Georgia in US-financed arms race for war on Abkhazia, South Ossetia
Georgia is preparing for a US-financed war against Abkhazia and South Ossetia. That is what the country's military build-up reveals, according to a leading journalist and political analyst from Geneva. Since the current regime took power, Georgian military spending has effectively increased by over forty times and now has the highest growth-rate of any country in the world.
By Jason Cooper, 11/Nov/2007
TSKHINVALI (Tiraspol Times) - Despite not being at war with anyone, for the year 2007 the military budget of Georgia is showing the highest growth rate of any country in the world, with much of it being financed openly and directly by its key military partner, the United States.
As a result, fears run high in Tskhinvali these days.
The capital of the small Republic of South Ossetia is increasingly seen as the next target of Georgian military aggression, and many here worry that it is only a matter of time before enemy troops unleash an assault on the city.
Some international analysts agree. Vicken Cheterian, a journalist and political analyst who works for the non-profit governance organization CIMERA, based in Geneva, says that "Georgia's military plans reveal its ambition to reclaim the territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia it lost in the wars of the early 1990s."
The journalist, who is a regular contributor to Le Monde Diplomatique, points out that since the "rose revolution" of 2003-04, Georgian military spending has effectively been increased by over forty times. The majority of Georgia's arms purchases are financed directly or indirectly from Washington. Salaries for Georgian soldiers have also repeatedly been paid for by American taxpayers.
Vicken Cheterian
Vicken Cheterian, a journalist and political analysts who works for Geneva's Cimera group, warns that Georgia's 40-fold increase in military spending is targeted against Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
" - According to the official goal of joining NATO, Georgia needs to modernize its army, train its soldiers, and build facilities for them," he writes in an article entitled Georgia’s arms race. "But observers in Tbilisi point that out patterns of spending suggest that Georgia has other projects apart from its NATO ambitions."
U.S. money behind Georgian arms build-up
According to Cheterian, the Georgian defence ministry announced in early May 2007 that it will sharply increase its current defence budget, from 513 to 957 million lari ($304m to $567m). This escalation follows an already impressive rise in defense spending since the "Rose revolution." This means that since the arrival to power of Mikheil Saakashvili, defence spending has continued on an upward spiral.
The arms build-up is financed by the United States, he writes in the article which was published by OpenDemocracy. The money started flowing in 2002 when an eighteen-month "train and equip" program with a total budget of $64 million was started to modernize four infantry battalions and one mechanized company.
" - The army also received significant training assistance as well as equipment from the United States military," he notes. "Georgia also received valuable equipment, such as ten UH-1 transportation helicopters from the US government. The value of the US military cooperation with the Georgian armed forces in 2007 is estimated at $34 million. As a result, some 16,000 troops are now considered trained by the US military."
Most of the military build-up is concentrated against Abkhazia and South Ossetia. A modern, NATO-compatible barracks has just been built in Senaki in western Georgia not far from Abkhazia, and another one is under construction near Gori, a half-hour driving distance from Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia. According to the report, each of these bases will have the capacity to house a brigade, with a troop-strength of 3,000.
Peace in peril
Georgia's military plans have caused alarm among diplomats and others in the international community who prefer a peaceful coexistence of the various ethnic groups who inhabit the Caucasus region.
" - The fact that the two new barracks are close to the conflict-zones of Abkhazia and South Ossetia has led to concerns among both the de-facto governments of those two regions and the international community that seeks a peaceful resolution to these conflicts," explains Vicken Cheterian.
He also writes that there has been a continuous decrease of Russia's military presence parallel to the US-Georgian military cooperation.
" - The Russian military is continuing to empty its former Soviet base in Akhalkalaki, transporting equipment and ammunition into its base in Gumri, in northern Armenia. Akhalkalaki base is expected to be emptied by the end of the year, while the Russian base in Batumi the next year," he notes. "After this period the Russian presence will be limited to the CIS peacekeeping missions in South Ossetia and Abkhazia."
" - Moscow is increasingly displeased to see the NATO and specifically US military presence becoming permanent in what once was part of its southern Soviet provinces."
In what some see as a quid pro quo arrangement, Georgia now uses its military to assist the United States in unpopular wars. In return for this favor, the United States continues to oppose the right of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to independence.
" - The recent announcement in Tbilisi to increase Georgian military participation in Iraq from 850 to 2,000 comes at a time when most European nations have already started withdrawing their troops, and the Bush administration is under political pressure in Washington to come up with its own schedule to decrease troops," explains Cheterian.
He also points out that another 150 Georgian military serve in Kosovo. This is an area where NATO-led troops keep Serbia out, and where the United States State Department is actively pushing for the right of self-determination to override the territorial integrity of a metropolitan state, Serbia.
See also:
» UN urges Georgia to respect Abkhazia cease-fire
» Lithuania President warns of "frozen lives and dreams" in Transdniestria; elsewhere
» As Moldova aligns with NATO, Transdniester fears new attacks
_________________ "The conflict between corporations and activists is that of narcolepsy versus remembrance. The corporations have money, power and influence. Our sole influence is public outrage. Extract from "Cloud Atlas (page 125) by David Mitchell.
