Russia demands to be regarded as number 1
Intersting Article....What are your thoughts ???
As billions watched China stake its claim to being the 21st century's leading power, with a stunning opening ceremony at the Beijing Olympics, its former Cold War partner was pursuing its own ambitions in an altogether more traditional way. Russia's brutal demonstration of power in South Ossetia, a breakaway region of its southern neighbour Georgia, marks the latest – and most alarming – sign of the Kremlin's determination to reclaim control over former Soviet states.
These former satellites have now been left in no doubt that Russia must be regarded as "glavniy", or number one, if they wish to avoid the fate of Georgia. Central to Vladimir Putin's nationalistic policy is a conviction that the power of the West – seemingly unassailable at the end of the Cold War – is on the wane. The current crisis demonstrates that the Cold War has not been replaced by common values between East and West, but by the revival of hard Realpolitik.
Mikhail Saakashvili, Georgia's President, might have been profoundly unwise to employ massive force against the pro-Russian separatists in South Ossetia last Thursday, but his lapses of judgement are not the point. The commanders of Russian forces and their political masters in the Kremlin hoped he would behave exactly as he did. The episode is a perfect application of what Russian military scientists call "reflexive control": the defeat of an adversary through his own efforts. It is also an application of Clausewitz's maxim that war is a tool of policy.
The aim of Russia's policy, succinctly expressed in 1992, is to "be leader of stability and security on the entire territory of the former USSR". What has changed in recent years is not the aim – endlessly reiterated in 16 years of presidential declarations, "foreign policy concepts" and military doctrines – but the "correlation of forces". As Yeltsin declared to Russia's intelligence services in 1994, "global ideological confrontation has been replaced by a struggle for spheres of interest in geopolitics". Back then, Russia had little to struggle with. Today, that is no longer the case.
Source: Sunday Telegraph
The oil pipleine is another issue in the background.. Russia would rather have access to ports where it can bypass these upstarts like Georgia..
Damn,you Charan!
You...big mouth!
TRACKING REPORT-Sunday,August 10,2008:
- 12.50- your wife is ok!
- the 4x4 it's dirty
- check oil filter
There is 1 Romanian Inteligence Officer operating in Doha to check whether any Bin Ladden Guy is hanging around Doha Night Clubs on Thursdays.He is doing a great service I beleive :)
Ban Spoon Feeding not Me
Romania - 397 troops operating in three different zones (South-East, South Central, and Baghdad).
They conduct a wide range of missions including prisoner interrogation at Camp Cropper and Camp Bucca in Baghdad; reconnaissance and surveillance missions (including the use of UAVs) in the Polish Sector; and training, patrolling and base security missions in the British Sector.
The previous contingent numbered approximately 730 personnel, including 400 infantry, 100 military police, 150 de-miners, 30 medics, plus 50 intelligence officers stationed north of Baghdad.
130 more troops were temporarily deployed for UNAMI.
Its is a beautiful area... I still can't get my head round the fact they are bombing the little streets and villages where I was..such as Gori..
I had a lovely lunch and walk around Gori..
Even the orthodox priest was charming...he was a big heavy metal fan..
"Bezhuashvili said Washington has encouraged Georgia's bid for NATO membership. Georgia's prospects are unclear, however, since NATO's 26 member countries must approve an invitation unanimously. Some European members have reservations about antagonizing Russia, which has made clear it opposes Georgia's bid."
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Big Bear is still powerfull!
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How many Vampire soldiers will be volunteering from Rumania as NATO PEACE KEEPERS? LOL
Russia started talking about countries involved indirectly. Mainly mentioning Ukraine and Israel. Some analysts talk about potential unrest in other parts in the area, specially between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
The most freaky thing. Is that this war is mainly targeted at controlling the oil pipeline linking Central Asia to Georgia and Turkey, hence to Europe and USA. This is not a joke or a kids game. Constructing the pipeline took about a decade and was just completed.
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This is something that irks the Russians. They see their former sattelites siding up to the West.
The USA must take some of the blame for the current crisis.
By the way, I believe that Georgia has now asked to withdraw its troops from Iraq..
"Georgian foreign minister comes to Washington to press for NATO membership
"
Georgia has bolstered its case for membership in Washington by supporting U.S. military efforts in Iraq. While other countries have been withdrawing troops, Georgia is in the process of boosting its contribution from 850 to 2000 troops. It also soon will contribute a small force to the NATO mission in Afghanistan.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/09/11/america/NA-GEN-US-Georgia.php
The government that commited those atrocities is still in power, simply under a new name Red Pope.
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This seems to be the new beginning. Apart from South Ossetia, Russia has also sent troops to Abkhazia and really taken to pounding Georgia for its belligerence.
Russia not only wants to show its power, but also is acting against what is sees as Western influence in the region, especially the enlargement of NATO . Remember, Georgia actually has some troops with the allies in Iraq
Gypsy said:
During Stalin Russia killed over 30 million of it's own people, and the killings didn't stop throughout the rest of the Soviet Reign. It's been brutal in Chechnya and Georgia, killing thousands.
It was not the Russian people, but the Leader and followers of the Communist Party Doctrine.
Everyone in the free world knows about the famous POLITICAL Genocide committed by Lenin, at least I know about it. Some former hardline communist, still not sympathetic at all with the break away former soviet republics.
Invading Afghanistan marked the end of USSR which shrinked into a very weak Russia. Wonder if invading Georgia will mark something similar
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war is not good for anyone, have you ever heard anyone talking about the genocide that Ethiopia (with the help of US) has committed in Somalia and still doing it.
all in all let us pray that these wars stop and everyone lives in peace. amen. insha allah
Poverty is not for the sake of hardship. No, it is there because nothing exists but God. Poverty unlocks the door -- what a blessed key!
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi
region and upstarts like Georgia and Ukraine take heed of that.
What's scary is that Putin is not afraid to take civilian lives in the process..
To me Russia is far scarier then the states, and that's not just because of Cold war paranoia. During Stalin Russia killed over 30 million of it's own people, and the killings didn't stop throughout the rest of the Soviet Reign. It's been brutal in Chechnya and Georgia, killing thousands.
Why is nobody saying anything?
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I was wondering the same thing..
This conflict could quite easily spread and have long term consequences for not just Europe , but the world..
Its intersting to see that most nations are keeping mum and waiting to see how things pan out.
Russia, after the windfall from the oild revenues is revamping its military and beginning to flex its muscles. Georgia seems to have gambled and lost..
Should be intertesting to see how events turn out..
Do Not consider Lebanon in your future plans
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Too true Kelly.... last year EVERY where:
Georgia - election protests - now war
Armenia - demos
Kenya - virtual civil war
Uganda - demos skirmishes
Ethiopia - Demos/riots
Rwanda - demos/riots
Congo - all sorts of rubbish..plane crashes - warfare etc
And that was only 2007
Places you visit, get in troubles later? Would you please provide us with the full list of countries you have visited to exclude from our future plans :)
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Not only Russia, but also US, China, UK, France, India, Iran, Saudi, Israel, Syria....and the list continues. Every relatively powerful country tries to impose its "guardianship" on neighoring countries
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There was a thread about Georgia/Ossetia/Russia the other
day where there were a few comments...
they are bombing the shyte out of the place...exactly where I was on hols...
I wonder how happy the Russians would be if some power just rocked up in chechnya and did the same....
its absolutely disgusting.
Wow what a quiet thread. Guess nobody cares when atrocities happen anywhere outside of Palestine.
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This ex-president is a dinosaur of the cold war era and still believes in the old soviet union doctrine.