All-out war has broken out between Georgia and Russia, threatening the stability of the region.
Georgia, a small country about one-sixth the size of California, is located just east of the Caspian Sea and north of Iran. The fighting is reported to be intensifying and the Bush administration warned today that the disproportionate military response on the part of Russia could seriously impair its relationship with America. This morning, Georgia's capital was said to be under aerial attack.
The problem erupted when Georgian forces invaded a breakaway republic that had allied itself with Russia. This brought about Russia's response which has steadily escalated over the last three days.
Georgia is an important U.S. ally and is located in the Caspian Basin, an oil rich area that is in the process of being developed by a number of multi-national oil companies. It is reported that there are 200 U.S. troops in the country training Georgian units deploying to Iraq. Today, however, the Georgian government announced that its 2,000 fighters in Iraq were being brought home to join the ongoing battle.
The U.S. is also concerned for the safety of a major pipeline carrying oil through Georgia to Turkey, a vital transit point.
In Iraq, a car bombing on Friday killed at least 21 people and wounded 70 in a crowded market in the northern city of Tall Afar.
Iraq's parliament went on its scheduled vacation this week after being locked in a stalemate over legislation that would have permitted provincial elections this year. The unresolved issue revolves around the question of who will control the oil-rich northern city of Kirkuk where last week a suicide bomber and ethnic clashes killed 25 people.
Press reports revealed that Iraq's oil activities will result in a surplus in the national treasury of around $80 billion this year, but that the U.S. is still footing the bill for the nation's reconstruction costs.
Iran has taken what has been described as a defiant step in letting the two-week deadline expire without furnishing a concrete reply to the demand that it freeze its nuclear activities. As a result, western powers are in the process of imposing additional sanctions, although Russia says it is not on board with those plans at this time.
Iran upped the ante with respect to any attack that might be planned against it by announcing that it has tested a new weapon specifically designed to sink ships within a 200 mile range. It also repeated its threat to close the Strait of Hormuz, a 23 mile-wide gateway to the Persian Gulf, through which 40% of the world's oil passes.
In Pakistan, that nation's military has been withdrawn from its battle with insurgents near the Afghanistan border, while in the capital, the governing coalition was threatening to impeach President Pervez Musharraf unless he agreed to resign.
As for Afghanistan, it was reported that Defense Secretary Gates has endorsed a proposal to increase the size of that country's army by 50,000 members from its present level of 72,000 troops to 122,000. The New York Times said that the five-year program would cost $20 billion.
Meanwhile, this week the Department of Defense released the obituaries of nine military personnel killed in Iraq, ranging in age from 18 to 47.
According to the web site www.icasualties.org, U.S. deaths in Iraq now stand at 4,137, including three whose families are being notified today.
The Department of Defense also released, last week, the obituaries of eight military personnel killed in Afghanistan, ranging in age from 20 to 40.
Total U.S. deaths in Afghanistan were 497 as of August 2, according to the Pentagon.
Eight of the fallen heroes, this week, were killed when they were attacked by roadside bombs. None were riding in the blast-resistant vehicles known as M-RAPS.
For all who are concerned for the safety of our troops, there is an article that was published here on Gather on Friday that should be a must read. Written by "Jeff, another sheep being led to the slaughter P.," it is entitled "Depleted Uranium Has Killed 11,000 US Military Veterans."
If you haven't already read it and/or if you are not already aware of this startling situation, you would be well advised to click on the above link. If the link doesn't work, the article's URL is as follows:
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977416497
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Comments: 59
Dick Cheney was quoted in the Guardian in 1998 to have said: "I cannot think of a time when we have had a region emerge as suddenly to become as strategically significant as the Caspian."
The region is considered to represent one of the greatest potential oil resource in the world. One of the problems, however, is that it is landlocked. The pipeline through Georgia, therefore, is critical at this time insofar as the world's access is concerned.
Companies with active operations in the Basin include ExxonMobil, ChevronTexaco, Shell, Halliburton, Fluor and Blackwater.
