[Sixstrings]

Well, this should come as no surprise. The Russians have announced plans to build naval and air bases in that breakaway Georgian province.

They've also convinced the government of Kyrgyzstan to throw us out and give our base there to the Russians.

From the Financial Times:

First, they leaked details of naval and air bases to be established on the shores of the Black Sea in the breakaway Georgian province of Abkhazia, whose independence is recognised by Moscow alone. Then they signed an air defence treaty with the former Soviet republic of Belarus, apparently paving the way for an anti-missile defence system to counter one planned by the previous US administration across the border in Poland.

Moscow appears to have persuaded the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan to oust the US from its air base at Manas, outside Bishkek, in exchange for $2bn (€1.6bn, £1.4bn) in loans, and $150m in financial aid.

Russia and the former Soviet republics of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – the so-called Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) – have agreed to form a “rapid reaction force” which is intended to be just as good as the equivalent force operated by the Nato alliance, according to President Medvedev.

Link

[WyoDutch]

One glance at a regional map would sure convince me, if I were a Russian... that the U.S. attempt to control the oil and gas wealth of the region was something that would not be tolerated.

I don't know why we're so shocked when the Russians do something so obviously appropriate.

[Consensi]

I don't know why we're so shocked when the Russians do something so obviously appropriate.

As the Russians so appropriately acted in Georgia.

Even novices can look at a map and see the obvious hurdles with carrying out a war in land locked Afghanistan.

The shock is the result of finally realizing just how incompetent the Bush admin has been in the planning and execution of the wars in both Afghanistan AND Iraq.

[RdSnt]

I don't know why we're so shocked when the Russians do something so obviously appropriate.

As the Russians so appropriately acted in Georgia.
Even novices can look at a map and see the obvious hurdles with carrying out a war in land locked Afghanistan.
The shock is the result of finally realizing just how incompetent the Bush admin has been in the planning and execution of the wars in both Afghanistan AND Iraq.

The Russians responded to the Georgian murder of Russian soldiers who were under a UN mandate, as well as the unprovocated bombing of the region.

There was no plan other than the pursuit of profits by companies Bush/Cheney owed their livelihood to. The pursuit of rapacious profits is just as short sighted and destructive in war as in commercial endeavours. The primary difference is that to perpetuate war profits you must never win.

[Micki]

I don't know why we're so shocked when the Russians do something so obviously appropriate.

As the Russians so appropriately acted in Georgia.
Even novices can look at a map and see the obvious hurdles with carrying out a war in land locked Afghanistan.
The shock is the result of finally realizing just how incompetent the Bush admin has been in the planning and execution of the wars in both Afghanistan AND Iraq.

That post just takes the price.
As mentioned before Georgia started shelling South Ossetia killing civilans and russian peacekeepers. Sakashvili can consider himself damn lucky that they let him get back to his tie chewing.
Anyway this has been discussed ad nauseum and anyone still blaming that conflict on Russia needs to take some strong medication.

And when it comes to Bush...well the guy was obviously a burger short of a happy meal, but the policies have been in place for decades if not longer.
Have you not come across the grand chessboard by Brzezinski?
The wars you see now have been planned a long time ahead.
It is like the patriot act. You don't think they wacked together 4000 pages of laws in less than 2 months just after 911 do you?
And it doesn't matter if it is Republican or Democratic, in the end it is run by the bankers. For instance one of the main lobbyists for TARP was a democrat...Geithner, who is the protege of Rubin and Summers who are the parents of modern strong dollar policy and gold price surpression.
And who is Obama sending now to Russia for diplomatic talks? Kissinger! Article
It is the same crime families that have been in charge of US at least since the 1913.

[Cid_Yama]

The security situation between Georgia and the country's separatist regions and their Russian backers remains tense, according to a U.N. report.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has filed a report with the U.N. Security Council on the status of the U.N. Observer Mission in Georgia, which is responsible for monitoring the security zone and restricted weapons zone between Georgia and the separatist Abkhazia region.

Despite ongoing U.N. patrols in the region, Ban described the situation as "precarious" and said the future of the mission's ability to operate is not clear, the United Nations reported.

Since the violent conflict between Georgia and Russia in August, officials say Russian military units remain operating in Abkhazia and are countered by an equal military presence on the Georgian side of the security zone.

"There have been a considerable number of security incidents involving casualties on both sides, and what little communication there was between the sides has largely broken down," Ban said in a statement.

"While I continue to believe that the Mission contributes to the stabilization of the situation, as a result of these developments, its position has become precarious and could rapidly become unsustainable."
link

[dissident]

Anything to say about Bondsteel in Kosovo? I see, only the US gets to build bases outside its territory.

[rangerone314]

I don't know why we're so shocked when the Russians do something so obviously appropriate.

As the Russians so appropriately acted in Georgia.
Even novices can look at a map and see the obvious hurdles with carrying out a war in land locked Afghanistan.
The shock is the result of finally realizing just how incompetent the Bush admin has been in the planning and execution of the wars in both Afghanistan AND Iraq.

