sadly, until i whiteboard it tomorrow im still confused. -- tony
Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace. -- siddhartha gautama On Mon, Aug 11, 2008 at 4:30 PM, Vivec <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Well, as seems to be usual now on the list, I have a slightly different > perspective. > > Georgia was granted autonomy from Russia after the breakup of the Soviet > Union. > They applied for sovereign status and was recognised by the US, the UN and > the EU. > > South Ossetia was also a former part of the Soviet Union. It's people were > ethnically distinct from the rest of Georgia. > They have their own culture, and their own identity. They have also sought > autonomy and sovereignty. However, they have been denied by the Western > countries, and the UN. > > The United States has heavily funded Georgia, supplying it with money, > weapons and military training. Georgia had one of the largest contingents of > a foreign country in Iraq up to a few months ago. > The US was also instrumental in pushing for NATO membership for Georgia.This > would allow them to plant Anti Missile batteries, ICBM batteries and other > military facilities, radars and what not in Georgia. > It would take completely inept, and incompetent foreign policy makers in the > US to not realise that this would anger the Russians, and that the Russians > would see this as Interference and a threat. > This should have been doubly evident as NATO has done exactly that in other > territories surrounding Russia. > > Russia has been protesting Georgia's inclusion into NATO, and also the US > support of Georgia.US Pundits and analyst act surprised. NATO claims that > Russia is being irrational. Go figure. > > In fighting in 1990 over 100,000 South Ossetians were displaced. As compared > to 23,000 Georgians living in South Ossetia who simply crossed the border > into Georgia proper.After this fighting a peacekeeping force of Georgians, > South Ossetians and Russians was established. There was relative peace after > this. > > South Ossetia has been calling for Autonomy and Independence. It held a > massive , democratic referendum vote. Over 90% of the population voted for > Sovereignty. > Georgia said that the voting was rigged, and that it would not accept the > vote. The EU said it would not recognise the democratic vote. > South Ossetia protested, was denied, and then decided to have the vote > again. > > This time with UN, and other Democratic watchgroups overseeing the voting. > This time over 98% of the population voted for Sovereignty. > > Georgia again resisted, I don't know under what grounds this time. > The EU refused to recognise the referendum, instead directing South Ossetia > to talk and negotiate with Georgia. > The EU also said that it would not send any peacekeeping force to South > Ossetia. > > In 2004 Georgian officials suddenly decided to combat 'Smuggling' in the > region, for which they blamed the South Ossetians. This set the stage for > hostilities, after what was relative peace with South Ossetia handling its > affairs, and Georgia doing likewise between 1990 and 2004. > > Now one must understand, that South Ossetia is a poor, harsh region, and its > population are mostly subsistence farmers. Georgia went so far as to cut off > electricity to the region, forcing them to turn to Russia and North Ossetia > for power and assistance. > > This is the context of the situation. > > > It's interesting after Georgia (being supplied with arms, training and money > by the US according to US reports) launched a surprise military attack > against the *CIVILIAN* population of a neighboring territory when the > world's attention was diverted by something like the Olympics (a symbol of > peace and world unity),that *Russia* who are providing that territory's only > real defence is seen as the aggressor, and as the side seeking to reopen > cold war hostilities. > > It is also interesting that certain people have the completely wrong view as > to who attacked first. > > "Georgian military commanders confirmed an invasion began in the early hours > of Friday morning, raising fears of a serious diplomatic crisis between the > country's western allies and Moscow. > The United States swiftly called for calm, but appeared to apportion more > blame on Moscow and the separatist forces it supports for taking the > volatile region to the brink of war. > "We're urging Moscow to press South Ossetia's de facto leaders to stop > firing," a US State department official said. "We're urging Tbilisi to > maintain restraint." > Just hours after Mikheil Saaskashvili, Georgia's pro-western president, > declared a unilateral ceasefire, his armed forces began an artillery barrage > against Tskhinvali, the rebel capital. > Military commanders indicated that a full-scale invasion was underway and > would not stop until Georgia had regain control of the self-proclaimed > republic, which attempted to secede in a bloody war that ended, unresolved > in 1994." > > *GEORGIA* attacked South Ossetia.*GEORGIA* stated that the fighting would > not stop until South Ossetia had been reclaimed. After *GEORGIA* attacked > South Ossetia Civilian population without provocation, the US asked South > Ossetia not to defend itself. > > Now of course, one is free to interpret, rationalise and skew the facts as > one will, however one should be skillful enough with Spin and Propaganda to > not overtly Alter facts that are so plainly stated in numerous International > news reports straight from the mouths of Georgia's leadership itself. > > 2008/8/10 Robert Munn <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> So what does everyone think of the situation in Gerogia? The Russians >> appear to have completely thrown out the post-Cold War agenda and seem >> to be intent on overthrowing the democratic government of Georgia. >> >> The Russians timed the invasion on purpose, as well. They waited until >> the opening day of the Olympics to stage a massive assault. Who knows >> where it ends at this point. > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Adobe® ColdFusion® 8 software 8 is the most important and dramatic release to date Get the Free Trial http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;203748912;27390454;j Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/message.cfm/messageid:265701 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
