GEORGIA: FIGHTING RAGES IN S. OSSETIA, RUSSIAN TANKS HEAD FOR BATTLE

[DAVIDENGLAND]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/10/georgia.russia3?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront
Luke Harding guardian.co.uk, Sunday August 10 2008 14:45 BST Article history See, the world is turning against Russia.

It looks like a big clever smear job against Russian. A sneaky trick from the USA to make Russia seem aggressive and a bully. The Georgians were tricked as well, they attacked first, expecting the USA to back them up but were betrayed. Russia takes the expected revenge on Georgia and is painted by the world media as an aggressive state. 1 - Nil to America (Zbig) in the propaganda war. I bet Zbig is smiling, smoking a big fat cigar as we speak.

[DAVIDENGLAND]

You know, I'm reminded about how many times Western tools like Saddam are told to do something and that they'll have support. When they act, they're left out to dry for some greater political end. I'm not so sure we're going to see more than a spat here but its an opportunity to set Russia up as an enemy in the media again regardless of the intent of either side.

I agree.

[Optimus]

August 10, 2008 10:50pm
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24159229-5006301,00.html

THE White House warned Russia to halt its attacks on Georgia or risk "significant" enduring damage to its relationship with the U.S. as the international crisis widened dramatically last night.

Russia expanded its bombing blitz yesterday against neighbouring U.S.-allied Georgia, forcing Georgian troops to leave the contested province of South Ossetia.

Georgian National Security Council Secretary Alexander Lomaia said Georgia had asked the U.S. to act as a mediator with Russia in the conflict, which broke out last week and has so far cost 2000 lives, according to Russian counts.

The U.S. has called on Russia to stop its military offensive. Jim Jeffrey, President George W. Bush's deputy national security adviser, said the U.S. had made it clear "if the disproportionate and dangerous escalation on the Russian side continues, this will have a significant long-term impact on U.S.-Russian relations".

Pope Benedict also expressed "profound anguish" and urged an immediate end to hostilities in South Ossetia. In other major developments yesterday:

SEPARATIST authorities in Georgia's breakaway province of Abkhazia mobilised its army and called up reservists to drive Georgian government forces out of the small part of the province still under Georgian control.

GEORGIA'S contingent in Iraq – the third largest in the Coalition force – was preparing to rush home after a plea to the U.S. military for transport.

RUSSIA had brought 10,000 extra troops into South Ossetia and was assembling armoured vehicles near the border, a Georgian official said.

 

THE Ukraine warned Russia it could bar Russian navy ships from returning to their base in the Crimea because of their deployment to Georgia's coast.

Both South Ossetia and Abkhazia have run their affairs without world recognition since splitting from Georgia in the early 1990s and have built close ties with Moscow.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called for peace, saying: "Our position, like the Americans, is that it's important for peace and stability to return to this part of Georgia."

[Optimus]

All this happening and CNN can only talk about the celebutard Paris Hilton.

[Cobra]

People are naive and the western media is so bias. Russia is a serious force to be reckoned with. The people in the power positions in the west know this that is why they can't and will do nothing. People like Cobra post about how Russia will leave and in 5 years they will have a real problem. That point of view is so laughable. it's like canada declaring war on the USA, what a joke, 5 years or not it will still be a joke. Russia has a 500k standing army with 20k tanks and a very serious navy as well as air force. They are intelligent, technologically advanced as much as the USA and a prosperous nation no matter what the western media makes it out to be.

I wasn't implying that Russia isn't a power. Only that this isn't the final act in the ongoing conflict. There will be more to come.

Whether Russia likes it or not the US has boxed it in. You want to know why? Because the power elite in Russia is no different from the US. If Russia had its way it'd dominate countries like Poland, Litva, Lithuania, Estonia, Georgia, etc. Yes, these countries are prostitutes for the US and EU but what do you expect them to be? Prostitutes for Russia? Russia hasn't exactly been kind to these countries over the years and Russia doesn't have as much to offer them in terms of money and power as the US/ EU. That's what it comes down to for them. Either whore yourself out for the US or for Russia. As of today the US has more to offer them.

Russia can care less about Ossetians and its citizens in South Ossetia. This is all about THEIR sphere of influence. THEIR imperial ambitions. Routing the pipeline through Russian land.

You want to talka bout hypocrites. Just like the US same is Russia. What about Chechnya? Most Chechens wanted to secede from Russia. Chechnya declared independence.  What did Russia do? They killed or expelled 80% of the population. Same bullshit. They all play the same global hegemonic game. Not to mention that they staged a false flag attack in their own country to start the second Chechen war.

American imperial ambitions. Russian Imperial ambitions. All the same shit. I'm from that part of the world. I know Russian history. I know what its all about.  I'm sorry I'm not so pro Russia in this matter. I see the conflict for what it really is.

[Aerioch]

You know, I'm reminded about how many times Western tools like Saddam are told to do something and that they'll have support. When they act, they're left out to dry for some greater political end. I'm not so sure we're going to see more than a spat here but its an opportunity to set Russia up as an enemy in the media again regardless of the intent of either side.

