needed help. Or so Putin says.

I wonder what will happen when Russia notices the 1.4 Million Russians in the Ukraine?

Oh, and Sweet Katie, I believe it is NATO that needs to stand down. It got itself into a muddle what with allowing the smaller nations to sign up at once, now it seems to be overstretched.... Personally, I'd leave Russia alone. Very, very alone.

[Gods_Mercenary]

That's acceptable if they don't go meddling in sovereign nations' interior business because of a russian minority. Nobody would like the russkies after that, and I doubt the bear is willing to take on the world for long.

[Diogenes]

The US supported the break-up of the Soviet Union...supported the breakaway republics and states against the tyranny of the aggressors...

now Russia is defending independence and the US is supporting the aggressor...

South Ossetia won defacto independence in a war against Georgia that ended in 1992

Georgia launched a major military offensive Friday to retake the breakaway province of South Ossetia

Russia sends in the Troops to ' protect ' South Ossetia and it's independence

the US sides with Georgia

ironic.

[Gods_Mercenary]

Not really, Russia cares about as much about a minority's right to form a tiny country as the CIA cared about any of the eastern block states, nothing ironic at all, if you look at actual motivation, the only irony is that russia can somehow justify offensives into georgian territory to "protect" a populace from a vastly outnumbered army.

[Clarence]

so what are the differences between the US occupation of Iraq and the Russian actions in this conflict?

[Gods_Mercenary]

Not a huge amount, though of course the invasion of Iraq wasn't completely without foreign support, and I doubt the russians are going to drop any money to rebuild georgia if they do indeed go further than they currently are.

[Clarence]

agreed. What if they did?

[Diogenes]

I think that there's still a lot of people believing in the ' evil empire ' ideology and this has somewhat affected objectivity.

Sorry Gods_Mercenary but I just don't buy the concept that Russia is incapable of a decent act of nobility. Contrary to ' popular opinion ' caused by the media perception of Russia for the last 58 years ....

and the constant barrage of the tyrannical exploits and sins of the Soviet Union....

' objective history ' teaches us that most of what the media wanted us to believe was wrong.

It is quite possible that Russia has noble intentions in protecting South Ossetia's independence.

[LtMisha]

Hear Hear!

[Gods_Mercenary]

Sorry Gods_Mercenary but I just don't buy the concept that Russia is incapable of a decent act of nobility. Contrary to ' popular opinion ' caused by the media perception of Russia for the last 58 years ....

Not a reflection on Russia, just countries in general, how many separatist movements have ever been helped period by any major power that haven't directly benefited (at least in their heads) the major power or harmed an enemy? The day I think that 1/3 of georgia was occupied and numerous more people were killed in a benevolent move to protect people from a massively outnumbered, outgunned, and retreating army is the day I eat my shorts.

[Diogenes]

But...we are not talking about a separatist movement...South Ossetia has already achieved it's independence...

so...this is not Russia helping South Ossetia to separate...this is Russia thwarting an invader who wishes to annex South Ossetia.

Not unlike Saddam's annexation of Kuwait. Or Argentina's annexation of the Falkland Islands. Both claimed the territory to be there's and both were driven back.

This time the US is on the wrong side.

The day I think that 1/3 of georgia was occupied and numerous more people were killed in a benevolent move to protect people from a massively outnumbered, outgunned, and retreating army is the day I eat my shorts.

Methinks you watch CNN too much and international news too little...for a more objective view avoid US stations...or at least compliment them with other Countries news reports.

As for ' overwhelming odds ' that is the way wars are fought...whether it's the US going into Panama or Russia going into Georgia. It's the way it's done, has always been done...it's to break the morale and will of your enemy to make yourself appear unbeatable.

The same scenario was used throughout the Cold War...it was the ' belief ' that a nuclear war was unwinable that prevented the war from happening.