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Russia says has control of South Ossetia capital
Reuters (excerpt) ^ | August 9, 2008

Posted on 08/09/2008 1:30:46 AM PDT by HAL9000

Excerpt -

GORI, Georgia, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Russia said it had driven Georgian forces from the capital of South Ossetia on Saturday as part of an operation to force Georgia to accept peace in its breakaway region.

"Tactical groups have fully liberated Tskhinvali from the Georgian military and have started pushing Georgian units beyond the zone of peacekeepers responsibility," Tass quoted Ground Forces commander Vladimir Boldyrev as saying.

~ snip ~


(Excerpt) Read more at alertnet.org ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: caucasus; geopolitics; georgia; georgiantroops; ossetia; russia; russianmilitary; southossetia; tskhinvali; war
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1 posted on 08/09/2008 1:30:47 AM PDT by HAL9000
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To: bayouranger; Grimmy; Reform Canada; SLB; Neu Pragmatist; the lastbestlady; Borax Queen; ...
Eastern European ping list

FRmail me to be added or removed from this Eastern European ping list

2 posted on 08/09/2008 1:48:55 AM PDT by Grzegorz 246
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To: HAL9000

So war is now peace and conducting war is now peace keeping. Talking to one of these neo-fascist Russians is like talking to an emissary representing the Mongol Hordes.


3 posted on 08/09/2008 1:50:34 AM PDT by justa-hairyape
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To: HAL9000
fully liberated Tskhinvali

The way Grosny was "liberated"?

4 posted on 08/09/2008 1:56:01 AM PDT by SolidWood (God Bless Georgia and grant them victory over Russia!)
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To: SolidWood

Image caption from Travels in the former Soviet Union.

A billboard in Tskhinvali shows former Russian President Vladimir Putin and the caption "Our President." The billboards have since been replaced with new ones showing President Dmitry Medvedev.

Beware all you former Soviet republics. If you start to see these billboards going up around town, it is time to hit the road.

5 posted on 08/09/2008 2:23:02 AM PDT by justa-hairyape
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To: HAL9000

It seams very clear now why Russia is so opposed to the deployment of the defensive missile shield components in the Czech Republic.


6 posted on 08/09/2008 2:40:43 AM PDT by kik5150
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To: kik5150
It seams very clear now why Russia is so opposed to the deployment of the defensive missile shield components in the Czech Republic.

An ally would never object to the installation or expansion of a defensive system. Clearly, Russia wants Eastern Europe to have no defense from Iranian missiles. That can only mean that the Russians view the Iranians as an ally. Which of course would explain why they are selling weapons to them and helping them become a nuclear power.

7 posted on 08/09/2008 3:13:36 AM PDT by justa-hairyape
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To: HAL9000

Putin as his puppet successor should have their homes targeted by cruise missiles.


8 posted on 08/09/2008 3:16:02 AM PDT by Impy (Spellcheck hates Obama, you should too.)
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To: Impy

Putin is tyrant, gangster, terrorist and KGB agent wrapped in in one package.


9 posted on 08/09/2008 3:20:06 AM PDT by SolidWood (God Bless Georgia and grant them victory over Russia!)
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To: All

Georgia is not getting along with South Ossetia. Here’s some Wikipedia info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Ossetia

Following a war with Georgia in the 1990s, South Ossetia has struggled economically. Employment and supplies are scarce. Additionally, Georgia cut off supplies of electricity to the region, which forced the South Ossetian government to run an electric cable through North Ossetia. The majority of the population survives on subsistence farming. Virtually the only significant economic asset that South Ossetia possesses is control of the Roki Tunnel that links Russia and Georgia, from which the South Ossetian government reportedly obtains as much as a third of its budget by levying customs duties on freight traffic. The separatist officials admitted that Tskhinvali received more than 60 percent of its 2006 budget revenue directly from the Russian government.


10 posted on 08/09/2008 3:42:34 AM PDT by Arthur Wildfire! March ("The internet needs a gatekeeper." -- Hillary Rodham [Clinton])
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To: justa-hairyape

>> Clearly, Russia wants Eastern Europe to have no defense from Iranian missiles.

The system is sold as one needed to counter Iran and other would be rogues. In fact it’s real purpose is obviously to contain Russia and China who have the real potential.

The system is global, not limited to Europe and her hinterland.