Tis truly a troubled world in which we live, and these events you describe here emphasize that!
"Vlad ole buddy, ole friend, I know your heart, I can see in your soul. Roll them tanks back northward and les jest work this out."
"Shove it George. You "liberated" Iraq, (nice joke that) and got 100 bases, a embassy the size of the Kremlin and a puppet government and you're trying to stick your nation there for the next 100 years so your buddies can suck oil. Georgia is in MY backyard. We got nationals there under attack. I don't give a flying borscht what you and your hacked out military, debt ridden, glass thin economy, and fascist gun bangers think. I'm gonna pound on Georgia until they play nice, or play my way. Better move your "contractors" if you don't want their asses blown off. Have a nice day, shithead."
I just heard a spokesperson for the US Government say that Diplomacy is our only option, working with other nations to find a diplomatic solution. Seems we only use our Military against countries that can't fight back against us.
This action by Russia shall suceed in pulling Georgia back under Russian control and it will be undetered from expanding it's influence against the other breakaway republics.
"The fighting is reported to be intensifying and the Bush administration warned today that the disproportionate military response on the part of Russia could seriously impair its relationship with America."
What's Bush going to do, tell the russians we won't repay the money they hold in our Mortgage Industry ?
"MOSCOW, July 28 (Reuters) - Russia has approximately halved to less than $50 billion its exposure to U.S. mortgage lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Russia held about $100 billion at the start of 2008."
Insanity.
WAIT ! ~ I thought the administration told us the Surge worked !
Wasn't all the blood and treasure expended in implimenting the surge to allow the government of Iraq, breathing room so they could resolve major issues?
"a new weapon specifically designed to sink ships within a 200 mile range. It also repeated its threat to close the Strait of Hormuz"
It's going to be ironic as well as embarrassing when this administration uses Nuclear Weapons against Iran in their effort to tell world governments they can't have nuclear weapons because they may use them someday.
There is absolutely no way american ground forces will ever go into combat against the Iranian military. This administration might attempt SHOCK&AWE again but, it will be as effective as it has been in Iraq.
"In Pakistan, that nation's military has been withdrawn from its battle with insurgents near the Afghanistan border" ~ "As for Afghanistan, - a proposal to increase the size of that country's army by 50,000 members "
And exactly where will these new recruits come from? the Afghanistan border?
"Eight of the fallen heroes, this week, were killed when they were attacked by roadside bombs. None were riding in the blast-resistant vehicles known as M-RAPS."
I agree
Russian news agencies report sunken Georgian ship
TBILISI, Georgia August 10, 2008, 02:37 pm ET · Russian news agencies say the Defense Ministry is claiming to have sunk a Georgian missile boat that was trying to attack Russian navy ships in the Black Sea.
Associated Press writers David Nowak in Gori, Georgia; Douglas Birch in Vladikavkaz, Russia; and Jim Heintz, Vladimir Isachenkov and Lynn Berry in Moscow contributed to this report.
I hope this doesn't escalate, but suspect it will. Some think the Ukraine will be next.
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's oil minister will visit China before the end of August to try and finalize a deal to develop the Ahdab oilfield south of Baghdad and build a power station nearby, the Oil Ministry said on Sunday.
We are getting fucked any which way but lose -- ah, never mind, I forgot, our men and women are fighting for our freedoms in Iraq, not oil. Of course not.
Cheney/Corporatocracy/CIA's plan to trash Iran does not work for Russia, so it has lit a back-fire to send the U.S.'s fire the other way.
The only cure for the corporatocracy=bloated patriocy is - guess what - the rise of an enlightened matriarchy which initiates and trains women for leadership positions of all sorts.
The rebalancing of gender leadership roles can - WILL - do a world of good. Truly a world of good.
Sam you have outdone yourself ... : )
Interesting isn't it the working of politics? Here we are criticizing Russia when we said and did absolutely nothing when Israel bombed the crap out of the Maronite Christians in Lebanon "our alledged ally".
Makes one think where the next flare up will be.
