Posted on 08/10/2008 2:39:43 PM PDT by library user
They want to destroy the countries oil delivery capability, and force the contracts to go to GazProm.
It’s always about the money.
When Georgia broke away from USSR, established itself, Ossetia was Georgian. However, there was also an Ossetian speaking population. Georgia invoked a universal "language" - Georgian. Ossetia felt discriminated against. And despite the two language/cultures intermarrying and generally getting along, a Nationalist Front for So Ossetia arose in the name of and led by the influential South Ossetian Popular Front (Ademon Nykhas) in 1988. The Georgian language rule was passed in 1989.
In retaliation, So Ossetian regional council requested to be upgraded to "autonomous republic".
In 1990, Ossetians proclaimed South Ossetia a Soviet Democratic Republic, fully sovereign within the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). (Basically declaring itself as in UNION WITH RUSSIA.)
1990. Ossetia refused to participate in Georgia elections; and began having their own. Georgia countered with ruling "regional parties" to be illegal and ruling the SO elections, illegal.
A peace-keeping force got set up, which included Russia.
I'll let Wiki finish the rest of the story:
In June 2004, tensions began to rise as the Georgian authorities strengthened their efforts against smuggling in the region.[23] Hostage takings, shootouts and occasional bombings left dozens dead and wounded. A ceasefire deal was reached on August 13 though it was repeatedly violated. Presently the situation is tense with war escalating. Moscow and Tskhinvali viewed the recent Georgian military build-up with concern.
The Georgian government protests against the continually increasing Russian economic and political presence in the region and against the uncontrolled military of the South Ossetian side. It also considers the peacekeeping force to be non-neutral and demanded its replacement.[24] This criticism was supported, for example, by Richard Lugar[25], however on October 5, 2006, Javier Solana, the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union, ruled out the possibility of replacing the Russian peacekeepers with the EU force.[26] EU South Caucasus envoy Peter Semneby admitted later that "Russia's actions in the Georgia spy row have damaged its credibility as a neutral peacekeeper in the EU's Black Sea neighbourhood."[27]
---end snips.
So, a So Ossetian Socialist/Nationalist front arises to assert its independence from Georgia and instead for Russia.
And we are now to trust everything coming out of the mouths of Ossetians in re who started what?
I’m shocked, shocked to find that you neglect to tell everyone that South Ossetia has been autonomous since 1921!
Oh, I’m sure the Euros don’t care.
susie
I don’t really see any reaction that couldn’t possibly set into motion a chain of events what could be very damaging (including the reaction of inaction).
susie
It certainly sounded like it.
susie
Am I the only one who thinks that the peace keeping force should not have been Russian? That seems like a very bad idea.
susie
An excellent question...
No.
You aren't making any sense.
To be sure darlin’.
Is that a two wrongs make a right argument?
At the time, this was discussed; and the possibility of having a UN Peacekeeping force in place was brought up; and after much discussion, it was abandoned.
lol.
You know this for a fact? Or is it what you WANT to believe to justify Georgia's attack? Based on this report from a Georgian source, both sides were engaging in detrimental actions. This caused the
Six Die in S.Ossetia Shootout Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 2 Aug.'08 / 09:54Six people were reportedly killed and 22 injured in the worst violence in years in the South Ossetian conflict zone late on August 1 and overnight on August 2.
Both sides have accused each other of opening fire first.
Authorities in breakaway South Ossetia said that six people were killed and 15 injured after the Georgian side opened fire in the evening on August 1, followed by shelling of the capital Tskhinvali late on August 1 and overnight on August 2.
According to the Russian command of the peacekeeping forces in the conflict zone, one South Ossetian militiaman was killed by a sniper located in a Georgian police post close to the village of Prisi at about 6:17pm local time on August 1.
The Russian peacekeepers also reported that snipers, starting from about 9pm local time on August 1, killed at least three people in Tskhinvali. The Russian peacekeeping command also reported late on August 1 that Tskhinvali also came under mortar fire from the Georgian villages of Ergneti and Zemo Nikozi, which are close to the breakaway region’s capital.
The South Ossetian side said that shelling and shooting resumed overnight on August 2.
Authorities in Tskhinvali also said that a serviceman of the North Ossetian peacekeeping battalion was among the dead. The Joint Peacekeeping Forces in the conflict zone consists of Russian, Russia’s North Ossetian and Georgian battalions.
Mamuka Kurashvili, a Georgian Defense Ministry official in charge of overseeing peacekeeping operations, said that the Georgian side had opened fire in response to shelling of Georgian villages.
Six civilians and one Georgian policeman were injured as a result of shelling of the Georgian villages of Zemo Nikozi, Kvemo Nikozi, Nuli and Ergneti, the Georgian Interior Ministry said.
Kurashvili said that it was one of the most “outrageous” attacks carried out by the South Ossetian side.
He also said that the Georgian side suspected the Russian peacekeepers were also engaged in the shelling of the Georgian villages.
Eduard Kokoity, the South Ossetian leader, said late on August 1 that the Georgian side was conducting “a sniper war.”
“It is an attempt to engage us in a large-scale military conflict,” he said. “Ukraine and the United States are also responsible for this, because Ukraine has handed over to Georgia 40 sniper rifles and the United States – 120 sniper rifles… So far the South Ossetian side has refrained from any response, but we are not going to refrain any more.”
The Commander of the Russian Peacekeeping Forces requested the Joint Control commission to meet and work on plans to decrease tensions. (For the record, Georgia, South Ossetia and Russia supply peacekeepers.) Georgia's response was to attack.
There is one Stalin statue on the main square of Gori.
You are right. I just saw a photo of it.
Couldn't agree more. Do em like Russia did us in Nam. And while we are at it let's get rid of their puppets in Cuba and Venezuela by seriously arming their opposition.
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