11 posted on 08/09/2008 4:31:08 AM PDT by a_Turk (Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence, Justice)
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To: a_Turk
In fact it’s real purpose is obviously to contain Russia and China who have the real potential.

So Russia and China want to have the ability to fire missiles at Eastern Europe ?

12 posted on 08/09/2008 4:34:08 AM PDT by justa-hairyape
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To: justa-hairyape

“Talking to one of these neo-fascist Russians is like talking to an emissary representing the Mongol Hordes.”

Mongol emissaries only had two ultimatums. Surrender or die. IIRC, one of them had his head returned to the Khan in a basket. Every man, woman, child and animal in the city was slaughtered.


13 posted on 08/09/2008 4:39:25 AM PDT by Rebelbase (Black dogs and bacon bombs.)
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To: justa-hairyape

>> So Russia and China want to have the ability to fire missiles at Eastern Europe ?

No Iran does. /sarc

Components of a world wide missile shield, and trust me this is the goal, have to be dispersed worldwide. And if the USA should be the potential target of a missile from Russia or Iran, you would want your systems to be placed as close to the launch site as possible.

Why the hell would Iran want to fire into Eastern Europe? It wouldn’t. And neither would Russia or China. But Russia wants the USSR back and that would be easier were the ex republics less integrated with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Russia and China are the real worry. But diplomatic etiquette does not recommend that to be openly stated because that would open everyones hand and rush the end of the game.


14 posted on 08/09/2008 4:54:26 AM PDT by a_Turk (Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence, Justice)
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To: Rebelbase
Mongol emissaries only had two ultimatums. Surrender or die. IIRC, one of them had his head returned to the Khan in a basket. Every man, woman, child and animal in the city was slaughtered.

That is what the Kwarezmians did. Unfortunately for them, their entire culture and civilization was destroyed. Too bad, because they would have probably been a strong counter to the Iranians and Russians. The Russian Czars actually bought the mongols off for a few hundred years. I believe the tribute also required them to be ruled by the Mongols however. I have read some accounts of the Mongols campaigns in the Far East. In some cases they would completely sack and destroy one city. Then they demanded tributes from the nearby cities to keep the peace. Let us hope this more kinder and gentler version of the Mongol DNA is at play here in Georgia. Perhaps the Ukraine and Azerbijan will get by with just paying tributes.

15 posted on 08/09/2008 4:56:37 AM PDT by justa-hairyape
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To: a_Turk
Why the hell would Iran want to fire into Eastern Europe?

Perhaps that 1,300 year old war between Islam and Christianity has something to do with it. Or perhaps that 2,500 year old East West conflict (Persia) has something to do with it. Or perhaps that Mahdi Apocalypse Theology has something to do with it. But the rest of your points are well taken.

16 posted on 08/09/2008 5:07:08 AM PDT by justa-hairyape
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To: HAL9000

Ukraine in NATO - NOW!!!


17 posted on 08/09/2008 5:14:15 AM PDT by ZULU (Non nobis, non nobis Domine, sed nomini tuo da gloriam. God, guts and guns made America great.)
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To: justa-hairyape

>> Perhaps that 1,300 year old war between Islam and Christianity has something to do with it.

Those who fight wars over religion are those ignorant masses who need something they think they comprehend. Religion is never a motivator for their leaders, but rather a motivator used by their leaders. And sheep we have more than enough.

Anyway, look at the Georgian map and read its history. You will see that Russia wants bases in and around Georgia. Russia retains bases in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaidjan under the pretext of providing life liberty and happiness. Meanwhile Georgia has a pipeline that represents the blossoms of competition to the Russian oil industry. Think of Turkmenistan where the previous president who wouldn’t capitulate to Russia just recently died “of natural causes” and the new president immediately signed a contract with Russia to sell all Turkmen gas through her. Turkmenistan as you know is an ex soviet republic and muslim. Georgia is also ex ussr and almost all christian.

Religion... Gas and Oil are God in this game.


18 posted on 08/09/2008 5:27:48 AM PDT by a_Turk (Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence, Justice)
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To: justa-hairyape

Bureaucracies like the UN and the state department supply Putin and his lackies with the buzzwords and meaningless rhetoric to lie to us with.


19 posted on 08/09/2008 5:40:45 AM PDT by dr_who
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To: SolidWood

Plus he’s an assassin and martial arts expert and shirtless gay icon.


20 posted on 08/09/2008 6:20:13 AM PDT by omega4179 (B.Hussein Keep the change!)
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