It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
Yup very convenient you forgot my sentence on Kosovo there. The US has no moral high ground, look at what they did for Israel also, took Palestine and gave it to the Jews with no real right or permission, then armed and supplied the Jews in there wars and land grabs. As far as Russia wishing to make a region or two that is predominately Russian, into a Russian state, they are doing no more or no less than the US, UK, France and majority of Europe has already done many times.
Nato is nothing more than a paper tiger. Everyone who laughs at Nato is justified, they backed down from there promises, after all those years of acting like a tough guy. Those who bash Russia are just ignorant fools who belive everything the media shovels them.
Originally posted by Saf85
Heck Kosovo can be forcefully made independent by the USA, but when Russia tries it, everyone is up in arms and complaining.
Originally posted by pavil
Umm go ahead and support the Serbs actions in the 90's if you must, they were thugs to their former Yugoslav brothers.
I don't recall Russia exploring every diplomatic route before resorting to taking over the peacekeeping in those regions of Georgia.
I don't recall the U.S. giving U.S. citizenship to the residents of Kosovo, do you?
You are so for self determination of others except for Chechnya huh? Give me a break.
As for your assertion that "Well you guys did the same thing long ago, what's wrong with us doing it now?"
It's 2008, hopefully as signatures to the UN charter you wouldn't go about annexing another countries internationally recognized border territories for your own.
Why don't you just go and grab back all of the former USSR regions as well then?
Very thuggish if you ask me. No wonder you supported the Serbs if that is your attitude.
Originally posted by dooper
reply to post by Iblis
Ib, history and logic do not matter with some folks, and facts only make them mad. They just rant over whatever pet peeve happens to be the weed up their butt of the moment.
Unless I'm entirely mistaken, Israel was formed from the British territory which was collectively called Palestine.
So this is all America's fault. Israel's existence is America's fault. The global economy is America's fault. Global warming is America's fault. The decline of the British Empire is America's fault. The absence of solar spots is America's fault. The extinction of the dinosaurs is America's fault.
My suggestion is to not continue. It's useless to argue with biased ignorance. You see, some folks enjoy their ignorance through bitter, biased hatred.
Originally posted by StellarX
Originally posted by pavil
Umm go ahead and support the Serbs actions in the 90's if you must, they were thugs to their former Yugoslav brothers.
After the US openly instigated and provided the incentive for territories trying to break away from the Yugoslav federation. Serb actions were brutal but not more so than that of those Albanians or other 'ethnic' groupings.
I don't recall Russia exploring every diplomatic route before resorting to taking over the peacekeeping in those regions of Georgia.
It's a UN mandate and given the US history of flaunting what it does not VETO outright there isn't much left of it that similar well armed countries have to respect.
I don't recall the U.S. giving U.S. citizenship to the residents of Kosovo, do you?
Yes, the Kosovor's got absolutely nothing in reward for the devastation caused by US senate voting to not allow further monetary aid unless territories claimed formal independence. If the US would at least give Iraqi's, Afghans and Albanians US citizenship then there would be some kind of reward but as it stands it's just suffering and destruction.
You are so for self determination of others except for Chechnya huh? Give me a break.
Right. I don't have much sympathy with the Chechen cause but it's not like the Russians endeared themselves to anyone but handling a internal struggle with so much violence. Having said that i would rather countries keep their violence internal than to invade so many others based on obvious lies.
As for your assertion that "Well you guys did the same thing long ago, what's wrong with us doing it now?"
The US is currently engaging in two illegal occupations of two quite formally sovereign nations; the Russian federation hasn't so far done that despite having the power to try.
It's 2008, hopefully as signatures to the UN charter you wouldn't go about annexing another countries internationally recognized border territories for your own.
Can't we deal with the most flagrant of offenders first before discussing what Russia did to Georgia because Georgie shelled Russian peacekeepers fulfilling a UN mandate? Has the Russian armed forces killed a million Georgians yet or is the body count more like a few hundred?
Why don't you just go and grab back all of the former USSR regions as well then?
The moment the US attempts to employ those regions as bases for aggressive operations they very well might. If NATO provides the pretext other former 'republics' will get something similar to the Georgian treatment.
Very thuggish if you ask me. No wonder you supported the Serbs if that is your attitude.
Your going to call the Russians thugs for defending their territorial integrity ( border regions) while the US invades countries that are on other continents? Why don't you support the Serbs who attempted to defend all the gains the people of that region have made in the Southern Slav federation otherwise called Yugoslavia? How are any of the 'liberated' territories better off today than they were back in the 90's?
Stellar
Originally posted by StellarX
After the US openly instigated and provided the incentive for territories trying to break away from the Yugoslav federation. Serb actions were brutal but not more so than that of those Albanians or other 'ethnic' groupings.
Hmmm interesting considering that it was Russia Attacking Georgia proper, I don't recall Georgia attacking Russian land.
Having said that i would rather countries keep their violence internal than to invade so many others based on obvious lies.
Can't we deal with the most flagrant of offenders first before discussing what Russia did to Georgia because Georgie shelled Russian peacekeepers fulfilling a UN mandate? Has the Russian armed forces killed a million Georgians yet or is the body count more like a few hundred?
The moment the US attempts to employ those regions as bases for aggressive operations they very well might. If NATO provides the pretext other former 'republics' will get something similar to the Georgian treatment.
Your going to call the Russians thugs for defending their territorial integrity ( border regions) while the US invades countries that are on other continents?
Why don't you support the Serbs who attempted to defend all the gains the people of that region have made in the Southern Slav federation otherwise called Yugoslavia? How are any of the 'liberated' territories better off today than they were back in the 90's?
Originally posted by pavil
Not surprised you are defending their actions. Par for the course.