War between Russia and Georgia orchestrated from USA
The US administration urged for an immediate cease-fire in the conflict between Russia and Georgia over the unrecognized republic of South Ossetia.
In the meantime, Russian officials believe that it was the USA that orchestrated the current conflict. The chairman of the State Duma Committee for Security, Vladimir Vasilyev, believes that the current conflict is South Ossetia is very reminiscent to the wars in Iraq and Kosovo.
“The things that were happening in Kosovo, the things that were happening in Iraq – we are now following the same path. The further the situation unfolds, the more the world will understand that Georgia would never be able to do all this without America. South Ossetian defense officials used to make statements about imminent aggression from Georgia, but the latter denied everything, whereas the US Department of State released no comments on the matter. In essence, they have prepared the force, which destroys everything in South Ossetia, attacks civilians and hospitals. They are responsible for this. The world community will learn about it,” the official said.
In the meantime, it became known that the Georgian troops conducted volley-fire cleansings of several South Ossetian settlements, where people’s houses were simply leveled.
“The number of victims with women, children and elderly people among them, can be counted in hundreds and even thousands,” a source from South Ossetian government in the capital of Tskhinvali said.
The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergei Lavrov, told reporters that Georgia’s actions in South Ossetia question its consistency as a state and as a responsible member of the international community, Interfax reports.
"Civilians, including women, children and elderly people, are dying in South Ossetia. In addition to that, Georgia conducts ethnic scouring in South Ossetian villages. The situation in South Ossetia continues to worsen every hour. Georgia uses military hardware and heavy arms against people. They shell residential quarters of Tskhinvali [the capital] and other settlements. They bomb the humanitarian convoys. The number of refugees continues to rise – the people try to save their lives, the lives of their children and relatives. A humanitarian catastrophe is gathering pace,” Russia’s Foreign Minister said.
The minister added that the Georgian administration ignored the appeal from the UN General Assembly to observe the Olympic truce during the Beijing Olympics.
_________________ "The conflict between corporations and activists is that of narcolepsy versus remembrance. The corporations have money, power and influence. Our sole influence is public outrage. Extract from "Cloud Atlas (page 125) by David Mitchell.
For many people the sight of Russian tanks streaming across a border in August has uncanny echoes of Prague 1968. That cold war reflex is natural enough, but after two decades of Russian retreat from those bastions it is misleading. Not every development in the former Soviet Union is a replay of Soviet history.
The clash between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia, which escalated dramatically yesterday, in truth has more in common with the Falklands war of 1982 than it does with a cold war crisis. When the Argentine junta was basking in public approval for its bloodless recovery of Las Malvinas, Henry Kissinger anticipated Britain's widely unexpected military response with the comment: "No great power retreats for ever." Maybe today Russia has stopped the long retreat to Moscow which started under Gorbachev.... _________________ Simon - http://www.patriotsquestion911.com/
Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili has a different agenda — he won election in 2004 on promise to recover the breakaway territories, and to join NATO. ...after a couple of days of skirmishing along the unofficial border between his forces and those of the separatists, the Georgian leader launched a full-blown invasion whose aim, his government said, was to "restore constitutional order," that is, control by the central government, in South Ossetia. Plainly, the offensive was a gamble, because Saakashvili should have had little doubt about Moscow's readiness to defend the separatists. Moreover, NATO officials had repeatedly warned the Georgian government against launching any attempt to resolve the dispute through military means. Still, he pressed forward.
On Friday, Georgian forces shelled South Ossetian population centers and launched a ground invasion deep into the territory. By noon, news reports announced that they had immobilized much of the opposition and had taken control of South Ossetia's capital, Tskhinvali. The city came under attack by aircraft, artillery and armor, and South Ossetia officials claimed that more than 1,000 people had been killed. Still, the lightning offensive appeared to have put Georgia back in charge of the breakaway region, and made good on Saakashvili's campaign promise. The offensive touched off wild celebrations in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. "Georgians are by nature extremely patriotic and this event has galvanized them together," David Womble, National director of WorldVision, a Christian humanitarian NGO with operations in the country, told TIME. At one point, he said, thousands and thousands of cars filled the streets of the capital, honking their horns and with their passengers waving Georgian flags. Says Womble, "It was as if Georgia had won the World Cup and was celebrating." _________________ Simon - http://www.patriotsquestion911.com/
For past seven years, Israeli companies have been helping Gerogian army to preparer for war against Russia through arms deals, training of infantry units and security advice
Arie Egozi
The fighting which broke out over the weekend between Russia and Georgia has brought Israel's intensive involvement in the region into the limelight. This involvement includes the sale of advanced weapons to Georgia and the training of the Georgian army's infantry forces.
The Defense Ministry held a special meeting Sunday to discuss the various arms deals held by Israelis in Georgia, but no change in policy has been announced as of yet.