Exactly.  

Bush Sr. burned Saddam, and the Northern Kurds in the same way.

Bush Jr.  could possibly burn the Georgian president, Musharaff, and Karzai if things do go as planned.

[Optimus]

Georgia declares cease-fire in S.Ossetia
http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=8817359
Associated Press - August 10, 2008 10:43 AM ET

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) - Georgia's Foreign Ministry says Georgian troops have begun observing cease-fire in the breakaway province of South Ossetia.

The ministry says that the troops have ceased fire on President Mikhail Saakashvili's order. The Georgian authorities have previously announced that Georgian troops have left the limits of South Ossetia.

The ministry expressed its readiness Sunday to immediately start negotiations with Russia on cease-fire and termination of hostilities.

[Cobra]

I wasn't implying that Russia isn't a power. Only that this isn't the final act in the ongoing conflict. There will be more to come.

Whether Russia likes it or not the US has boxed it in. You want to know why? Because the power elite in Russia is no different from the US. If Russia had its way it'd dominate countries like Poland, Litva, Lithuania, Estonia, Georgia, etc. Yes, these countries are prostitutes for the US and EU but what do you expect them to be? Prostitutes for Russia? Russia hasn't exactly been kind to these countries over the years and Russia doesn't have as much to offer them in terms of money and power as the US/ EU. That's what it comes down to for them. Either whore yourself out for the US or for Russia. As of today the US has more to offer them.

Russia can care less about Ossetians and its citizens in South Ossetia. This is all about THEIR sphere of influence. THEIR imperial ambitions. Routing the pipeline through Russian land.

You want to talka bout hypocrites. Just like the US same is Russia. What about Chechnya? Most Chechens wanted to secede from Russia. Chechnya declared independence.  What did Russia do? They killed or expelled 80% of the population. Same bullshit. They all play the same global hegemonic game. Not to mention that they staged a false flag attack in their own country to start the second Chechen war.

American imperial ambitions. Russian Imperial ambitions. All the same shit. I'm from that part of the world. I know Russian history. I know what its all about.  I'm sorry I'm not so pro Russia in this matter. I see the conflict for what it really is.

Just to add one more thing.

I don't trust either side in this. Neither what Russia says nor what Georgia says.
It'll take some time to find out what really happened and what the actual reasons were for either side doing what they did.

[trailhound]

American imperial ambitions. Russian Imperial ambitions. All the same shit. I'm from that part of the world. I know Russian history. I know what its all about.  I'm sorry I'm not so pro Russia in this matter. I see the conflict for what it really is.

 I agree Russia aint the good guys, but in this case they dont look any worse than the opposition they are trying to back down. Both sides probably have the same string pullers when it all boils down.

[mr anderson]

Russia 'preparing to attack' western Georgia

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24151856-401,00.html

    * Georgian, Russian fighting moving into second area
    * Russia rejects Georgian call for ceasefire
    * In pictures: Georgia and Russia at war

RUSSIAN forces took control of the Georgian breakaway region of South Ossetia today as Tbilisi withdrew its troops in the face of a build-up of Moscow's dominant firepower.

After Russia won control of South Ossetia, officials in Tbilisi raised fears of a new front opening in western Georgia, saying Moscow was preparing to attack another pro-Russian restive Georgian province, Abkhazia.

Russian aircraft bombed the only part of Abkhazia controlled by Georgian forces overnight and attacked a Georgian town near the rebel region, interior ministry officials said.

"We have verified information that the Russians are planning to attack Zugdidi in several hours,'' Georgian parliament speaker David Bakradze said, referring to a Georgian-controlled city near Abkhazia.

Interior ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili told AFP that Russia had asked the United Nations to withdraw its observers from territory near the region.

Earlier today, Georgia said it had withdrawn its troops from South Ossetia, where artillery fire from both sides was exchanged overnight, according to South Ossetian separatists.

AFP reporters witnessed Russian attack helicopters hovering over the area and a stream of people fleeing the devastation carrying their belongings.

Georgia also claimed Russian jets had bombed a military airfield near the Georgian capital Tbilisi overnight and that Moscow had brought 10,000 extra troops into the region amid a build up in armoured vehicles.

"We have left practically all of South Ossetia as an expression of goodwill and our willingness to stop military confrontation,'' Georgian National Security Council Secretary Alexander Lomaia told AFP.

As diplomatic efforts intensified to bring an end to the crisis, Mr Lomaia said Georgia had asked the United States to act as a mediator to end the conflict, which has claimed 2000 lives according to Russian figures.

"We have asked United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to mediate with the Russians, to transmit them our message,'' he said.

The White House responded using strong diplomatic language, warning Russia that its "disproportionate and dangerous escalation'' of the conflict could significantly harm relations between Washington and Moscow.

The United States said that Russia's reaction to any Georgian withdrawal from South Ossetia would be a key test of the country's true intentions in the region.

