http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/08/08/georgia.ossetia/index.html


I guess not, or maybe it's just that no one cares. I'm rather old fashion, and tend to take notice when a nuclear power invades or attacks another nation.

But I guess outrage over such things is reserved for the US alone.




Note: I havent' looked into this, have have no opinion which side is justified as of yet. Something I'll have to correct.

That certainly explains all the "Free Tibet" bumper stickers I see.

As for outrage at other nations, there was an anti Chavez dogpile yesterday.

This is indeed fucked up, though. I haven't commented on it, because I don't really understand what's going on yet. Beyond that, I don't come here to talk about politics.

Oh, I've noticed - it was the first thing I heard when I turned on the TV this morning - better than a cup of coffee to get my 1980's-era, Twilight-2000 playing, Tom Clancy-reading ass out of bed.

With Russia tied down and the Olympics in China, this would be the time I would expect some type of Israeli strike on Iran. Plenty of distractions for the International Community.

I read the stories this morning, but like Aos, I don't fully understand the situation.  Useless to give an uninformed opinion.

News at 11.  Humans kill other humans.

Quote from: Werekoala;233656With Russia tied down and the Olympics in China, this would be the time I would expect some type of Israeli strike on Iran. Plenty of distractions for the International Community.

Interesting idea.

It's very likely that such an Israeli attack IMO would provide Russia cover, not the other way around- and push the Olympics off center stage.

But still, interesting idea.

Quote from: Callous;233669News at 11.  Humans kill other humans.

I'll put that down as "don't" care.

I'd like to know however if that was the same reaction you had for the various US military options invoked in Iraqi and other previous events?

Well, in my case, honestly no- but I'm not Russian or Georgian. shouldn't one be more concerned with the military action of one's own country?

Quote from: KenHR;233661I read the stories this morning, but like Aos, I don't fully understand the situation.  Useless to give an uninformed opinion.

I really can't give one either, but that rarely stops people from talking about it and it shouldn't stop them from asking questions.

I do know that Russia has had significant internal terrorist problems. Does anyone know if this is related?

No, its very simple and apalling behaviour on Russia's part.  Georgia is the most democratic breakaway state of the old USSR, and has the most pro-western president. So they've been supporting these two "breakaway" regions (ossetia being one of them) for the last several years, basically constantly upping the ante at pushing and prodding Georgia into doing something, until Georgia had no option but to send in troops to occupy the region. This gives Russia the excuse it needs to move troops in to occupy Ossettia, and possibly all of Georgia, and depose Sakashvili (the Georgian president) on grounds that they are defending human rights or some other bullshit.

Ossetia isn't independent. Its a Russian puppet. It only exists to keep Georgia from being able to progress to the point that it will be independent of Russia's sphere of influence, and now, to act as an excuse for an invasion of Georgia in order to bring that state back into the Russian sphere and away from the west.

RPGPundit

This is shitty. It's appalling of Russia to act like this, and it brings to mind the strongarm tactics of its Soviet yesteryear.

Interestingly, I passed on news broadcasts today. I didn't know until I read it in Tangency, and if I didn't see it there, this would have been the first I'd heard.

Quote from: RPGPundit;233685Ossetia isn't independent. Its a Russian puppet. It only exists to keep Georgia from being able to progress to the point that it will be independent of Russia's sphere of influence, and now, to act as an excuse for an invasion of Georgia in order to bring that state back into the Russian sphere and away from the west.

The natural question that follows from this is why is Georgia holding on to it given that Georgia is itself a breakaway republic?

Significant loyal segment of the population? Resources?

From this article:

   The area is of strategic importance, largely because of the BTC oil pipeline, which runs through central Georgia just south of the breakaway region. The pipeline – which features in the 1999 James Bond film The World is Not Enough – pumps around one per cent of global crude supplies from the Caspian to the Turkish port of Ceyhan for export to Western Europe but is already closed because of an attack in Turkey last week by the Kurdish separatist organisation PKK.

Cool.  I always liked the Russians more when they were being total dickwads.  This half-assed mob-controlled democracy shit wasn't even half as entertaining as Iron Ivan.

Someone should start whispering "You are all powerful, no one can oppose you." in Putin's ear.

Quote from: John Morrow;233721From this article:

   The area is of strategic importance, largely because of the BTC oil pipeline, which runs through central Georgia just south of the breakaway region. The pipeline – which features in the 1999 James Bond film The World is Not Enough – pumps around one per cent of global crude supplies from the Caspian to the Turkish port of Ceyhan for export to Western Europe but is already closed because of an attack in Turkey last week by the Kurdish separatist organisation PKK.

Interesting.

I wouldn't think a simple pipeline would be enough to take the PR hit and expense of a war however.