The subject is closely monitored," said sources in the Defense Ministry. "We are not operating in any way which may counter Israeli interests. We have turned down many requests involving arms sales to Georgia; and the ones which have been approves have been duly scrutinized. So far, we have placed no limitations on the sale of protective measures."
Israel began selling arms to Georgia about seven years ago following an initiative by Georgian citizens who immigrated to Israel and became businesspeople.
"They contacted defense industry officials and arms dealers and told them that Georgia had relatively large budgets and could be interested in purchasing Israeli weapons," says a source involved in arms exports.
The military cooperation between the countries developed swiftly. The fact that Georgia's defense minister, Davit Kezerashvili, is a former Israeli who is fluent in Hebrew contributed to this cooperation.
"His door was always open to the Israelis who came and offered his country arms systems made in Israel," the source said. "Compared to countries in Eastern Europe, the deals in this country were conducted fast, mainly due to the defense minister's personal involvement."
Among the Israelis who took advantage of the opportunity and began doing business in Georgia were former Minister Roni Milo and his brother Shlomo, former director-general of the Military Industries, Brigadier-General (Res.) Gal Hirsch and Major-General (Res.) Yisrael Ziv.
Roni Milo conducted business in Georgia for Elbit Systems and the Military Industries, and with his help Israel's defense industries managed to sell to Georgia remote-piloted vehicles (RPVs), automatic turrets for armored vehicles, antiaircraft systems, communication systems, shells and rockets.
According to Israeli sources, Gal Hirsch gave the Georgian army advice on the establishment of elite units such as Sayeret Matkal and on rearmament, and gave various courses in the fields of combat intelligence and fighting in built-up areas.
'Don't anger the Russians'
The Israelis operating in Georgia attempted to convince the Israeli Aerospace Industries to sell various systems to the Georgian air force, but were turned down. The reason for the refusal was "special" relations created between the Aerospace Industries and Russia in terms of improving fighter jets produced in the former USSR and the fear that selling weapons to Georgia would anger the Russians and prompt them to cancel the deals.
Israelis' activity in Georgia and the deals they struck there were all authorized by the Defense Ministry. Israel viewed Georgia as a friendly state to which there is no reason not to sell arms systems similar to those Israel exports to other countries in the world.
As the tension between Russia and Georgia grew, however, increasing voices were heard in Israel – particularly in the Foreign Ministry – calling on the Defense Ministry to be more selective in the approval of the deals with Georgia for fear that they would anger Russia.
"It was clear that too many unmistakable Israeli systems in the possesion of the Georgian army would be like a red cloth in the face of a raging bull as far as Russia is concerned," explained a source in the defense establishment.
For inctance, the Russians viewed the operation of the Elbit System's RPVs as a real provocation.
"It was clear that the Russians were angry," says a defense establishment source, "and that the interception of three of these RPVs in the past three months was an expression of this anger. Not everyone in Israel understood the sensitive nerve Israel touched when it supplied such an advanced arms system to a country whose relations with Russia are highly tense."
In May it was eventually decide to approve future deals with Georgia only for the sale of non-offensive weapon systems, such as intelligence, communications and computer systems, and not to approve deals for the sale of rifles, aircraft, sells, etc.
A senior source in the Military Industry said Saturday that despite some reporters, the activity of Georgia's military industry was extremely limited.
"We conducted a small job for them several years ago," he said. "The rest of the deals remained on paper."
Dov Pikulin, one of the owners of the Authentico company specializing in trips and journeys to the area, says however that "the Israeli is the main investor in the Georgian economy. Everyone is there, directly or indirectly
Georgian minister: Israel should be proud
"The Israelis should be proud of themselves for the Israeli training and education received by the Georgian soldiers," Georgian Minister Temur Yakobashvili said Saturday.
Yakobashvili is a Jew and is fluent in Hebrew. "We are now in a fight against the great Russia," he said, "and our hope is to receive assistance from the White House, because Georgia cannot survive on its own.
"It's important that the entire world understands that what is happening in Georgia now will affect the entire world order. It's not just Georgia's business, but the entire world's business."
One of the Georgian parliament members did not settle Saturday for the call for American aid, urging Israel to help stop the Russian offensive as well: "We need help from the UN and from our friends, headed by the United States and Israel. Today Georgia is in danger – tomorrow all the democratic countries in the region and in the entire world will be in danger too."
Zvi Zinger and Hanan Greenberg contributed to this report
Israel and the US behind the Georgian aggression?
Shraga Elam
Creative-i
Sat, 09 Aug 2008 14:56 EDT
There is an obvious Israeli involvement in the present conflict between Georgia and Russia. There are hundreds of Israeli military advisers in Georgia and this is not just the claim of the rather unreliable DebkaFile but also the more respected Ha'aretz expert Yossi Melman, the daily Ma'ariv and also the rather reliable website "News First Class" (NFC).