President George W. Bush yesterday had led a chorus of international calls to end the hostilities which observers fear might spread to other parts of the volatile Caucasus region.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and his Finnish counterpart were due in Tbilisi later in the day, the EU's envoy to Georgia said.

Russia backs the separatist government in South Ossetia and sent in tanks and troops on Friday in response to pro-Western Georgia's military offensive to take back the province which broke away in the early 1990s after a separatist war.

Russian blockade

In a new move underlining Moscow's giant military advantage, Russian moved warships to the Black Sea on the west coast of Georgia and Interfax news agency said they were preparing a blockade to stop military supplies entering Georgia.

"This is definitely necessary for preventing arms shipments to Georgia by sea,'' Interfax quoted a naval source as saying.

"A sea blockade of Georgia will also help avert an escalation of military activity in Abkhazia.''

South Ossetian authorities said in a statement that overnight shelling had killed 20 and wounded 150 people in the South Ossetian capital, Tskhinvali, which Russian forces now control.

Russia also continued bombing raids on Georgian territory outside South Ossetia, hitting a runway of a military airfield near Tbilisi international airport early Sunday, according to Lomaia.

Yesterday, Russian aircraft had staged raids on the Georgian port of Poti and the city of Gori, where inhabitants said scores of people were killed.

Mr Lomaia said Russia had concentrated a large number of armoured vehicles near the border with Georgia at a crossing not linked to South Ossetia.

Georgia's army of less than 25,000 men is confronting a Russian force which can count on more than one million troops -- and experts say the conflict cannot last.

A meeting of the UN Security Council on Saturday failed to agree on a call for an immediate ceasefire.

France, which holds the EU presidency, announced that it would organise a meeting of European foreign ministers early next week and an emergency EU summit could be held.

The European Union "strongly states its commitment to the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Georgia and its internationally recognised borders and urges Russia to respect them,'' said a statement released by France.

The EU "underscores that the military actions (against Georgia) could affect EU-Russian relations,'' it added.

The conflict with Russia has claimed 150 Georgian lives, Georgian Foreign Minister Eka Tkeshelashvili said yesterday.

Russian officials have said at least 2,000 people have been killed in South Ossetia.

South Ossetia broke from Georgia in the early 1990s. It has a population of 70,000, many of whom have been granted Russia passports.

[Cobra]

I agree Russia aint the good guys, but in this case they dont look any worse than the opposition they are trying to back down. Both sides probably have the same string pullers when it all boils down.

That's how I see it.
They all play the "grand chessboard". There are no good guys here.

Just because Russia is relatively weak compared to the US hegemon doesn't mean I have sympathy for their imperial ambitions.

[Protean]

CONFIRMED BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7552012.stm

Very interesting clip. Can anyone tell me what is flying across the screen (right to left) at approx--:45 to :47 (seconds) in video?
I'm not trying to divert any discussion away from the main topic here, but I can't help but wondering about this...

[Cobra]

Very interesting clip. Can anyone tell me what is flying across the screen (right to left) at approx--:45 to :47 (seconds) in video?
I'm not trying to divert any discussion away from the main topic here, but I can't help but wondering about this...

A bird? 

[IridiumKEPfactor]

Very interesting clip. Can anyone tell me what is flying across the screen (right to left) at approx--:45 to :47 (seconds) in video?
I'm not trying to divert any discussion away from the main topic here, but I can't help but wondering about this...

Looks like a scared bird trying to get the hell out of the area.

[trailhound]

Very interesting clip. Can anyone tell me what is flying across the screen (right to left) at approx--:45 to :47 (seconds) in video?
I'm not trying to divert any discussion away from the main topic here, but I can't help but wondering about this...

 my guess is a sparrow...actually looks more like a bat

[Protean]

A bird? 

Yeah, I think your right...that's what I get for not having my coffee yet...
 

Okay, enough diversion--back to real discussion and info-------->

Still haven't heard any word from the Russian man who posted the video on YouTube. If I do, I'll post his reply. He's probably getting zillion messages since his video went online.

[David Rothscum]

American forces caught fighting in the war:

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fosradio.ru%2F&hl=nl&ie=UTF8&sl=ru&tl=en
Catch Georgian member of demolition squad: among them U.S. citizen
10.08.2008 // 14:13 10.08.2008 / / 14:13
According to reports from Tskhinvali Zar village in the district, which is on the "road of life" - Zarskoy road, were captured group of Georgian suicide.  One of them, as it turned out, was a U.S. citizen African American.  Most likely this is one of NATO instructors.  At this time, he transferred to Vladikavkaz to ascertain all the circumstances of his stay in the territory of the Republic of South Ossetia.
Translation is crappy, but you get what it says. Do we have anyone here capable of speaking Russian? Your help is appreciated.

[mr anderson]

2:18 - "Fighting for future world order"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DfaUfJNGoE

[Optimus]

Georgia pulls troops from South Ossetia
Russian warships to block Georgia weapons - Interfax
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4648853a6408.html
Reuters | Sunday, 10 August 2008

Russian warships which arrived at the Georgian Black Sea coast on Sunday have been ordered to prevent weapons from reaching the Caucasus state, Interfax news agency quoted a Russian navy source as saying.