That post just takes the price.
As mentioned before Georgia started shelling South Ossetia killing civilans and russian peacekeepers. Sakashvili can consider himself damn lucky that they let him get back to his tie chewing.
Anyway this has been discussed ad nauseum and anyone still blaming that conflict on Russia needs to take some strong medication.

And when it comes to Bush...well the guy was obviously a burger short of a happy meal, but the policies have been in place for decades if not longer.
Have you not come across the grand chessboard by Brzezinski?
The wars you see now have been planned a long time ahead.
It is like the patriot act. You don't think they wacked together 4000 pages of laws in less than 2 months just after 911 do you?
And it doesn't matter if it is Republican or Democratic, in the end it is run by the bankers. For instance one of the main lobbyists for TARP was a democrat...Geithner, who is the protege of Rubin and Summers who are the parents of modern strong dollar policy and gold price surpression.
And who is Obama sending now to Russia for diplomatic talks? Kissinger! Article
It is the same crime families that have been in charge of US at least since the 1913.

The truth is that 4000 pages of laws were already written, and Congress just rubberstamps it like they do other legislation. The way our government really works is they don't bother reading the laws they sign because they are (MOSTLY) written by corporate lawyers from the same companies that funded their campaigns. They don't read the laws because they aren't supposed to. I'm sure the corporate lawyers know the location and significance of each comma while your average Congressman doesn't know most pages that exist.

Russian attack on Georgia not much different than past US interventions in Central America. Might makes right. The strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.

[Micki]

Russian attack on Georgia not much different than past US interventions in Central America. Might makes right. The strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.

well yeah, except I can't think of any case where South American nation first killed American peacekeeping forces.
I have never believed that the Ruskies are some good guys, it is a constant scheming to win the game.
BUT that does not mean they should be blamed for wars that they didn't start.

IF Georgia had only killed South Oseetians and not Russians, the debate would perhaps have been slightly different as it would have been an internal affair. Having that said, I believe the international community even in this case feels that when autrocities are carried out against civilian population (which now is commong acknowledged) that it is the moral right and obligation of foreign nations to intervene. Rwanda for instance being such case where UN or other foreign forces could have intervened (even if it is a poor country without oil).

[Last_Historian]

It wasn't necessarily Russians who were behind the Americans getting kicked out of Kygyzstan.

The Kyrgyz have had an unpleasant experience with the base (truck driver shot by soldier, two women runover by military jeep), plus most of the American money was going to corrupt contractors and associates of former President Akayev (instead of the new ruling clan around Bakiyev).

This could have been a local initiative to ingratiate themselves with Russia, gets lots of aid and loans off them and not appear too unfriendly to America (or use it as a ploy to extract more money off America).

Things are rarely straightforward in that place.

[Mesuge]

And who is Obama sending now to Russia for diplomatic talks? Kissinger! Article
It is the same crime families that have been in charge of US at least since the 1913.

Well, isn't it funny how these guys (PTB moles, cover-up artist, you name it), well placed in the nexus are still poping up recycled through the decades and larger history?! As people often like to forget, among other things, Kissinger was the expediently resigned 9/11 Congress Comm. chairman nominee, shortly after the victim families directly asked him about his little conflict of interest, direct business ties with Bin Laden and other top Saudi families.

[rangerone314]

Given the average American's familiarity with geography, I wonder how many people thought that Russia was on the verge of attacking Atlanta?

[evgeny]

In Tbilisi hosts massive protest opposition against President Mikhail Saakashvili. According to various data, involving 100 to 120 thousand people. Gathered in front of the Parliament of Georgia, opposition parties and their supporters gave the president of Georgia 24 hours at retirement. This is stated in the decision-treatment of demonstrators, read by the author of the national anthem David Maghradze.

Under the plans, the opposition, the action taking place simultaneously in five places - the largest held in the center of Tbilisi on Rustaveli Avenue, in front of the Parliament, the others are in front of state television, before the first hull of Tbilisi State University, and the two residences of the president.



Georgians fleeing in Russia

Residents of Georgia are leading in the number of applications for asylum in Russia. This became known following the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation the results of its activities in this area during the first three months of this year.

As the press service agencies, local authorities MBF during the period taken, and consider the application for recognition of refugee rights and 861 applications for temporary asylum in Russia 877 foreign nationals who come from 24 states.

In doing so, the number of asylum in our country, as compared to the same period last year, has more than 30%. Most of the applicants - are from Georgia (59%) and Afghanistan (30%). In the Service notes that the number obraschativshihsya for asylum in Russia, is growing all the time, and since 2007, doubling every year. In particular, in 2009, refugees were found 124 foreigners, and were granted temporary asylum to 673 people from 16 states.

[stu]

I sincerely doubt that Georgia is going to restart a war with the Russians. The people don't want it, the EU does not want it and neither does the USA which is busy rebuilding relations with Russia in order to arrange supply transfers to Afghanistan through the former Soviet Union.