Melman wrote on 25.6.2008 that Georgia became a real El Dorado for Israeli arms dealers and numerous representatives of the army and intelligence services. Some former generals like Israel Ziv and Gal Hirsh (with his company Defensive Shield) are very active there.
"Gal Hirsh and Israel Ziv are mainly training and consulting Georgian arm units. They are using the "chain" method common among Israeli arm dealers: a main contractor wins a tender and employs then sub-contractors - in this case Israeli officers and former Shin Beth employees," wrote Melman.
According to him there was a project to sell Merkava tanks to Georgia, but allegedly the Israeli foreign ministry prevented the deal and a policy was outlined that only defensive weapons are allowed to be sold.
Just the same Russia protested agains the Israeli military support to Georgia after an Israeli produced UAV was shot down. On August 5 Israel reiterated its official policy that it allegedly sells only defensive and not offensive weapon systems to Georgia. This is the version published e.g. in the Jerusalem Post; other sources, like the Israeli daily Ma'ariv on 8.8, claim that Israel decided to stop altogether the military support to Georgia. Just the same Ma'ariv points out that the Georgian defense minister, David Kezerashvili, lived for a while in Israel and speaks Hebrew. In a lengthy article the military exports to Georgia are described. Ma'ariv estimates them to be of a value of at least USD 300 million. An Israeli marketing expert told Ma'ariv: "To every Israeli agent representing an Israeli defense company is attached a cousin of the defense minister, who opens the doors for him."
Also NFC confirms the massive presence of Israeli advisers in Georgia and writes: "The Israeli military industries upgraded in recent years the Georgian air force, sold unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), advanced artillery systems and trained infantry units." (9.8) The NFC claims that according to sources in Washington in Moscow the war started because Georgia wants to reverse Israel's decision and achieve the continuation of the support. Israel, according to NFC, conceded to the Russian threatening that it would otherwise go through with the sale of its most advanced anti-aircraft missile system S-300 to Iran and Syria.
Actually the opposite conclusion is also possible, namely that Israel wants to pressure Russia not to sell the S-300 and stop its support to Iran.
The Israeli website DebkaFile, that is known to publish mainly conspiracy theories, believes that up to 1,000 Israeli advisors are active in planning and implementing the present Georgian military action (8.8). This conclusion sounds plausible.
Actually it has to be taken into consideration that also U.S. "consultants" are helping the Georgian army, as according to Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman, there are 127 U.S. military trainers there, of whom about 35 are civilian contractors.
In addition to the trainers, 1,000 soldiers from the Vicenza, Italy-based Southern European Task Force (Airborne) and the Kaiserslautern-based 21st Theater Sustainment Command, along with Marine reservists with the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines out of Ohio, and the state of Georgia's Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry participated in "Immediate Response 2008."
Operation Immediate Response 2008 was held from July 15-July 30, with U.S. personnel training about 600 troops at a former Soviet base near Tbilisi, the largest city and capital of Georgia. The goal of this operation was allegedly teaching combat skills for missions in Iraq. The Marines left already the country, but not the airmen.
It is obvious that there are numerous Israeli and U.S. interests in Georgia and it is highly likely that they are behind the dangerous Georgian move.
Joe Mestas, American citizen living in South Ossetia, who witnessed everything that happening in the region, talked to RT and blamed U.S. and Georgian leaders for the outbreak of violence.
Link _________________ "The conflict between corporations and activists is that of narcolepsy versus remembrance. The corporations have money, power and influence. Our sole influence is public outrage. Extract from "Cloud Atlas (page 125) by David Mitchell.
Fox News Host Refuses To Talk About Russia-Georgia War, Insists On Covering Edwards’
Sunday, Aug 10, 2008
Yesterday, Russia launched a major military offensive against Georgia, which Georgia has called “a state of war.” Nearly two thousand people have died and the conflict risks sparking a wider war. Also yesterday, former senator John Edwards admitted to having an extramarital affair in 2006.
Fox News has decided which story is worthy of more coverage. Today, host Gregg Jarrett interviewed PBS’s Bonnie Erbe. “We have these huge stories going on like the one you’re reporting in Georgia,” Erbe noted when asked about Edwards. Jarrett, however, completely ignored Erbe’s comment on Georgia and continued to talk about Edwards, offering praise for the National Enquirer:
Link _________________ "The conflict between corporations and activists is that of narcolepsy versus remembrance. The corporations have money, power and influence. Our sole influence is public outrage. Extract from "Cloud Atlas (page 125) by David Mitchell.
Fox News Host Refuses To Talk About Russia-Georgia War, Insists On Covering Edwards’
Sunday, Aug 10, 2008
Yesterday, Russia launched a major military offensive against Georgia, which Georgia has called “a state of war.” Nearly two thousand people have died and the conflict risks sparking a wider war. Also yesterday, former senator John Edwards admitted to having an extramarital affair in 2006.