"The navy was ordered not to allow supplies of weapons and military hardware into Georgia by sea," the source told the agency.

Russia has accused the West and ex-Soviet Ukraine of arming Georgia, whose forces have been fighting Russian troops in the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia.

Earlier Georgia withdrew its forces from breakaway South Ossetia, where they had been fighting Russian troops for control of the separatist capital Tskhinvali, the Georgian interior ministry said.

"They have been withdrawn, completely," ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili told Reuters.

Earlier Russia bombed a military airport outside the Georgian capital early and Tbilisi said Moscow was massing troops in a second breakaway region of Georgia as fighting raged for control of South Ossetia.

There were signs of a second front opening in the conflict, with Georgia accusing Russia of sending troops by sea to the larger rebel region of Abkhazia on the Black Sea.

A UN peacekeeping official also warned of an imminent military offensive by the Abkhaz who, like the South Ossetians, broke with Tbilisi in the early 1990s after a war.

Russia bombed Georgia's military airport 12km from Tbilisi early on Sunday, the latest target in a Russian air assault on its small neighbour following a Georgian push to re-take the pro-Moscow enclave of South Ossetia.

A Georgian ceasefire offer went unheeded by Moscow and separatists in the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali reported that Georgian forces, dug in on high ground outside the town, were continuing to fire on the town.

"The Georgians have dug in at the heights and they don't want to leave. Our fighters, aided by the Russians, have been trying to flush them out of there," Irina Gagloyeva, spokeswoman for the rebel administration, told Reuters by telephone. She said there was a break in shooting in the early hours.

An EU-US delegation headed for Georgia to try to broker an end to the conflict in the heart of the volatile Caucasus, where Russia and the West are vying for influence over crucial oil and gas supply routes.

Russia poured troops into Georgia on Friday, dramatically upping the stakes in a long-running stand-off with the ex-Soviet republic over its pro-Western policies and its drive for Nato membership.

Thwe confrontation has sparked alarm in the West and led to angry exchanges at the UN reminiscent of the Cold War.

"Georgia faces a humanitarian catastrophe," Georgian Interior Ministry official Shota Utiashvili said.

Georgia said that overnight, Russia had landed 4000 troops by sea to the coast of Black Sea Abkhazia, the larger of Georgia's two breakaway regions.

In New York, a top UN peacekeeping official said there were indications the Abkhaz were preparing to launch a military offensive against Georgian special forces in the upper Kodori gorge in northern Abkhazia.

"At this point we are particularly concerned that the conflict appears to be spreading beyond South Ossetia into Abkhazia," UN assistant secretary-general for peacekeeping Edmond Mulet told reporters.

Utiashvili said in the past few hours Russia had brought 6000 troops into Georgia and a further 4000 troops by sea. "All of them are waiting for dawn to start active actions," he told Reuters.

He said three bombs had been dropped on a military airfield at a plant producing Sukhoi Su-25 ground fighters. No one was hurt, but the impact could be heard in downtown Tbilisi.

Separatist spokeswoman Gagloyeva said that though Georgian forces were keeping up pressure on Tskhinvali the Russians were in control of the town.

"Russia's aid arrived a bit too late and the town was completely destroyed. We don't have Tskhinvali anymore," she said.

In a statement, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was "profoundly concerned over mounting tensions in the Abkhaz zone." Russia was unbowed by Western criticism of its military offensive.

"Russia's actions in South Ossetia are totally legitimate," Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said, visiting an adjacent region of Russia to which thousands of refugees have fled.

Putin said Georgia's bid to join the Western alliance Nato -- anathema to Moscow -- was part of the problem.

"Georgia's aspiration to join Nato ... is driven by its attempt to drag other nations and peoples into its bloody adventures," he said, adding that Georgian action bore "elements of some kind of genocide against the Ossetians."

Russian officials said the death toll in fighting that began on Thursday stood at 2000. Georgia said on Friday that it had lost up to 300 people killed, mainly civilians.

Tbilisi said Moscow was pouring troops in the Java gorge leading from Russia down through South Ossetia towards the capital, Tskhinvali.

Russia is the main backer of South Ossetian separatists and the majority of the population, ethnically distinct from Georgians, have been given Russian passports since the enclave broke with Tbilisi in the early 1990s.

Putin said more than 30,000 refugees from South Ossetia had fled over the border in the past 36 hours. Russian officials said two of Moscow's warplanes had been shot down, 13 soldiers killed and 70 wounded.

"The attacks are occurring in regions of Georgia far from the zone of conflict in South Ossetia. They mark a dangerous escalation in the crisis," US President George W. Bush said at the Olympics in Beijing.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told Bush by phone the only solution was for Georgian troops to quit the conflict zone.

Georgia's parliament approved a state of war across the country for the next 15 days, while Russia accused the West of contributing to the violence by supplying Georgia with arms.

