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Russia 'strengthens occupation' despite claims of withdrawal
Times Online ^ | August 17, 2008 | Tony Halpin and David Byers

Posted on 08/17/2008 9:03:34 AM PDT by Schnucki

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To: 82ndABNOfficer

I don’t think there was much of a fight in Gori at all, the Georgian forces were ordered to retreat as the Russians began to approach the city. There were probably two reasons for this, (a) to protect the capital in case the Russians decided to push on and (b) to disengage from the Russians thus creating a zone where fighting wasn’t taking place, allowing a cease-fire to be worked out. If they were still engaged directly it would be more more difficult to bring about a cease-fire.


21 posted on 08/17/2008 11:04:57 AM PDT by maquiladora
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To: 82ndABNOfficer
Seeing how big Gori is from google earth, I’m really surprised the
Georgians couldn’t have put up a bigger fight. Chechen militants managed
to kill hundreds of Russian troops during both invasions of Grozny.


I don't disagree. (and what follows are the amateurish digressions
of a never-served, over-protected US citizen)
But looking at the thumbnail table of the assets available to
the Russian and Georgian militaries...it's about a 10:1 or worse situation
for the Georgians.
And maybe worse in localized area due to the two-prong thrust by Russians.

But this may just show the difference between (generally) Chechyn
Muslism...and generally Chrisian Georgians.

One loves death more the life...
and the other loves life (even oppressed by "The Bear") more than death.
22 posted on 08/17/2008 11:05:52 AM PDT by VOA
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To: VOA

“But looking at the thumbnail table of the assets available to
the Russian and Georgian militaries...it’s about a 10:1 or worse situation
for the Georgians.
And maybe worse in localized area due to the two-prong thrust by Russians.”

The Chechens also had a considerable amount of time to plan a defense, while the Georgians thought the Russians were bluffing and would not invade. They were caught completely unprepared and were quickly disorganized. The Russians were well-prepared for their assault. The Georgians didn’t stand a chance. I think the Russians will leave Gori, their delays are for humiliation purposes. “We are going to leave, but when we feel like it. And there’s nothing you can do about it.” That’s pretty much what they’re up to. The problem will be with the Georgian govt’s unrealistic hopes of getting South Ossetia and Abkhazia back. They’ve lost them forever.


23 posted on 08/17/2008 11:30:25 AM PDT by neutronsgalore (Tagline currently under reconstruction at the request of the Admin Moderator.)
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To: Schnucki

We have not yet used our greatest weapon...Wall St. It is time to let the Rooskies know who holds all the cards in this poker game. It is time to get every American bank, mutual fund, insurance company, foundation and every other institution to start selling every Russian stock that we own. Choke the Rooskies in billions of overnight losses and convince the Europeans to do the same. Let the Rooskies know that if you want to be a bully, there is not a single place on earth outside of Russia to park your rubles!


24 posted on 08/17/2008 11:33:14 AM PDT by Stayfree (***************************************IF IT IS LEFT, IT CAN'T BE RIGHT!!)
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To: Stayfree

“Choke the Rooskies in billions of overnight losses and convince the Europeans to do the same. Let the Rooskies know that if you want to be a bully, there is not a single place on earth outside of Russia to park your rubles!”

Sorry, there’s too many free-traders making a mint off of Russia to allow that to happen.


25 posted on 08/17/2008 11:37:09 AM PDT by neutronsgalore (Tagline currently under reconstruction at the request of the Admin Moderator.)
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To: VOA

You are so right. We might have disagreed on strategics VOA, but we are on the same page in the misinformation being fed. Sometimes we are too nice for our own good. And too trusting in people. I have mentioned that fault of mine before.


26 posted on 08/17/2008 11:42:42 AM PDT by autumnraine
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To: Dustbunny
"Of course they are, that was the reason for the invasion in the first place. Putin intends to take back all the countries of the old Soviet Union, one at a time."

Yep...and there's nobody to stop him.

27 posted on 08/17/2008 11:46:43 AM PDT by penowa
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To: maquiladora

I wondered if Russians weren’t dressed as Georgian soldiers previously when reporters where complaining Georgian troops were shooting at them. It wouldn’t surprise me if they commited atrocities and blamed it on Georgia...using the large stock of US weapons they just confiscated from Georgia.


28 posted on 08/17/2008 12:10:54 PM PDT by AprilfromTexas
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To: Stayfree

I suspect Russia would counter with some form of economic assault on the dollar, our internet capabilities, etc. I wonder how much longer oil will be pegged to the dollar. I suspect if Russia has much influence with China & OPEC they could hurt us economically and the amount of foriegn oil we import leaves us vulnerable to outside influences/blackmail. I’m pretty sure Venezuela would be ready to participate.


29 posted on 08/17/2008 12:27:32 PM PDT by AprilfromTexas
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To: Schnucki
They are lingering, and adding to their numbers as a show of force promted by our pushback against the idea that they could completely absorb Akahzia and S Ossetia. That would be a complete tragedy and violation of international and U.N. decisions regarding these areas, It would be spoils of war. Not gonna happen.

So they are having a bit of a tantrum by Russian standards.

These morons remind me of Star Trek's "Klingon's". Lowbrow'd warriors with a faulty sense of entitlement linked to personal honor.