Good picture Richard Owl Mirror.
Talk is the answer to all of our problems ... except oil. I guss we will just have to do without oil products (gas, diesel, plastic, electricity, etc.) while we wait 10 - 20 years for "alternative fuels".
Supposedly all Georgian troops have withdrawn from the disputed area in hopes of a cease fire initiative, but Russia continues to attack Georgian cities and bases around the country. Not lookin' good at the moment.....?
Judging by Bush and Putin's interaction in Beijing there's no sign that the bloom is off their little romance, despite the little dust-up in Georgia. Is Bush past caring? Not his problem, I guess--just one more little thing to pass on to his successor.
When you are in the business of violently attacking and overthrowing sovereign governments who are at the time at peace, condemning another country for doing the same is just a tad disengenuous, don't you think?
Georgia, of course, points out that the Russians have launced a cross-border invasion of a sovereign nation. Yep.
Georgia is everything that Russia is not. It has a democratic government, an open society and economy, and is interested in getting closer to the West. The US has helped the country in every way it could given the position Georgia is in vis a vis Russia. Russia is doing what it has done so well the last century, crush smaller, accesiable neighbors.
Let common sense reign guys, we aren't able to militarily do much there and really never could. If you can get off your anti Bush horse for a moment, how in hell could we really EVER do much there but make political noise? Besides, diplomatic action is supposed to be much stronger than military methods and all the world respects that---right?
I wouldn't call it funny... it's disgusting -- only trumped by this heavy handed attack by Russia.
Agreed... and it's sad that they spend so little time on this Georgia issue, yet they have made plenty of time for celebrity news, Caylee Anthony and John Edwards, and trivial political shots between Obama and McCain. Our MSM SUCKS BIG TIME.
And anyone who thinks that the Georgian Government some kind of gold standard for democracy is on their third helping of Kool-Aid. The President is obviously not in his right mind.
Bill- your son is pretty right on!
Georgia has built up their millitary over the last 5 years. In fact, it is not 30 times larger and is funded by the US and Israel.
Georgia is an "ally" with 3000 troops (until this week) in Iraq. Probably joined the coalition of the insane in exchange for the US tryingt o get them into NATO, which is in violation of the agreement between Reagen and Gorbachev.
The US wants control of the pipeline. Georgian gov. is pretty much considered a shill for the West.
So Georgia attacks South Ossetia, kills 10 Russian peace keepers there and it is estimated at 2000 civilians. Russia rolls in the tanks take back South Ossetia and keep going in to Georgia. All of a sudden it is Russian naked agression.
There has been a lot of mishandling of the news. A Russian photog reported that the footage he filmed of destruction and dead in South Ossetia was re-aired as Georgian dead in Georgia.
This is from DemocracyNow! this morning;
Adviser Briefed McCain on Georgia After Inking Lobbying Deal
Meanwhile, Senator John McCain is coming under increasing criticism over his top foreign policy adviser’s business ties to the Georgian government. The adviser, Randy Scheunemann, is a part owner of the lobbying firm Orion Strategies. The Washington Post has revealed Scheunemann briefed McCain before an April phone call with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili the same day Orion signed a $200,000 contract to advise Saakashvili’s government. Scheunemann then helped McCain draft a strong statement of support for Georgia.
McCain: “Nations Don’t Invade Other Nations”
Meanwhile, McCain appeared to make a new campaign gaffe Wednesday when he claimed he doesn’t support the right of nations to invade other nations.
Sen. John McCain: “I want to have a dialogue with the Russians. I want them to get out of Georgian territory as quickly as possible. And I am interested in good relations between the United States and Russia. But in the twenty-first century, nations don’t invade other nations.”
There is absolutely nothing he can do to Russia.
They can cut off oil, dump our dollars, dump our bonds........
We are bankrupt, over-extended millitarily and our economy is tenuously trying to hold on.
Honestly, all the rhetoric coming from the WH is ridiculous and hipocritical. The US does not have a moral leg to stand on.