[Optimus]

U.S. Draft U.N. Resolution Condemning Russia
`Russian actions in Georgia are unacceptable to the international community,` The spokesman for the U.S. delegation told.
http://www.javno.com/en/world/clanak.php?id=170913

The United States will offer a U.N. Security Council resolution later on Sunday condemning the Russian military "assault" against Georgia as unacceptable, a U.S. spokesman said.

The spokesman for the U.S. delegation at the United Nations, Richard Grenell, told Reuters: "We will offer a resolution today that makes clear that the Russian actions in Georgia are unacceptable to the international community and we condemn this military assault."

Russia, which is a permanent veto-wielding member of the council and can single-handedly block any U.S. resolution, had no immediate response to the announcement.

"We'll see what's in there, then we'll know what to do," Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told Reuters.

In Georgia, Russian troops took the capital of the separatist Georgian region of South Ossetia earlier on Sunday after a three-day battle as Georgian forces retreated and the Tbilisi government offered a ceasefire and talks.

The United States earlier warned Moscow that any further military escalation in Georgia could have a "significant, long-term impact" on relations. It called on Russia and Georgia to end hostilities and return to their pre-conflict positions.

"It's too bad that the Russians didn't leave the shooting to the Olympic competition yesterday in which the Russians and the Georgians peacefully shared silver and bronze medals," Grenell said.

[Cobra]

American forces caught fighting in the war:

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fosradio.ru%2F&hl=nl&ie=UTF8&sl=ru&tl=en
Catch Georgian member of demolition squad: among them U.S. citizen
10.08.2008 // 14:13 10.08.2008 / / 14:13
According to reports from Tskhinvali Zar village in the district, which is on the "road of life" - Zarskoy road, were captured group of Georgian suicide.  One of them, as it turned out, was a U.S. citizen African American.  Most likely this is one of NATO instructors.  At this time, he transferred to Vladikavkaz to ascertain all the circumstances of his stay in the territory of the Republic of South Ossetia.
Translation is crappy, but you get what it says. Do we have anyone here capable of speaking Russian? Your help is appreciated.

I'm literate in Russian but I wouldn't trust any of these stories coming out. You have so much propaganda from both sides coming out claiming all sorts of wild things.

I can see a Georgian with Dual citizenship as being a possibility but a Black American NATO instructor who went to Vladikavkaz to explain himself? Kind of far fetched.

[trailhound]

U.S. Draft U.N. Resolution Condemning Russia

 I said ww3 early on mainly because of the history of this area, and then i thought to myself you are getting a bit ahead of the situation maybe its not that bad. I dont have to use my gut at this point..

[trailhound]

wondering what role china will play in all this

[gabba2k7]

"Russia's aid arrived a bit too late and the town was completely destroyed. We don't have Tskhinvali anymore," she said.

yeah, and when west people saw tanks (with newspapers and TV heading "russians are comming" etc) - it was russian forces goes to protect Tshinval. cauze georgian army near Tshinval boarders (who had already destroyed 10 settlements)- was IN 10+ times bigger then the quantity of russian peacemakers.

[Optimus]

Russian Navy Blockades Humanitarian Wheat Shipment to Georgia
http://rmgh.net/news-room/alerts/795.html?task=view
Sunday, 10 August 2008 01:00 Ramaz Mitaishvili  
  
The Navy of the Russian Federation today appeared to have taken a further escalatory step in its aggressive war against Georgia. “The Russian Navy is imposing an illegal blockade on Georgia,” said Alexander Lomaia, Secretary of National Security Council of Georgia, late on Saturday. Over the last 48 hours, Russian naval vessels have turned back several ships bound for Georgia with humanitarian supplies.

“Today,” said Lomaia, “the Russian Navy intercepted Lotus I, a Moldovan-flagged merchant vessel carrying wheat.” The ship was turned away, denying the Georgian population an essential food shipment.

This latest Russian move against Georgian civilians comes amidst indiscriminate Russian attacks on non-combatants. Notably, this morning, Russian warplanes struck an apartment block in Gori. Georgian authorities fear that about sixty people may have perished in the rubble. In Poti itself, Russian fighter jets attacked the oil terminal, port facilities and a nearby railroad junction. Several civilians was injured.

“The Russian military appears bent on shooting, burning and now starving innocent civilians,” Lomaia said.

As part of its military assault on its southern neighbor, Russia steamed elements of its Black Sea Fleet from their base at Sevastopol, Ukraine toward Georgian territorial waters. The force includes three amphibious assault vessels, two anti-submarine warfare vessels, a reconnaissance ship, two minesweepers, two missile boats, a missile cruiser and a variety of aircraft.

The Russian warships appear bound for Ochamchire, a former Soviet naval base in the Georgian territory of Abkhazia and for blockade duty off Georgia’s Black Sea coast.

“It is impossible that this anything to do with South Ossetia,” Lomaia remarked. “It is a grab for Abkhazia and a punishment for Georgia’s democratic inclination—naked aggression and wanton disregard for international law!”