30 posted on 08/17/2008 12:56:24 PM PDT by Cold Heat (Soetoro???? Who is Barry Soetoro? Bwahahahahahahahaha!)
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To: AprilfromTexas
I suspect if Russia has much influence with China & OPEC

We don't get that much from OPEC, oil is all contractual obligations anyway, with individual countries within opec and you might be surprised to know that China and Russia are not doing well in there relationships. They are at arms length.

You are probably right about Chavez. We still get a lot of oil from them, but the percent is dropping like a rock.

Russia has already manipulated the market by withholding some supply. They claimed it was technical problems, but we know they lie a great deal if not 100% of the time. They do it to raise the price, IMO, and that only works a few times. They also hurt themselves if done very long, and they apparently stopped doing it last month.

31 posted on 08/17/2008 1:06:35 PM PDT by Cold Heat (Soetoro???? Who is Barry Soetoro? Bwahahahahahahahaha!)
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To: autumnraine
Sometimes we are too nice for our own good.

And I probably sounded a bit too cold/analytical in my analysis of
how the ghastly current events have transpired and (hopefully)
ONLY delayed the era of Georgians living free without the looming
shadow of "The Bear".

Even though I can sound a bit heartless...
my soul's hope is that the announcement of Germany's Angela Merkel (sp?)
that Georgia is on-track to join NATO will let Putin know it's
time to thump the chest about the "victory" in South Ossetia and
quietly bring the Russian "boys" home.

Georgia may never have control over the two break-away regions in
our life-times...but finalizing this issue and letting Georgia go
it's own way AND keeping those energy pipelines in Georgian
territories open...AND becoming a full-fledged NATO member...
That's as good as the poke of a finger in the eye of Putin!

Here's a toast (even non-alcoholic) for Georgian freedom and
self-determination!!!
32 posted on 08/17/2008 2:39:49 PM PDT by VOA
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To: Schnucki

WAITING FOR U.N. sanctions ..........
If it goes on without UN sanctions RUSSIA should be pulled out of the Security Council or a League of Democracies created(without RUSSIA and CHINA)


33 posted on 08/17/2008 2:43:07 PM PDT by Ulysse (i)
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To: Schnucki

They brought TV transmitters with them? Yeah, this really looks like they hurried in, in response to Georgian aggression...


34 posted on 08/17/2008 2:49:18 PM PDT by xmission (Democrats have killed our Soldiers by rewarding the enemy for brutality)
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To: Schnucki

I really gotta hand it to these russian hooligans, they are playing the modern media like a violin. They say whatever they want to say and the press dutifully reports it. Back in the day, even the liberal media knew anything that came out of moskva propaganda organ was a pile of bull manure. Now they report on the musskies like they’re some kind of hurricane... like there isn’t a chief thug calling the shots. Thank God there are still a few reporters (and I use that term as a term of respect compared to the modern “journalists”) who are willing to get out there and report the news boris doesn’t want you to hear.


35 posted on 08/17/2008 6:00:49 PM PDT by ichabod1 (If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it, and if it stops moving, subsidize it.)
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To: 82ndABNOfficer

and a homosexual icon. Vlad’s a fag of the hotboots.com variety.


36 posted on 08/17/2008 6:03:54 PM PDT by ichabod1 (If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it, and if it stops moving, subsidize it.)
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To: redstateconfidential

Ayn Rand would differ with you on that.
It’s once a KGB...you know.


37 posted on 08/17/2008 7:07:22 PM PDT by H.Akston (It's all about property rights.)
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To: AprilfromTexas

And that is how the russians do things, next thing a small “convoy” from Tblisis will fire a few token shots at the Russians and they will try to push into Tblisi.

I did read that the US advisors in Georgia were Green Beret detachments.


38 posted on 08/17/2008 7:11:01 PM PDT by padre35 (Conservative in Exile/ Romans 10.10/Eze 11.2)
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To: H.Akston

Hmm, I know Russians(Most of them are immigrants), I have worked with them, I worked on import/export projects, I have been to Russian Birthday parties, Russian Bars, Churchs and Temples, Dinner Parties,Russian etc.....And the venerated Solzhenitsyn was still a Cheerleader for an Expansionist, imperial style Russia.One John Galt is nice,..but.They can be a lovely people, but all of them I knew still expressed a Russia, Homeland Forver attitude;Even a lovely Half Russian Jew/Orthodox Ukrainian girl I know who’s family had been viscously persecuted,abused and
“pogromed” on both sides.She would have no logical reason to defend the Mother Russia, but still, in casual conversation she admitted one day if there ever was a war between America and Russia she wouldn’t know who to fight/cheer for.


39 posted on 08/17/2008 7:55:36 PM PDT by redstateconfidential (A man who lets his friends down, is no man at all.)
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To: Jeff Head
Trying to dislodge the Russians now would only give them the pretect they desie to take the whole of th e country.

If the Georgians don't give them a pretext, they'll just make one up. Just like the Germans did with the Poles at the German border town of Gliwice, in 1939.

On the night of August 31, 1939 a small group of German operatives, dressed in Polish uniforms and led by Alfred Naujocks seized the Gleiwitz station and broadcast a short anti-German message in Polish (sources vary on the content on the message). The Germans' goal was to make the attack and the broadcast look like the work of anti-German Polish saboteurs (From Wikipedia)

40 posted on 08/17/2008 8:48:24 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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