I noticed you never really addressed the giving of Russian citizenship in your comments, why didn't you. Was Russia right in giving citizenship to members of another nation?
Hmmm interesting considering that it was Russia Attacking Georgia proper, I don't recall Georgia attacking Russian land.
Nice sidestepping of the question. Would Russia be right in topple the Govt. of Georgia and installing a more favorable regime toward them?
Truly scary thought process there, you do realize the former members of the USSR left on their own accord right?
They are seeking NATO protection not to launch attacks on Russia but to protect themselves from Russian aggression, like we have just witnessed.
Huh? Russia defending their territorial integrity by attacking a sovereign bordering nation and threatening to remove it's government?
When did the Georgians invade Russia? Or is Georgia part of a "Greater Russia"? You would think that they (Russia) would try to set the example of the "good neighbor" rather than the course they have taken.
It's fairly obvious that the breakaway Nations of the Slav Federation had had enough of the heavy handedness of the Serbs.
As for being better off than in the 90's, well yeah, they aren't being herded into concentration camps and removed from their villages anymore, i would say that would be an improvement. You may differ.................
Originally posted by StellarX
I explicitly addressed the issue and i recommended that the US/NATO also start doing similar things for Iraqi's and Afghans
Well they did not as they didn't have the power to do so. If Russia had sent in the troops they could have and would have crushed the very small scale rebellions taking place. To suggest that the USSR collapsed due to some kind of sudden internal rebellion is in my mind to admit to not having studied the issue at all. How many were killed by security forces during that period? I mean obviously the people of those various nations wanted independence but that was hardly a new movement.
NATO is at it's heart a mutual defense network ie an attack against one is an attack against all. It's basic military doctrine has not been an offensive attack against the USSR/Russia but rather a "hold the defense" till the Bulk of NATO (US) troops can make it over. Granted NATO has delved into some areas (Balkans and Afghansitan) which are beyond that mandate, but those two actions are hardly attacks against Russia.
Since the second world war ( and obviously before; Russia were invaded three times up to the second world war by the western powers ) NATO has been the aggressor all around the world and to claim that one gains 'protection' against Russia by joining is once again in my opinion a typical misrepresentation.
I'll grant you it was stupid of Georgia to try and militarily take back those areas, but Russia's response would have been to overrun the whole country if not for the political outcry.
They attacked Russian peacekeepers that were assigned to those former Georgian territories ( ever since Stalin designated them so at least) to enforce the ceasefire agreements as negotiated between the factions.
The only thing that held Yugoslavia together was Tito, it was just a matter of time as you put it for "working out their age old issues and misunderstandings". The Federation had run it's course especially with Serbia still trying to hold it all together with a heavy hand.
Nonsense. The people were apparently ( at least that's the impression you get from studies and polls ; if you believe in such things) working out their age old issues and misunderstandings and Serbia can not be said to have had all the power or to have misused it so terribly. To suggest that people suddenly got sick of the Serbs in 1991 ( incidently a month after the gulf war were concluded) and took up arms without incentive is a strange claim to say the least. The breakup of the USSR and the US actions all around the world( to say nothing of financial and political incentives) clearly convinced the Slovenian and Croatian republics ( or at least their leaders; you can go check if the people voted for it or had any say in it) that they could get out the federation without too much fear of Serbian or any other reprisal.
I should have said the 80's but either way you are far too caught up in all the propaganda ( hundreds of thousands dead, etc) to notice how comparatively well it was going in that area of the world as compared to the 90's and even to this day.
Originally posted by rogue1
It would have been intersting to see what would have happened if the US had trained the Georgians to fight an enemy like Russia rather nthan equipping thwm with light weapons to fight terrorists internally. I imagine they would have been far more dead Russians.
What we probably do know that if it were the Russian Amry in Iraq they would have been decimated by now.
Originally posted by Saf85
Wow your so smart (sarcasm if your getting big headed by now).
First of all, the US and Israel (not one military power but two!), were training Georgians for guerilla warfare with Russia. They did not supply light arms only, they gave support vehicles, hightech weapons and loads of ammo and training to go with them.
Why? To side track Russia from the Iran issue, once Russia is tied up in a costly guerilla war, they will have little forces of resources to send Irans way when Israel and the US start there war there.
Originally posted by Saf85
Finally if Russia was to have been the ones in Iraq, they would not have been decimated, they more than likely would have majority of the country under control (like they done in Afghansitan), not some flimsy green zone around Baghdad airport and inner city.
You as well as I know Russia has cruise missiles, and they could have easily fired them into the Georgian Presidents Palace and offed him, so don't post STUPID things, about Russia could get the Gov out of power, there's a reason they left them in there, and BTW Russia DID control Afgahnistan, please provide MULTIPLE respectable sources that show Russia didn't and got beat up by Afghans.
Originally posted by rogue1
Originally posted by Saf85
Finally if Russia was to have been the ones in Iraq, they would not have been decimated, they more than likely would have majority of the country under control (like they done in Afghansitan), not some flimsy green zone around Baghdad airport and inner city.
You are joking right? Either you know nothing about the Afghan War or you're fed way to much propaganda.
Russia only ever had some control over the cities, never in the country side. In fact the mujahideen staged frequent attacks in "Russian controlled" cities. To say they had control of most of the country is laughable, I wouldn't even say they controlled 5%. Even with the mass destruction of villages, they still couldn't control the land.
Hmm as for being decimated, out fo an Amry of 100,000 men 15,000 were killed let alone the injuries of the survivors. that sounds like decimation to me. Sorry.
Russia got an ass kicking.
If your talking about me then your wrong, as we all know Russia has these type of weapons.
Originally posted by Kiltedninja
Now this sounds to me like a pissing contest. It seems that two sides have different opinions, and neither side is willing to admit that they're even in the slightest bit wrong.