Posted on 04/25/2008 8:08:19 PM PDT by Flavius
MOSCOW: Russia is ready to use “military” force to protect its citizens if war breaks out in the Georgian separatist provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, a Russian foreign ministry official said on Friday.
“If a military conflict develops, then we will have to react, including with military means,” foreign ministry official Valery Kenyaikin told journalists. “We are ready to defend our citizens.”
The majority of citizens in Abkhazia and South Ossetia have Russian passports. Georgia accuses Russia of trying to annex the territory by supporting the rebel forces there and by encouraging residents to take up Russian citizenship.
Tensions between Russia and Georgia have escalated sharply in the last few days over the two provinces, which lie on Georgia’s side of the border with Russia in the Caucasus mountains.
Russian President Vladimir Putin last week ordered closer ties with provinces, prompting international condemnation and outrage in Tbilisi. Another flare-up occurred on April 20 when a Georgian unmanned spy plane was shot down. Georgia blames Moscow, while the Russians say that Abkhaz rebels were responsible.
U.S. Army Sgt.Special Forces Group, instructs Georgian army soldiers on the dangers of conducting live-fire ambushes and maintaining muzzle control. In the third phase of the Georgia Train and Equip Program, the Georgian army is learning airmobile operations, basic and advanced rifle marksmanship, and tactical movement.
Fine. They can have Plains.
And the Buffoon that came from those Plains.
“We are ready to defend our citizens.” Didnt Hitler say this about Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland?
I keep waiting for Calderón to threaten sending Federales to protect his Mexican citizen gang-bangers from the LAPD.
A guy can hope, can't he?
I hope the fighting won’t spill into Florida.
I know what you mean. Every time Iread about fighting in Georgia, it always catches me off guard for a half second or so until I remember the “other” Georgia, the country by Russia.
If they take the Talahatchee Bridge, it’s all over.
Ouch.
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