War

[texaspackerbacker]

Today's news seems to be pretty good--although you can't automatically believe what either side reports. The good guys--the America-trained and America-equipped Georgia military may have knocked out 40 of that 150 tank column Russia supposedly sent in. They also may have shot down ten Russian planes,

Georgia just might be able to inflict enough harm to the Russians that they don't need American help.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Tex, Russia is going to squash them like little bugs.

[BallHawk]

Good article on time.com about the conflict.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1831073,00.html

[Joemailman]

Surprisingly lack of conservs on this thread...rubber meets the road...where are they now?

Waiting for the international community that liberals put so much faith in to take action. Or to even say anything. This is exactly the kind of situation NATO or the UN are supposed to address isn't it?

The only thing the US can do is ask them politely to stop or send in military support. I'm guessing they've already asked the Russians to stop. I'm also guessing fighting the Russians in an armed conflict isn't a realistic solution to anyone.

The UN can do nothing because of the way the Security Council is set up. Any one of the 5 permanent members, of which Russia is one, can veto any action to be taken by the Security Council.

Georgia is not yet a member of NATO, so NATO won't intervene. Plus, Russia is the main source of natural gas in Europe, with its top 8 customers all members of NATO.

[BallHawk]

And of course, this is all about NATO. Russia wants to embarrass Saakashvili and Georgia into making NATO think again about admitting them. Russia doesn't want NATO increasing its boundaries to places like Georgia. So they find a way to get into a country and they wreck havoc.

Well played Russia, well played.

[BallHawk]

Now Russia is claiming charges of "complete genocide" by the Georgians onto the Ossetians.

You've gotta be kidding me. Russia has this down to a tee. Everything is one precise move. And they're going to get it done. South Ossetia is going to end up part of Russia unless anything new happens. Georgian forces have withdrawn, Russia has thousands of troops in there. It's over as far as the battle for South Ossetia.

What a horrible message to send to the rest of the world. I know the US had their hands tied, but this was a key example of the big guy just doing what they please with the little guy. Russia did what they pleased and nobody dared do anything to stop them.

Not good.

[Harlan Huckleby]

The Russians don't care about South Ossetia. They want Georgia out of NATO, that's what this is about.

[BallHawk]

The Russians don't care about South Ossetia. They want Georgia out of NATO, that's what this is about.

I made that point in the above post, as well. Russia is embarrassing Georgia all it can to keep them out of NATO. However, they bring up charges of complete genocide. I see that as grounds for Ossetia to become part of Russia for "protection."

[texaspackerbacker]

Tex, Russia is going to squash them like little bugs.

Harlan, how is it you are such a "Russophile"?

Even back before we won the Cold War, America-trained and equipped forces almost invariably did better than Soviet or new Russian trained and equipped forces. Sure, if Russia wanted to commit its whole army against the 37,000 man force of Georgia, and if we stood by and let them, they might "crush them like a bug", but not before that bug took out an extremely unacceptable chunk of the formerly Red army. Believe me, it ain't gonna happen.

As for the NATO thing, I don't totally buy the importance of that. The American "cowboy" approach kinda negates the importance of NATO. We care more about our new former Soviet bloc allies than Old Europe--which comprises and controls most of NATO.

The leadership of Russia envisions the return of Russian power and a bilateral world. That just ain't happenin', thanks to American military power and technology, including the extension of it to our allies and clients.

Obama would turn all that around. That's just one aspect of the horrendous prospect of having him as president.

[GoPackGo]

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20080810/i/r4014854835.jpg?x=400&y=273&sig=EzLF0x6C3OttNicI.ssflA--

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20080809/capt.dc53621886524f71be6edb3a9b47da43.georgia_south_osetia_mosb155.jpg?x=400&y=290&sig=07Ay1kkNYDgJglcq.547sw--

[Harlan Huckleby]

Sure, if Russia wanted to commit its whole army against the 37,000 man force of Georgia, and if we stood by and let them, they might "crush them like a bug", but not before that bug took out an extremely unacceptable chunk of the formerly Red army. Believe me, it ain't gonna happen.

ok, hope you're right. your track record on predictions has not been so stellar.

[Harlan Huckleby]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/world/europe/11georgia.htm

In Washington, American officials reacted with deepening alarm to Russia’s military activities on Sunday. Georgian troops had tried to disengage, but the Russians had not allowed them.

“The Georgians told them, ‘We’re done. Let us withdraw,” one American military official said. “But the Russians are not letting them withdraw. They are pursuing them, and people are seeing this.”

The official said that it appeared that the Kremlin’s objectives, at a minimum, had extended beyond securing the enclaves and now included the destruction of the Georgian armed forces, with an aim of intensifying the domestic pressure on Saakashvili.

The Russians have gained all of their military objectives,” the American official said. “This is not about military objectives. This is about a political objective — removing a thorn in their side.”

[Freak Out]

The Russians are now pushing on to Gori which is in Georgia proper outside of South Ossetia. Things look to be getting pretty ugly and if Russia is not pressed hard from the west they will take most of the country if not all.

Is it time to show them what a real Air Force can do?

[bobblehead]

I'm late getting into all this, but to backtrack and answer the libs as to why we aren't getting involved let me in one sentence sum up all that I have written about iraq/iran/afghan.

Russia already has nuclear weapons and is not a radical islamic martyr seeking country therefore we don't give a fuck.

Ballhawk for the first time looked young and naive to me by thinking we would get involved to defend the helpless. We haven't done shit in Africa for how long?? Because they don't have oil=capital to develope nukes...but they do have a lot of injustice going on.

[BallHawk]

Ballhawk for the first time looked young and naive to me by thinking we would get involved to defend the helpless. We haven't done shit in Africa for how long?? Because they don't have oil=capital to develope nukes...but they do have a lot of injustice going on.

How many world superpowers are there in Africa? Africa is just not worth the time. Corruption in that continent cannot be overcome.

I did jump the gun a bit by suggesting the US should get involved, I admit. It's a bitch to see Russia doing what they please with Georgia, but I don't think anything can be done. The US is going to assist with transporting Georgian troops from Iraq back to Georgia. Apart from that, I don't think the US can/will do anything. It looks like Russia is just going to do everything short of a full-out war and invasion. They are going to leave Saakashvili's legacy in ruins and that will be that.

Where's Charlie Wilson when you need him?