Russia seizes Georgia base, opens second front

AP ^ | Aug 11, 2008 | MISHA DZHINDZHIKHASHVILI

[Jeff Head]

TBILISI, Georgia — Russia opened a second front of fighting in Georgia on Monday, sending armored vehicles beyond two breakaway provinces and seizing a military base and police stations in the country's west, the Georgian government and a Russian official said.

GEORGIAN FORCES

RUSSIAN FORCES

[autumnraine]

Yes, see I think Putin will take advantage of expressing fear that the US is ‘getting involved’ and thus dragging us in this conflict.

I think Georgia is Russia’s way of confronting us. They are taunting us left and right.

[mass55th]

"The timing couldn’t have been better while the world and its leaders were at the Olympics."

Especially to make it look like Putin wasn't involved. Pssst guys, wait 'till I'm in China to do it!

[nuconvert]

There were also reports of attacks on Poti (on the Black Sea) over the weekend

[tcrlaf]

“I understand they have entered Senaki.”

If true, this cuts off rail and road to the Oil Port, and the Naval Base at POTI, that was heavily bombed on Saturday.

[Stolly]

More to the point, if the Georgians were planning on this and counting on NATO / US support did they bother to give anyone a heads up ?

As an ally, it is only polite for them to let us know what war they are getting us into.....

[DonaldC]

I think you need to calm down. Not like we have not tore up a number of Russian allies over the last 15 years.

[autumnraine]

Pulling out of the G8?

Not good. This is much much bigger than South Ossetia.

[mad puppy]

“Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili on signed a cease-fire pledge ...”

Mikhail...you screwed up, bad. Do the right thing...stand up, say sorry and resign. Did you really think you could slap at Russia and hope they wouldn’t slap you back just because of the Olymipics? It no longer matters how valid your issues may have been last week. Now the people you are supposed to represent and protect will pay a much higher price for your mistake.

[eastforker]

It doesn’t work that way, the US can not go head to head with Russia without starting WWIII. Much like Afghanistan, we had to fight them via a proxy war but not head to head.

[squarebarb]

Duh! Thanks. Pays to read carefully.

[DoughtyOne]

I wouldn’t be surprised.

[autumnraine]

I’m afraid you are correct.

[autumnraine]

I’m afraid you are correct.

[Girlene]

Putin is already expressing anger that we are flying them in and wants to make like we are getting involved by using an American jet to deliver the troops.

How much you want to bet he attacks the US and implies we got involved with our military equipment by dropping off the troops.

I think that would be a huge miscalculation on Russia's part. I doubt they want direct conflict with the US.

[SevenMinusOne]

You got it - Oil and the reality that Georgia is strategically of great importance (logistics wise). Reality is Georgia took a foolish gamble here.....where the benefits were not worth the costs......

The Bear has been looking to flex is muscles...and has been wanting a way to renegotiate agreements (pertaining to this area of the world).

[maquiladora]

11:43 GMT – Georgia has cut the supply of Russian gas to Armenia without warning, according to Armenian gas importers Armrosgazprom.

[autumnraine]

The prize isn’t the people or even the land. It’s the ports in the Black Sea.

[Jeff Head]

But if we're serious, that is exactly what we would do, escorted by 12 or more Raptors, with tanker and AWACS support, also escorted heavily.

Huge calculated risk, but about the only logistical way we have of showing the Russians we are deadly serious about them not gobbling up the whole of Georgia.

[Jeff Head]

...and the oil.

[kenth]

Yep. This is bigger than just Georgia or their pipeline. If it were just Georgia, Russia wouldn’t be taunting us so.