Fox News has decided which story is worthy of more coverage. Today, host Gregg Jarrett interviewed PBS’s Bonnie Erbe. “We have these huge stories going on like the one you’re reporting in Georgia,” Erbe noted when asked about Edwards. Jarrett, however, completely ignored Erbe’s comment on Georgia and continued to talk about Edwards, offering praise for the National Enquirer:
This interview is so crass it is hard to believe that this guy hasn't just shot himself and Fox News in the foot. It is surely bad enough to wake up some of the idiotic fans who believe everything that station puts out.
Great balls of fire man! Erbe was amazingly talented to bring the message in but the host was just gut wrenching. I certainly find very little about anything of substance in my country. Change or a dirty old man and no one talks about what is going on. A nation gone.
WASHINGTON, DC -- Clearly playing the role of the aggressor, the NATO puppet regime of Mikhail Saakashvili has carried out a midnight sneak attack against Russian peacekeepers in the province of South Ossetia. Those peacekeepers have been there for 15 years under an agreement with Georgia. Saakashvili is a protégé and creature of Zbigniew Brzezinski, the foreign policy boss of the Barack Obama presidential campaign. As is explained in my book Obama- The Postmodern Coup: The Making of a Manchurian Candidate, Saakashvili was brought to power in 2003-2004 by a people power coup or CIA color revolution, directed by the Brzezinski clan and financed by George Soros, one of Obama's key financial backers. In a very real sense, it is the Obama campaign which has attacked Russia in South Ossetia.
Responding to this provocation, Russia has struck back powerfully, hurling the Georgian military into full retreat. The 3000% increase in Georgian military spending on US military hardware since 2004 has not had the desired effect. But the Georgians have killed a score of Russian troops and shot down several aircraft. Russia is blockading the Georgian Black Sea coast and has already sunk a Georgian warship. The US regime, the butchers of Iraq, are now whining that the Russian response is "disproportionate," and that regime change is inadmissible! McCain responded by aggressive posturing against Russia scripted by Ian Brzezinski, as expected. At the Olympics, Bush had a heated exchange with Russian Prime Minister Putin over the Georgian aggression. Bush has dropped his plans to attack Iran and North Korea, and is now slavishly following Brzezinski's orders by concentrating on provoking Russian and China.
Most interesting is the response of Brzezinski's other puppet, Obama. The Messiah first intoned that it was necessary to show restraint, and stop the armed conflict. He talked then to NSC Director Hadley, Saakashvili, Rice, and unspecified foreign policy advisers undoubtedly the Brzezinskis, Zbig and Mark. Notice Obama's failure to talk with a single Russian leader he failed to bring anybody together this time. Then Obama switched to a full warmonger line, identical to that of Bush: Obama now lied that Russia had invaded Georgian sovereignty and encroached on Russian sovereignty. Obama's spokesman, Ben Rhodes, added that Russia was responsible for the conflict. This goes to show that Obama is a ticket to World War III on the Brzezinski Plan, the crackpot design to break up Russia and China, securing another century for the Anglo-American world empire. Because Brzezinski's strategic insanity unfolds on a scale more vast than that of the neocons, Obama is indeed a far bigger warmonger than Bush.
"In his later statement, Mr. Obama said, "What is clear is that Russia has invaded Georgia's sovereign - has encroached on Georgia's sovereignty, and it is very important for us to resolve this issue as quickly as possible,"' The New York Times reported. Obama is morally insane, since Georgia is the aggressor and Russia is acting in self-defense. Russian peacekeepers have been stationed in South Ossetia for about 15 years under a Russian- Georgian bilateral agreement which the provocateur Saakashvili has now chosen to violate. The pseudo-democratic Saakashvili has declared martial law and is proceeding to liquidate his internal opposition a favorite Saakashvili trick. In November 2007, when opposition to the NATO "free market" kleptocrats was getting out of hand after a large demonstration, Saakashvili also declared martial law, suppressing the media and rounding up his opponents. This is the man Obama is supporting.
"Clearly over the course of the last 24 hours this crisis has escalated," said Ben Rhodes, an Obama foreign policy aide. "Clearly Russia bears the responsibility for that escalation." If this is the 3 AM phone call, Obama has failed miserably. Obama is running for the third term of the dotard warmonger Dick Cheney, who according to AP 'told Georgia's pro-American president that "Russian aggression must not go unanswered, and that its continuation would have serious consequences for its relations with the United States."'
Predictably, the US controlled corporate media, NPR, PBS, the BBC, and the rest of the Anglo-American media cartel are attempting to cover up the salient fact that this war was started by Georgia. Georgia is unquestionably the aggressor, and a cowardly one at that. It is time to demand that not one soldier, not one penny, not one ship, not one plane be used by the US to support Saakashvili and his gang of kleptocrats and thugs. There must be no NATO membership for Georgia, nor for the similar gang of kleptocrats and thugs ensconced in Kiev, Ukraine, who have declared their full support for Georgia. Russian President Medvedev has pointed out that the Georgians have already killed about 2,000 Ossetians out of a total population of 70,000, and that Georgia is pursuing genocide and ethnic cleansing. These charges are well founded. In the face of imminent military defeat, Saakashvili will have a hard time holding onto power. Russia is unlikely to consider Georgia proper a privileged sanctuary for launching further attacks, and the Tiflis airport and other assets have already been bombed by Russia. Georgia's entire military infrastructure will now be subject to destruction. This lesson will hopefully not be lost on Brzezinski's Ukrainian puppets.
