South Ossetia seeks permanent Russian base

Reuters (excerpt) ^ | August 18, 2008 | Guy Faulconbridge

[HAL9000]

Excerpt -

MOSCOW, Aug 18 (Reuters) - The leader of the breakaway region at the heart of the Georgia-Russia conflict said on Monday he would ask Moscow to station a military base on the territory of South Ossetia.

Asked in an interview with Reuters if he would like a permanent Russian base in the region, South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity said: "We will ask the leadership of the Russian Federation for there to be a Russian military base on the territory of South Ossetia because Russian citizens live here."

~ snip ~

"International observers will no longer be present on the territory of South Ossetia," Kokoity said. "We have no confidence in these international observers, in these people who corrupt the truth."

~ snip ~

[Clive]

"We will ask the leadership of the Russian Federation for there to be a Russian military base on the territory of South Ossetia because Russian citizens live here."

How about an Algerian military base in the suburbs of Paris

Peraps a Pakistani one in London

Or a French one at Quebec City

Perhaps a Saudi one near Detroit

[Clive]

The Russians are using Bubba's Kosovo playbook.

[justa-hairyape]

Kosovo. That is ancient history. They just upped the ante.

Russian lawmaker hints at long stay in Georgia
TBILISI, Georgia (CNN) -- Russia says it will begin pulling back its troops from Georgia on Monday, but a Russian lawmaker has compared the situation to the U.S. presence in Iraq.

[Justice]

What goods if any can we boycott that comes out of Russia. This issue has me real PO’d. Never trust a Russian...

[SolidWood]

The only mentionable export of Russia is energy. The rest is weapons for thugs.

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

That’s like Mexico invading Arizona and demanding permanent military bases outside Phoenix and Tucson because Mexicans citizens live in The Grand Canyon State.

[Captain Rhino]

Well, that didn’t take long.

I agree with the idea of a boycott but it beats me as to what I currently buy that is made in Russia.

As long as petroleum prices stay high, the Russians will have a funding stream to finance these and other adventures. Probably best to get the transitiion to alternative sources for energy started as soon as possible - especially in Europe, which is Russia’s main customer.

[mylife]

FU Kokoity

[mylife]

The ball is about to be in Europe’s court.

What will They do? Winter is coming and Russia is about to cut off the gas

[HAL9000]

George Will discussed that yesterday. Vodka is the only boycottable product they have.

He also said - China has an economy. Russia has oil.

[HAL9000]

The Russians are using Bubba's Kosovo playbook.

I disagree. The Russian army is using a systematic campaign of terror, rape and murder against the Georgians. Even under Clinton, we've never used those tactics in warfare. There is no way to justify or rationalize Russia's actions in Georgia.

[ThermoNuclearWarrior]

We should warn Russia not to do this and if they go ahead with it we should prepare to hit it with massive air power. There wouldn’t be anything they could do but retreat back into Russia if that happened. Unlike what some believe I don’t think they would ever use nukes first. We don’t have to attack them in Russia but we should let them know we will attack them on the foreign soil of our allies who don’t want them there. I’m sure their are nations who would be happy to host a large military base in the region.

http://www.johnmccain.com/

[Alia]

Georgia: Kokoity insists on assessment of S.Ossetian conflict reasons

May 4, 2005

The South Ossetian leader [Eduard Kokoity] also commented about possible withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia and said that Tskhinvali would welcome it only if this pull out of bases does not undermine Russia's position in South Caucasus.

"If this withdrawal gives a positive impulse to strengthening of relations [between Russia and Georgia] and strengthening of the positions of two countries [Russia and Georgia], than we of course welcome this withdrawal. But if this [withdrawal of bases] is directed towards weakening of positions of Russia and pressing Russia out of the South Caucasus region, than of course for us - as citizens of Russia and here about 95% of residents of South Ossetia is Russian citizen – of course for us it is not indifferent what will be Russia positions here," Kokoity said.

[Alia]

May 11, 2007 Eduard Kokoity’s announcement came as a response to a recent decree by the Georgian president to appoint Dmitry Sanakoev head of the provisional administration in South Ossetia.

South Ossetia to Blockade Georgian Villages

The breakaway republic of South Ossetia announced on Thursday it would impose the blockade on Georgian-populated villages in the region. South Ossetia’s President Eduard Kokoity promised that the blockade would not be lifted until Georgia pulls out troops from the republic and calls back the Tbilisi-backed provisional administration.

“At 9 am, May 11, we are going to blockade all villages controlled by Georgian authorities and cut traffic on local highways,” the South Ossetian president told the Interfax news agency. The Georgian-populated villages will be ringed until Tbilisi pulls out troops from the region and withdraws the “self-constituted government of Dmitry Sanakoev,” Mr. Kokoity said, referring to a local “alternative” administration in South Ossetia.

[MuttTheHoople]

Let the S Ossetians go back to the Motherland. Russia only has 140 million people to occupy the largest country in the world. Ethnic Russians need to go back to Russia to keep Muzzies from taking over....and we in the West need to “assist” them in making a return from the Baltic States, Ukraine, Georgia, etc.

[Tommyjo]

Are you willing to man the bombers? A hell of a risk that you are taking there. The escalation process would take place and very rapidly. That is why President Bush has not ordered such strikes. Half the armchair generals on Freepers, if they were in charge, would have caused WW3 by now.

[MichaelAsher54]

Putin on the Ritz



Penetrating Insights into the Obvious

[ThermoNuclearWarrior]

I said we should build up our forces in friendly nation’s in the area and support these nations with massive air power and modern weapons. It wouldn’t start WW3 unless the Russians were the ones who escalated it. But they wouldn’t because they aren’t strong enough to take the risk that would be involved to counter that type of air power. They would be forced back into Russia and would have little other options other than arming our enemies and helping them in other ways which they are already doing.

They aren’t going to ever use nukes first because they aren’t suicidal and if we don’t attack them on Russian soil then they won’t escalate it because they can’t win and they know it. Attacking Russia outside of Russia will not cause WW3.

http://www.johnmccain.com/

[Tommyjo]

That is a huge risk and gamble. It costs money and lots of it. Think of the cost of re-establishing the U.S. Armed Forces back to the Cold War establishment? You, and many others, are under the impression that the Soviet Empire is on the rampage again and seeking to occupy every state that broke away. No U.S. administration is going to order U.S. forces into direct confrontation with Russian forces in such situations because of the risk of escalation. It is a game of stand-off and it always has been.

You posted a link to John McCain. I haven’t followed his stance on such matters. If John McCain is advocating such policies then take a step back. If John McCain was in President Bush’s shoes then he wouldn’t have reacted any differently over Georgia. The Cold War isn’t back and no where near it.