Russia/Georgia Situation News & Updates

Pics from Poti showing Russian forces on the ground












- to be honest I can't tell from these pics whether they're Russian or Georgian troops but the source describes them as being Russian.

Originally posted by asen_y2k
THIS WHOLE THING HAS BEEN A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE!!

One moment OMG they are gonna take Tbilisi!!!!!

The next...we have nothing to talk about as the the whole thing calms down forces retreat and it gets boring enough to talk about toilet seats

Man what a week!

I am too tired to type anymore, gonna go to sleep for the night. Hope I don't wake up to see strange headlines with the words 'USA', 'Russia' and 'war" together in the same sentence...

We might not even wake up

Im playing of course we will, Georgian forces will hold off Tbilisi and then America will go over take out some aircraft, Gordon Brown will be like "Hmmmm maybe I could stay in power" the UK goes over, war escalates. Iran says it'll help Russia, bombs a few bases in Iraq. U.S and other forces go into Iran... more bad stuff.

They are stealing toilet seats? Deploy! Army, Navy, Marines, Airforce!

We need 24/7 coverage of this! I want to see toilet seats (or lack thereof) and Georgians sad about having no where comfortable to poo. This media campaign should manufacture our consent within a week. Let the invasion begin. Operation: Uncomfortable Fanny.

reply to post by pause4thought


Cheers for that, Pause.

I didn't realise things were that bad. You know times are hard when you start to think of a toilet seat as a luxury item.

Anyway, back to the war.

interesting article from Asia Times...
Georgia's Israeli arms point Russia to Iran


[edit on 13-8-2008 by ~Lucidity]

reply to post by pepsi78


Well, seeing as I have spent years living out there maybe I know what I'm talking about.

I have unending respect for Russian people. They are generous, hospitable and resourceful. I also have high respect for Americans. It is the actions of the respective governments that are being analyzed, not the people.

Hmmm

Transcript of Bush remarks on Russia-Georgia;

We expect Russia to meet its commitment to cease all military activities in Georgia, and we expect all Russian forces that entered Georgia in recent days to withdraw from that country.

As I have made clear, Russia's ongoing action raised serious questions about its intentions in Georgia and the region.

....

In recent years, Russia has sought to integrate into the diplomatic, political, economic, and security structures of the 21st century. The United States has supported those efforts. Now Russia is putting its aspirations at risk by taking actions in Georgia that are inconsistent with the principles of those institutions.

Transcript of Bush remarks on Russia-Georgia


Well forget about that buffer zone Russia wanted around the break away region. Bush is telling Russia to get its military out of Georgian country.

Bush has also said that Russia's principles has changed.

So regardless of Russia letting the US pass to help with humanitarian aid. Bush is also sending his troops in to police the region instead of the Russians.

Or am I reading this wrong?

What is the bear going to do now?


Edit to add..

I said to police the region.. I meant that the US will be providing support to those sending in aid so as not to get jumped by those mercenaries that are roaming the country....

[edit on 13-8-2008 by Willbert] to add the right link to that quote from The Associated Press.

[edit on 13-8-2008 by Willbert]

reply to post by Willbert


That's what I was thinking before. Russia has said that it is the key, sole guarantor of Abkhazia and South Ossetia - Russia isn't going anywhere.

I was thinking, if Russia retreats now, it will have been seen to back down in the face America and George Bush. No chance. As we've already seen, the Russians will not be dictated to, nor pushed around. They aren't in that kind of mood.

The two are headed for a collision.

Originally posted by chips
The two are headed for a collision.

Or a stalemate.

Russia can regroup in Abkhazia and Ossetia, build formal borders and be done with it.

reply to post by chips


What no more toilet jokes or comments? Thats not directed to you Chips..

I guess the real implications here has stopped the toilet commentary and people are now just grasping what the US has told Russia to do.

Not funny now is it...

[edit on 13-8-2008 by Willbert]

Originally posted by pause4thought
Not to put too fine a point on it, but Russian soldiers are not at all well-paid.

But stealing furniture and toiler seats of all things?

Picture this: A Russian tank is driving through Georgia with a sofa and a dinner table loaded on top of it. Then there is a good dozen toilet seats hanging on the turret.

Do you have any idea how obscenely retarded that sounds?