South Ossetia can be compared to West Virginia. When Virginia seceded from the Union in 1861, West Virginia soon retaliated by seceding from Virginia. Similarly, when Georgia left the USSR in 1991, South Ossetia chose to remain with North Ossetia, which has been a part of Russia since about 1761. A second West Virginia exists in the form of Abkhazia, another province assigned by Stalin to the Georgian SSR which chose to stay de facto with the Russian Federation. Abkhazia fears a Georgian attack, and has declared a state of emergency, mobilizing its armed forces. Do not be surprised if Abkhazia pre-emptively seizes back some of its territory now held by Georgia.
The attack is coherent with Brzezinski's desperate plan to save the collapsing US-UK regime of world domination by finding ways to smash Russia and China, the two serious power centers capable of checkmating Washington and London. As predicted, the epicenter of world confrontation is shifting rapidly away from the Persian Gulf. The method is classic Brzezinski: Zbig, working through the Principals' Committee (Gates, Rice, Paulson, Mullen, Hadley) which rules Washington behind the scenes while the lame ducks Bush and Cheney babble off into the sunset, is playing his Georgia puppet state against Russia, leading in all probability to regime change and possible guerrilla warfare in Georgia. This is exactly what Brzezinski did with Afghanistan in 1979, leading to the collapse of the Soviet Union. It is also what Brzezinski intends to do with Iran. The Georgia-Ossetia war is already the biggest international crisis since 2003, with implications that go far beyond anything involving Iraq or Iran, since we are here dealing with the specter of superpower thermonuclear confrontation a danger which is not immediately present in the Gulf.
The Georgia-Ossetia war risks going out of control, and moving the planet towards World War III, in several ways:
There are 2,000 Georgian soldiers serving for the US in Iraq. These forces have now been called home. The US is flying them back to Georgia in US military aircraft, a very unfriendly act towards Russia, since these troops will soon be fighting the Russians under present circumstances. What is Russia decided to shoot down these US planes? That would bring World War III much too close for comfort. NBS News reports that the State Department is talking to the Russian Foreign Ministry to avoid just such a highly dangerous mid-air confrontation. American national interest demands that these Georgians be told to get home on their own power, without the US Air Force.
The Russian navy is now blockading the Black Sea coast of Georgia. What if the US or other NATO states now decide to send ships carrying humanitarian or military aid to Georgia? A large NATO fleet buildup in the eastern Mediterranean is reported. What if the US, the British, or the French try to break through the Russian naval blockade? If shooting starts, World War III could loom very quickly.
The NATO puppet regime in Ukraine controls the bases for the Russian Black Sea fleet. These NATO provocateurs in Kiev are now saying that, since the Russian Black Sea fleet has left those ports to blockade Georgia, they will not be allowed to re-enter their Ukrainian home ports. If shooting starts, this could be a wider war. If the NATO Tusk regime in Poland, yet another gaggle of Brzezinski puppets, decides to come in on the side of the Ukrainians, then Warsaw could invoke the NATO alliance, and the US could soon be at war with Russia.
Ukraine could also decide to support Georgia with ground troops. If the Ukrainians get into trouble, they will call on the Poles, and the Poles will call on NATO, also threatening to drag the US into a real war of catastrophic proportions.
GORI, Georgia — Russia issued an ultimatum to Georgian forces on Monday to surrender completely in and around the western pro-Russian separatist enclave of Abkhazia, in a sign that fighting could escalate on a second front in the west of Georgia.
The ultimatum called for Georgian forces to surrender in the Zugdidi district along the border of Abkhazia. A Georgian official close to the president, Giga Bokaria, said the ultimatum raised alarms that Russian troops would now push into Georgian territory in the west unchallenged by Georgian troops, which have been tied up in fighting further east near the other pro-Russian separatist enclave of South Ossetia.
The pivotal question in the conflict, which has involved heavy fighting since late last week, is now whether Russia — which has poured troops into both Abkhazia and South Ossetia — will push beyond these regions and further into Georgia. _________________ Simon - http://www.patriotsquestion911.com/
"All war represents a failure of diplomacy." (Tony Benn)
"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." (Groucho Marx)
The United States and the European Union are very concerned over the conflict between Russia and Georgia, fearing an escalation in the fighting that may affect the entire region.
It might be useful to examine the root cause of the conflict.
During the period of the Soviet Union, citizens of the nations it contained lived throughout its geographical territory. When the USSR collapsed, nationalisms strained the newly sovereign States.
South Ossetia is populated primarily by Russians holding Russian passports.