[Optimus]

Russian assault rages as Georgia pulls back
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24159598-2703,00.html
Peter Wilson, Europe correspondent | August 11, 2008

GEORGIAN troops last night withdrew from South Ossetia under heavy Russian assault and were ordered to observe a ceasefire, but Moscow refused to call off its attacks and spread its offensive to support the second separatist enclave of Abkhazia.

Russian troops took control of Tskhinvali after heavy fighting in the streets of the South Ossetian capital, three days after Georgia used the cover of the Olympics to launch the attack on pro-Russian rebels in the enclave.

International condemnation grew as Georgia claimed Russian jets had bombed near its capital, Tbilisi, for the first time, targeting a military airfield.

Chinese officials called for an Olympic ceasefire, in line with the ancient Greek tradition of stopping hostilities during the Games.

Kevin Rudd and Foreign Minister Stephen Smith joined other countries in calling for a ceasefire but that was dismissed by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who flew from Beijing to North Ossetia.

Russian aircraft were last night bombing the western Georgian city of Zugdidi, near the breakaway province of Abkhazia, whose rebel leadership decreed a 10-day "state of war".

"Zugdidi is now being bombed," said Georgian Re-integration Minister Temur Yakobashvili.

However, Russia denied it had extended its conflict to Abkhazia as its troops headed towards Gori, the birthplace of Stalin and just south of South Ossetia and where the Georgian army had withdrawn to. Gori, an important strategic link between eastern and western Georgia, had earlier been bombed by Russian jets.

"Russian troops are heading south, and the next place in that direction is the town of Gori. Our troops are positioned to defend the town," said Georgian National Security Council Secretary Alexander Lomaia.

Russia and Georgia agreed last night to open two humanitarian corridors to allow the evacuation of the wounded and refugees fleeing the fighting in South Ossetia.

Mr Lomaia announced the withdrawal last night after Friday's attack triggered a furious Russian retaliation to support the pro-Moscow rebels in the enclave bordering the Russian province of North Ossetia.

"Russia further escalated its aggression overnight, using weapons on unprecedented scale. In these conditions, our forces conducted redeployment," he said.

As the UN and Western diplomats desperately tried to stop the war from escalating, Russian army spokesman Anatoly Nogovitsyn was forced to deny imposing a naval blockade on Georgia after a report that Russian warships had moved to block arms from reaching Georgia's Black Sea ports.

With up to 2000 people, mainly civilians, killed after Georgia chose the opening day of the Games to launch the attack, hopes for peace were given a symbolic boost when a Russian and a Georgian shooter yesterday shared a podium and an embrace after winning medals in Beijing. Following Georgia's decision to keep its team at the Olympics, the next Russian-Georgian athletic face-off will be the women's beach volleyball on Wednesday.

Moscow retaliated to the Georgian offensive late on Friday, sending its own troops into a foreign country for the first time since invading Afghanistan in 1979, and Mr Putin said the Russians would not back off until they had reversed Georgia's initial land gains.

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who was last night heading the country's defence, yesterday offered a ceasefire but Moscow said it was too late.

The UN Security Council was last night to hold a fourth emergency session after three earlier meetings failed to agree on the wording of a call for a ceasefire.

Georgia's Government will today begin flying home the 2000 troops it has serving in Iraq so they can bolster Georgia's heavily outgunned forces.

Mr Rudd said there had been a terrible loss of life and the world must condemn the acts of violence. "At a minimum, we need to see a ceasefire," he said in Beijing.

"I believe that the position of the international community, supported by Australia, is that Georgia is an independent state, its territorial sovereignty should be respected and therefore all states should exercise restraint, and that includes the Russian Federation."

Mr Smith said Australian diplomats in Moscow would urge Russia to stop military action, while the same message would be given to the Russian ambassador in Canberra. Australia also has a diplomatic post in Georgia.

The International Red Cross said hospitals in Tskhinvali were "overflowing" with casualties, while Russian envoy Vyacheslav Kovalenko said the town had been destroyed by the Georgian troops.

US President George W.Bush cut into his Olympic engagements in Beijing to call for an end to Russian bombing. "The attacks are occurring in regions of Georgia far from the zone of conflict in South Ossetia," he said.

"They mark a dangerous escalation in the crisis. The violence is endangering regional peace, civilian lives have been lost and others are endangered. This situation can be resolved peacefully."

[David Rothscum]

I'm literate in Russian but I wouldn't trust any of these stories coming out. You have so much propaganda from both sides coming out claiming all sorts of wild things.

I can see a Georgian with Dual citizenship as being a possibility but a Black American NATO instructor who went to Vladikavkaz to explain himself? Kind of far fetched.

I don't think it's far fetched. I could very well imagine American NATO instructors leading squads of Georgian forces against the Russians. Ofcourse there's no way of verifying the report, but there's a big chance it's true, so I think you should see it. Perhaps it's just propaganda, but that goes for about half of all articles posted here.