Originally posted by pause4thought
Many Russian families rely on the produce of their garden plot to stay alive.

Sorry? What? Do you think Russians still leave in the nineteenth century? Your "many" describes perhaps no more than 5-8% of the Russian population.

You would be more correct saying that more Georgians survive that way than Russians.

Originally posted by pause4thought
I have no doubt whatsoever that in the heat of war barbarous acts of looting, and worse, are more than likely to be occurring.

But liekly not be uniformed troops. That kind of conduct is not unknown in Russia - but is strictly punished today by the army seniors. There are many thugs and criminals in that area, who would jump on any chance to take advantage of the abandoned Georgian villages.

Originally posted by pause4thought
It's just another way of expressing contempt for the enemy.

You'll be surprised to find that there is not much contempt towards Georgians among Russians. Perhaps towards Saakashvilli and his troops.

And ok - I understand that it could happen that some soldiers want to get a war trophy or two. Maybe jewelry or small valuables. But furniture and toilet seats? What kind of sick humor is that on the part of Saakashvilli?

Originally posted by pause4thought
It may sound unbelievable to Western ears, but in this case the Georgian President is probably stating facts.

You'll see the number of toilet seats jump 500% on eBay as soon as the Russian troops come home no doubt. They gotta materialize these war trophies somehow. After all how many toilet seats does one soldier need? I personally wouldn't take any more than 4.


Seriously - I would not trust much of what that dillhead says anymore. Nor trust anyone else for that matter.

[edit on 13-8-2008 by maloy]

reply to post by chips


This may well be a real sticking point. The populaltions of S.O. & Abkhazia have long wanted independence & Russia has effectively achieved this for them. Russia has gained two buffer zones for itself. There is no way the Russian army is going to retreat back to the previous borders at this point, and probably into the foreseeable future.

Bush's statement, if it really is intended to be understood as a demand for total withdrawal, is simply unrealistic. It is either based on poor thinking or it is a deliberate attempt to escalate the situation. I see no other interpretation.

reply to post by buddhasystem


...Or a stalemate.

Does the U.S. recognize the two provinces as being separate from Georgia? When Mr. Bush demands that Russia respect Georgian territory and requests that she withdraw her troops from Georgia, does he mean the whole of Georgia - including those two areas?

Check out this article as it confirms Russian troops in Gori. Also says they are within a hundred miles of Tsibili.

www.huffingtonpost.com...

What i'm wondering, the column that headed for the capital, are they still in that deserted base? Haven't heard anything about them when i saw they were going off the road and stood still.

Originally posted by chips
reply to post by buddhasystem

 

...Or a stalemate.

Does the U.S. recognize the two provinces as being separate from Georgia? When Mr. Bush demands that Russia respect Georgian territory and requests that she withdraw her troops from Georgia, does he mean the whole of Georgia - including those two areas?

Allow me to help you with that...

As I have made clear, Russia's ongoing action raised serious questions about its intentions in Georgia and the region.

Bush is referencing the whole area. If it means just Georgia alone or those satellite breakaway regions is unknown.

Well we all were wondering if anyone was going to stand up to the bear.. looks like someone did...


[edit on 13-8-2008 by Willbert]

reply to post by pause4thought


But the peace plansigned by Russia and Georgia also called for all parties involved in the conflict to return to their positions of August 7th, as I recall.

So I don't think that Bush has said anything different than that allready was in the original peaceplans/ceasefire agreements.

Originally posted by -Rugged Shark-
reply to post by pause4thought

 

But the peace plan signed by Russia and Georgia also called for all parties involved in the conflict to return to their positions of August 7th, as I recall.

So I don't think that Bush has said anything different than that allready was in the original peaceplans/ceasefire agreements.

Which means the Russians must withdraw from the breakaway areas also..

Will the Russians peace keepers stay is yet unknown... I'm guessing they will to monitor the rebuiding of the break away.

So how will this affect the buffer zone Russia said it wanted to implement?

Hey i want to play a game,anyone?

Azerbaijani positions fired
Armenian Forces violated cease-fire in several directions.
www.anspress.com...
Now look at the map
Add todays news
US forces to deliver Georgia aid
news.bbc.co.uk...

Could the mods please confirm if this is a record breaking thread for ats,and if not what was.Cheers Tarifa37