The inability to foresee this sort of outbreak is a characteristic of our Occidental way of looking at the world. Westerners are suffering from a myopia, where they only see the escalating (resource) wars over the past several decades as a war engaged by the west. We forget that both Russia and China have their own aspirations and vested interests to secure dwindling oil and other natural resource reserves on behalf of their own states and citizens, in perpetuation of their own national sovereignties.
The range of support Russia has given to the development of geographically strategic breakaway republics within Georgian territory, most notably South Ossetia, is significant as it has made it easier to launch the current onslaught of attacks against Georgia. The Georgian government's fear of a full-scale invasion and possible eventual absorption of Georgia within the bosom of an enlarged 'mother Russia', are not unfounded.
Georgia is a wealthy, strategically important nation, which explains why the west pumped so many billions into pro-democracy outfits and other US led projects to promulgate the velvet revolution that saw control prised from the grasp of the former Soviet Union in the early 1990's. Russian control of the oil pipeline which crosses into Georgia from Azerbaijan, gives Russia control of a pipeline that runs from one of the world's largest oil reserves. The other big two, are Iran/Iraq and the Arctic.
The on-going invasion of pro-US Georgia by Russia, potentially pits two nuclear states against the other. It's a frightening reminder of how easily and quickly these conflagrations can emerge and potentially escalate.
It is a salient reminder too of how important it is that we work towards peace and turning these destructive, Dr Strangelove swords which are stockpiled around the world into ploughshares. For the benefit of earth, humanity and all living things.
It is now more important than ever before that we pray for peace and unity at this difficult time. And that the earth's scarce resources are secured and utilised in an atmosphere of mutual co-operation, instead of tribal territorialism.
The range of support Russia has given to the development of geographically strategic breakaway republics within Georgian territory, most notably South Ossetia, is significant as it has made it easier to launch the current onslaught of attacks against Georgia. The Georgian government's fear of a full-scale invasion and possible eventual absorption of Georgia within the bosom of an enlarged 'mother Russia', are not unfounded.
Georgia is a wealthy, strategically important nation, which explains why the west pumped so many billions into pro-democracy outfits and other US led projects to promulgate the velvet revolution that saw control prised from the grasp of the former Soviet Union in the early 1990's. Russian control of the oil pipeline which crosses into Georgia from Azerbaijan, gives Russia control of a pipeline that runs from one of the world's largest oil reserves. The other big two, are Iran/Iraq and the Arctic.
The on-going invasion of pro-US Georgia by Russia, potentially pits two nuclear states against the other. It's a frightening reminder of how easily and quickly these conflagrations can emerge and potentially escalate.
It is a salient reminder too of how important it is that we work towards peace and turning these destructive, Dr Strangelove swords which are stockpiled around the world into ploughshares. For the benefit of earth, humanity and all living things.
It is now more important than ever before that we pray for peace and unity at this difficult time. And that the earth's scarce resources are secured and utilised in an atmosphere of mutual co-operation, instead of tribal territorialism.
Comments
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What the heck?
12.08.2008 13:12
This is bollocks.
We are supposed to believe that the Russians got the Georgians to attack South Ossetia and got them to kill over 1,000 Russian citizens. If Russia provoked Georgia, how did they provoke them into killing 1,000 people?
Only if you believe the obvioiusly biased media could you fall for this nonsense.
Try this,
Simon
GI Joe
12.08.2008 13:39
Georgia has discovered that when the going gets tough the US run away.
The US will fight to the last Georgian.
Kung Fu Grip
or the other hand... US mercenaries and special forces were as alledged involved
12.08.2008 21:12
and the last day of conflict
All the same, the people of the Caucuses have been talking about war and its possibility since March 2008. Anyone who watched both their and Russian reactions to Kosovo would have noticed their approaches to the UN and then EU and put 2 + 2 and got 400,000,000US$ reconstruction costs for South Ossetia thanks to Moscow under a Sarkozy approved plan whilst Georgia which last week needed no reconstruction whatsoever now relies on Turkey for lecky, has no airbases or airstrips and can't play a part in the reconstruction of Iraq anymore.
Though to be fair, considering that since Bush's illegal war on Iraq the amount of mercenaries, their availability, equipment and influence has reached the highest point since [I'd argue which] either the privateers of the 16th to 17th centuries or that much shorter but very intense spike of the Liepzig campaign of the Napoleonic wars) - it's not surprising in the least to find mercenaries up the Caucus.
It's a vital route of heroin transit. the Lords of Smack are good employers. What does surprise me is that they would be US. I would have thought Bulgarians would be more likely. a-c-t-u-a-l-l-y. But just goes to show, you carry a US passport these days and tell someone you're a yank - they believe you.
borat
Georgian army decimated
14.08.2008 09:06
My guess is we will see the US resurrect their 1980's Afghan counter-Russian invasion model to prevent Russia pressing home their advantage. i.e. covert US support and operational involvement (to prevent it turning into a 1on1 nuclear superpower conflagration).
This would primarily involve the channelling of substantive military infrastructure and weaponry supplied via a proxy, such as Israel
The Griege of Jabal
hello? "resurrect the Afghan strategy"?
14.08.2008 17:41
oh what an ironic world we live in.
jabberwocky up the Khyber