[trailhound]

wondering what role china will play in all this

 havent really looked into yet but seems likely that china gets alot of crude from russia and iran...of coarse they also sell alot of it in the form of plastic crap to the US...china neutral? the other thing is the man to woman ratio in china. Seems like they'd probably welcome a ground war where a bunch of dudes die, been thinking that for quite sometime now so maybe nothing to it. If i was a single chinaman i might want to go to war.

[Cobra]

I don't think it's far fetched. I could very well imagine American NATO instructors leading squads of Georgian forces against the Russians. Ofcourse there's no way of verifying the report, but there's a big chance it's true, so I think you should see it. Perhaps it's just propaganda, but that goes for about half of all articles posted here.

If NATO instructors would be sent I doubt they'd send a Black American man who stands out like a sore thumb among the olive skinned Georgians. Then him going to Vladikavkaz, Russia to explain himself? That would mean he's a POW because I can't see a NATO solider willingly going to Russia to be interrogated.

[trailhound]

Central Asia: CNPC and Sinopec purchased major shares in oil ventures in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. Construction is under way on a 1,860- mile oil pipeline from the Caspian Sea to western China.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/06/26/MNG27DF8HQ1.DTL

http://www.btinternet.com/~nlpwessex/Documents/kissingerunocal.htm

[trailhound]

Since the early 1990s, three countries around the Caspian Sea - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan - have yielded a vast reserve of oil and gas. Because all three are landlocked, however, control over their billions of dollars worth of oil and gas depends on the security and economic influence of the pipelines. For keen Washington energy analysts, the recent deployment of US special operations forces to the state of Georgia can only help enforce a Washington pipeline policy aimed at neutralizing Russian influence in oil-rich Central Asia.

[/b]

this article in asia times back in may

http://www.atimes.com/c-asia/DE29Ag02.html

[Godfather77]

The Russian ambassador to the UN is accusing the US of instructing and training Georgian forces prior to the conflict escalating.  It is claimed that the US gave the Georgian government the green light to attack South Ossetia and that at least 100 US personnel / advisers have been involved in exercises prior to the conflict commencing.  The Russians are really angry and are accusing the UN and the US in engaging in propaganda against Russia.  Its' live on CNN now.

[EthanAllen_TruthNet Radio]

US sources hint that by rejecting Iran sanctions, Moscow opens door to Israeli attack
http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=5491

Sources in Washington commented Wednesday night, Aug. 6, that, while it is unlikely that Israel would attack Iran without US approval, this might change if tough sanctions were taken off the table. They reported Israel was building up its strike capabilities for an attack, had purchased 90 F-16I planes that can carry enough fuel to reach Iran and would receive another 11 by the end of next year. The Jewish state had also bought two new Dolphin submarines from Germany capable of firing nuclear-armed warheads, in addition to the three already in service with its navy.

According to foreign media, Israel is active inside Iranian territory.

DEBKAfile reports that this information was leaked by Washington sources, apparently to warn Moscow that by closing the door to sanctions, it was opening the door to an Israeli attack.

A few hours earlier by Russian UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin: “There have been no firm agreements or understandings or any kind of concerted work” against Iran over its nuclear program.” He took exception to US and British statements that a fourth round of UN Security Council sanctions was on the cards against Iran for its ambiguous response to the six-power incentives.

The sources disclosed that Israel, believing Tehran will have enough enriched uranium for a nuclear bomb by next year or 2010 at the latest, is worried about Washington’s softening on Iran and intention to open a US office in Tehran.

Washington sources report that Israeli is building up its strike capabilities and appears confident that a military attack would cripple Tehran’s nuclear program even if its installations were too widely scattered to be completely wiped out.

US, British, Russian, Chinese, French, German and European officials spoke by conference earlier in the day. The US and Britain said they had agreed to consider a possible fourth round of UN Security Council sanctions for lack of a clear yes or no from Tehran on the suspension of uranium enrichment in return for incentives.

This the Russian ambassador denied. He also said Moscow had set no deadline for Iran to respond to the offer made on June 19. “The negotiating track is open, there are contacts between the parties,” he said. While Russian would have preferred a clear response, “It’s more complicated than that as we all know.”

He suggested that further talks among the six powers would take place in September on the sidelines of the next UN General Assembly.

[Aaron]

Did mercenaries help Georgia?
The president of South Ossetia claims mercenaries took part in Georgia’s offensive against the breakaway republic, according to Russia’s RIA news agency. Eduard Kokoity says Ukrainians, people from the Baltics as well as nationals from other countries were involved.

http://www.russiatoday.com/news/news/28765

[Sub-X]

EU preparing snap summit on Russia-Georgia war
http://euobserver.com/9/26596
10 August 2008

The French EU presidency is preparing to call an emergency EU summit on the Russia-Georgia conflict, following a Polish request. A snap gathering of EU foreign ministers has already been organised in Brussels for Wednesday (13 August).

"The proposal of [Polish] prime minister Donald Tusk to hold a meeting of the European council at the level of heads of government has been accepted. We don't know the date yet," Polish foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, said at a press briefing in Warsaw on Saturday.
 