In 1990, South Ossetia held elections but the Georgians living there boycotted the elections. The Russian majority easily won and declared South Ossetia an autonomous Republic. Then, 98 % chose to unite with Russia, in 1991. Georgian attacks followed and Russian peacekeepers entered South Ossetia, on 14 July, 1992, to protect the lives of the Russian citizens and preserve stability.
South Ossetia’s independence has never been recognised by the U.N., the U.S. or the E.U. So much for the much vaunted ideal of Democracy.
This weekend, Georgian forces attacked South Ossetia and Russian forces naturally responded.
One solution might be for them the Russians of South Ossetia to move to Russia. Since they have lived in South Ossetia for generations, however, another solution could be for South Ossetia to join North Ossetia as part of the Russian Federation. Another solution might be for both North and South Ossetia to join together as a separate Nation-State with economic relations linking “Ossetia” to both Russia and Georgia.
If we lived in a world where Democracy was truly practiced, the “Ossetians” might be able to decide what THEY would like.
Instead, we have the possible beginnings of another major war, midst various international negotiations.
Russians out of South Ossetia? Americans out of Iraq and Afghanistan!
The USA’s efforts to stop a European/Russian superstate
http://www.redress.cc/global/cking20080810
_________________ "The conflict between corporations and activists is that of narcolepsy versus remembrance. The corporations have money, power and influence. Our sole influence is public outrage. Extract from "Cloud Atlas (page 125) by David Mitchell.
First Published 2008-08-10, Last Updated 2008-08-10 23:28:58
US Role in the Georgian Crisis
Christopher King argues that the US and NATO are behind the Georgian invasion of South Ossetia but have misjudged Russian resolve. He says it is time for Europe to distance itself from NATO, which has become a US tool, and to choose whether it wants Russia as a friend or an enemy.
The European Union needs to re-evaluate its relationship to both the United States and NATO.
Mass Murder in S. Ossetia: “Israelis should be proud of themselves”
Kurt Nimmo, Infowars, August 10, 2008
Israel’s Ynetnews is not ashamed of the role Israel plays in arming and training Georgia’s military. In fact, according to Arie Egozi, Israel is involved with Georgia specifically to gear its military up for confrontation with Russia:
For past seven years, Israeli companies have been helping Georgian army to prepare for war against Russia through arms deals, training of infantry units and security advice.
It sure helps that Georgia’s defense minister, Davit Kezerashvili, is a former Israeli who is fluent in Hebrew and worked with Israel. “His door was always open to the Israelis who came and offered his country arms systems made in Israel,” a source told Ynetnews. “Compared to countries in Eastern Europe, the deals in this country were conducted fast, mainly due to the defense minister’s personal involvement.” Some of the military hardware sold to Georgia includes remote-piloted vehicles, automatic turrets for armored vehicles, antiaircraft systems, communication systems, shells and rockets.
“According to Israeli sources, [former Israeli Brigadier-General] Gal Hirsch gave the Georgian army advice on the establishment of elite units such as Sayeret Matkal and on rearmament, and gave various courses in the fields of combat intelligence and fighting in built-up areas.” Sayeret Matkal is the main special forces unit of the Israeli Defense Force, modeled after the British SAS, and specializes in counter-terrorism, deep reconnaissance and intelligence gathering.
Arie Egozi writes that Israel’s Foreign Ministry worried about angering Russia with such military sales, but Georgian Minister Temur Yakobashvili said the “Israelis should be proud of themselves for the Israeli training and education received by the Georgian soldiers.”
Yakobashvili is a Jew and is fluent in Hebrew. “We are now in a fight against the great Russia,” he said, “and our hope is to receive assistance from the White House, because Georgia cannot survive on its own.
“It’s important that the entire world understands that what is happening in Georgia now will affect the entire world order. It’s not just Georgia’s business, but the entire world’s business.”
It remains to be seen if the U.S. will provide overt assistance to Georgia, although as we have consistently detailed on Infowars and Prison Planet there is mounting evidence they have provided covert assistance. In fact, as Russia’s media reports, the dead bodies of U.S. mercenaries continue to show up in South Ossetia, providing more than enough evidence of complicity. No doubt, as well, Israel’s complicity in aggression against South Ossetia is more than Arie Egozi and Ynetnews would have us believe.
Addendum
As Jonathan Lis and Moti Katz report for Haaretz, Israeli soldiers who trained their Georgian counterparts report there “was an atmosphere of war about to break out. We received basic background about tensions between Georgia and Russia, but most of what I learned came from talking to the soldiers. From my point of view, the battles of the past few days were to be expected.”
L., who trained a Georgian reconnaissance unit, says the troops were high quality. “It’s not the standard we know in Israel, but when we left them they were at a good level. They took the training very seriously. There is a wider age range than in Israel, from 18 to 35, but they function very well. Over the past few days I’ve been following the news and I think they grasped a little of how to use strategy, like we taught them. It looks like we did a good job.” L. refuses to discuss the weapons they trained the Georgians with, but he says the program was approved by Israel’s Defense Ministry and included no classified information. “We taught them counterterror and house-to-house fighting, but that was very basic.”
