Who started the Russian/Georgian war ??? I believe that this will clear all doubts.

[Ezana]

In Washington, Georgia's ambassador to the United States said the Russian push into Georgia the following day had been long planned.

"You just don't move more than 1,200 tanks and 15,000 soldiers into a country within 12 hours without previous planning," Ambassador Vasil Sikharulidze said.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/08/18/georgia.russia.war/index.html

[Avalux]

1. Google "South Ossetia" and do some reading.

Don't post stuff like this unless you know what you're talking about.

[Ezana]

6. MOrooon, what do you mean by that ??

What does `within 12 hours of... ` means to you ?

[Avalux]

7. Name calling? LOL

I won't waste my breath trying to educate you then.

[Ezana]

11. AS if you know !

[Avalux]

12. I've spent time studying the very complex history of that region. You? n/t

[Ezana]

14. May be some guys won´t get it however much they try (study) !

[Avalux]

15. Then why don't you educate me? What is the history of South Ossetia? of the Ossetian people? n/t

[Ezana]

16. MAN, I am not saying that I know about South OSssetian more that anyone else; but the words from

that particular diplomat say a lot about who started the war. WHat does "within 12 hours of ..." mean to you ? Within twelve hour of what ? IT Sems to mean "WIthin twelve hour of our Invasion". WHat do yoy say about this ?

[Avalux]

18. OK.

If you are saying Georgia started it, then I owe you an apology. I misunderstood your initial premise, that Russia had started it.

[Ezana]

20. Cheers !

[alstephenson]

22. MOrooon???

I think you mean "moran", don't you?

[Cooley Hurd]

2. Perhaps Russia had advance knowledge of the Georgian genocide that was about to take place...

...in S. Ossetia?:shrug:

[Bob Dobbs]

3. So the bombing of the Russian barracks prior to Russia invading

had nothing to do with it?

CNN as the cited source? You've got to be kidding. The only less credible site would be faux news.

[LSparkle]

4. Hey, is that Ambassador related to a pairs figure skater?

Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze?

Yup, I'm a skating geek ...

[TwilightGardener]

5. The Russians couldn't wait to invade. Of course they were ready.

And then Saakashvili gave them the excuse they were looking for. Dumb.

[Overseas]

28. The Russians do not want Georgia or the Ukraine to join NATO.

So Russia probably supported separatist movements in Georgia. And Georgia sought to suppress the separatist movements. When Georgia attacked South Ossetia, that gave Russia an excuse to invade.

BUT PLEASE
don't fall for the John Sidney McCain III campaign's Cold War Flashback propaganda. Please don't forget that JSM III has a staffer who is a PAID LOBBYIST for Georgia. Republican warmongers have encouraged Georgia to stomp on its separatists to thwart those Big Bad Russians. And now they are Oh So Shocked that Russia has responded in kind.

Let us not buy into the Republican PERMANENT WAR PROPAGANDA once again.

First of all, as the bankrupt beggar that violates international laws as basic as those prohibiting torture, we just can't afford to rack up more trillions of debt by encouraging and funding more aggression around the world.

We are trillions of dollars of debt thanks to McBombBomb and warmongers like him that want us to win all international disputes with destructive force.

We need to foster international cooperation, not conflict, to solve complex ecological problems. I hope our next government will refrain from aggravating existing tensions within nations that border Russia.

[arendt]

8. As if the US military has no contingency plans to invade Cuba, or dozens of other countries.

Are you totally ignorant of how military staffs work? They PLAN. They plan for as many contingencies as they can afford to plan.

Given that this is an active (constant sporadic shelling) conflict zone, where Russian peacekeepers are already deployed, it might just be possible :sarcasm: that the Russians had a PLAN to extract their peacekeepers in a hurry and to punish the people who drove them out.

Duh.

arendt

[deaniac21]

9. Reminds me of when all of the Germanic peoples were saved

in Sudetenland. Except it was much more bloody.

[mainegreen]

10. Of course Russia had previosly planning.

Not to say who the aggressor was, or that is was or wasn't mutual aggression.

Everybody has previous planning for all sorts of scenarios.

Putin and friends, and the Russian military aren't stupid.

[NNN0LHI]

13. The Russians were searching for WMDs so everything is hunky

You know how that works don't you?

Don

[Junkdrawer]

17. "1,000 U.S. Marines Began Joint Military Exercise In Georgia On July 15th!"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3798178

I think we got Russia's attention.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

19. By that logic both of them started it. n/t

[pokerfan]

21. That is probably closest to the truth

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/08/russia.georgia1">Analysis: Georgia's decision to shell Tskhinvali could prove 'reckless'

[hoosier_lefty]

23. interesting article.

The Russians are accusing the Georgians of attempted genocide.

Wait I thought the U.S. was AGAINST genocide and FOR
"breakaway republics". Is that why the Georgians have been
kissing Georges powdered behind? I guess it worked.

Thanks for posting this.

[spanone]

24. duh

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

25. I'm guessing the U.S.

I think it's more likely then not they encouraged Georgia to attack S. Ossetia.

[tkmorris]

26. Step One: Discover KoolAid

Step Two: Drink KoolAid.

Step Three: Post about it on the DU.

[bemildred]

27. "Started" and "ready for" are distinct concepts.

Saakashvili started it, the Russians were ready for it.

Conversely, the Russians did not start it, and Saakashvili was not ready for it.

What amazes me is that ALL of the Western political elites appear to have been caught flat-footed and stupefied by events. What the fuck were they doing while this was ramping up?