"There is...a possibility a formal summit will take place in Brussels later in the week," Swedish foreign minister, Carl Bildt, told Swedish news agency TT.

A French government spokesman confirmed that EU foreign ministers will hold an extraordinary meeting in the EU capital on Wednesday, following a visit to Tbilisi and Moscow by the French foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, and Finnish foreign minister, Alexander Stubb, on Sunday and Monday.

Mr Kouchner will present a three-point French peace plan based on an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of both armies and "full respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia." Mr Stubb is going in his capacity as chairman of the European security club, the OSCE.

"The EU must find a new language, a new mode of cooperation in its relations with Moscow," Mr Kouchner told French daily Le Parisien before his departure. "The conflict with Georgia may affect the evolution of our relations."

A lower-level EU diplomatic mission has already arrived in Georgia to help broker a ceasefire, after Russian tanks and warplanes attacked Georgia on Friday (8 August). Russian jets hit an airport in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on Sunday morning, while Russian warships moved toward Georgia's Black Sea coast.

The incursion came in response to Georgia's assault on Russian-backed rebels in the breakaway Georgian republic of South Ossetia, many of whom hold Russian passports. The fighting has caused heavy civilian casualties in the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali and the Georgian town of Gori.

The Swedish foreign minister in a statement on Saturday voiced the strongest criticism yet by any EU member state of Russia's actions.

"We did not accept military intervention by Milosevic's Serbia in other former Yugoslav states on the grounds of protecting Serbian passport holders. And we have reason to remember how Hitler used this very doctrine little more than half a century ago to undermine and attack substantial parts of central Europe," Mr Bildt wrote.

The presidents of ex-communist EU states Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania said in a joint statement that: "The EU and NATO must take the initiative and stand up against the spread of imperialist and revisionist policy in the east of Europe...The Russian Federation has overstepped a red line."

Accusations fly

Meanwhile, Russia and Georgia have accused each other of committing atrocities, and disagreements between Russia and Georgia ally the US continue to confound UN security council efforts to issue a joint resolution on the conflict.

Georgia's shelling of Tshkinvali was "genocide," Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin said after meeting South Ossetian refugees in the Russian border town of Vladikavkaz. "The territorial integrity of Georgia has suffered a fatal blow," he added, suggesting Russia will not let South Ossetia remain part of Georgia.

Georgia's "western friends" have contributed to the conflict by giving Tbilisi diplomatic backing and supplying arms, which "helped create the feeling of impunity inside the Georgian [president Mikhail Saakashvili]," Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said at a press conference in Moscow.

In a TV interview with the BBC, Mr Saakashvili said he had seen Russian warplanes deliberately fire on civilians in Gori. "We are dealing with war crimes here," he said, sitting in front of a Georgian and an EU flag. "We are a European democracy, a small European democracy, right now being butchered by this Russian government."

The president admitted Georgia cannot hold back the Russian army itself, if fighting goes on. "The world has to wake up and speak with one voice," he said. "The main thing here is to get international mediation, so there is some international framework and people can go back and rebuild their lives."

[lolmao500]

Here in Russian

Several dead mercenaries who appear to be from U.S. or NATO have been found in Tskhinvali. Several are reportedly black... which Georgia doesn't have in it's army.

From Sky News TV: The U.S. has begun flying Georgian troops out of Iraq.  Which could end up killing americans pilots/troops... involve the US and NATO....

Turkey have boats near Georgia...

It's getting out of control fast. If those mercenaries are blackwater... or Israelis...

[trailhound]

The Russian ambassador to the UN is accusing the US of instructing and training Georgian forces prior to the conflict escalating.  It is claimed that the US gave the Georgian government the green light to attack South Ossetia and that at least 100 US personnel / advisers have been involved in exercises prior to the conflict commencing.  The Russians are really angry and are accusing the UN and the US in engaging in propaganda against Russia.  Its' live on CNN now.

 

draft anyone?

[larsonstdoc]

  You young guys say "Hell no we won't go".

 This crap has been all instigated by the neocons and the Israelis!  They hate PEACE!

[EvadingGrid]

Saakashvili  married  Anglo-Dutch Sandra E Roelofs
Saakashvili  funded by George Soros
Sandra E Roelofs  SOCO Foundation promoting Eugenics

This makes a 'good' read
http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/ruseur_wp_022.pdf

[Optimus]

This headline talks about a Georgia ceasefire, but the video is talking about Georgian genocide.
Georgia burns down church full of civilians.


 August 10, 2008, 19:05
Georgia announces ceasefire
 The Russian embassy in Tbilisi has reportedly received a note from the Georgian president saying his country is stopping military action in South Ossetia. Russia’s Interfax news agency reports that Mikhail Saakashvili ordered his army to stop firing on Sunday. However, the Russian Foreign Ministry says Georgia has yet to end hostilities.

http://www.russiatoday.ru/news/news/28749/video


Edit: About 3 and a half minutes into the video talks about two bodies of black men found in S. Ossetia, possibly Americans.

Someone needs to get this video and put it up on youtube and send it to Alex.