This anonymous Israeli soldier, according to Harretz, “is furious over the Foreign Ministry directive to freeze Israeli weapons sales to Georgia. ‘When we found ourselves in a similar situation, we expected the world to act differently,’ he said.”
A similar situation? He must mean sneak attacking South Ossetia and killing over two thousand civilians.
_________________ "The conflict between corporations and activists is that of narcolepsy versus remembrance. The corporations have money, power and influence. Our sole influence is public outrage. Extract from "Cloud Atlas (page 125) by David Mitchell.
World War 3 expands into Europe and awakens the Russian Bear: The next stage in the oil wars
Due to some technical difficulties there have been delays in presenting certain information in the wrap-up of politics and economics, so I’ve decided to skip a few specifics and go directly to two steps before the end.
Remembering History:
Usually there are disagreements as to the exact dates of beginnings of conflicts, especially when those conflicts are global.
“Which act lit the spark on the tinderbox? Which straw was the final one? Like peak oil itself, the beginnings of war are often visible only in retrospect.”
For example, some would argue that World War II began in 1939 with the German invasion of Poland. Others would pick the 1931 Japanese invasion of Manchuria or maybe even the 1933 Reichstag Fire.
The only consensus regarding World War II is that it was devastating.
What is Happening at the Present:
True to the old proverb “If We Don't Learn Our History, We're Doomed to Repeat It” - As it was with World War II, so it appears with World War III.
Many, including George Bush, believe that 911 was the start of World War III. The nominees for this title are plentiful; Afghanistan, Iraq I, Iraq II, Syria, Jerusalem, etc..
The beginning of World War III could have also been triggered by the establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, or the opening of Iran’s Oil Bourse which is hastening the collapse of the US Petrodollar.
There is also the belief that World War III maybe less so an attack on a certain country or a people as it is a war between corporate governments and their citizenry.
However, if you are still undecided as to the exact start date of World War III given the above choices, then how about picking 8 August 2008 when the war between Russia and Georgia began? This date will surely be considered by many historians to be the beginning of World War III since it means that the current wars in Africa and Asia have now spilled over into the European continent.
Why Russia and Georgia are at war:
There are many reasons why Russia and Georgia are at war, but as it was with Afghanistan and Iraq, oil and proposed oil and gas pipelines standout as the primary one.
The reasons for such a war however are a moot point. What is important is who benefits from this, who is orchestrating it, and what will be the end result?
The first part is easy, the only benefactors of wars are corporations. As for the second part, according to Russian officials “it was the USA that orchestrated the current conflict”, while the Georgian Minister has personally thanked Israel for what is happening. And the third, the end result of such a conflict can only bring about the expansion of World War III and everything that it entails. What else could possibly be the final outcome when two of the most powerful militaries of the world clash, one directly and the other through a client State.
It should be becoming clear that the implications of what is happening are unfathomable.
What the Future Holds:
At the beginning of this year, after reading the news that thousands of Pakistanis had fled into Afghanistan due to the security situation deteriorating in Pakistan I wrote a piece called “What the Future Holds: It’s much worse than your worst nightmare.” This article summarized our current situation at the time and laid forth an argument that we are in essence at the beginning stages of a full-blown world war.
A few recent important events have taken place since that summary was written, such as: Israeli jets using Iraqi airspace in preparation for an attack on Iran, Iran opening their Oil Bourse and totally removing US dollars in their countries oil transactions, at least nine banks failing in the US and UK so far in 2008, Blackwater mercenaries being used on American soil for raids by the US Federal Government, conflict between NATO and American forces and the Taliban in Afghanistan swelling, Dick Cheney preparing US allies for a nuclear war, Sistani issuing Fatwas against US Troops, and George Bush receiving four hundred million dollars for covert operations in Iran to destabilize the country which for all intents and purposes is an act of war.
So what awaits us in the future? From this perspective there is only one answer, the proliferation of war.
Below is the updated summary that was posted at the beginning of this year. It is more relevant today than it was a few months ago.
What the Future Holds: It’s much worse than your worst nightmare
Everything is politics, from what we eat to what we drink, from what society deems acceptable behavior to what it considers a criminal offence, from who we interact with to how we interact with them. Politics decides if we are free or if we will live as slaves in bondage. Politics determines what our children are taught in school, how we treat the ecosystem, what theories scientists investigate, how art is perceived, what version of history we recall, and how the future will remember us.
In essence, politics governs our thoughts, our understanding of reality, and how we and our society evolve, which is why the main focus of this site has been the analysis of our political status, laying down a foundation for our next phase of dialogue, which will focus on our future mode of existence and the structure of future societies.
Before moving on from the realm of politics, I have prepared the following summary and forecast of what we can expect in the immediate future. Since specific issues have been previously discussed in detail on this site I have tried to keep this summary brief and on topic. The perspective presented should make it clear that the opening of Pandora's box with the US-led invasion of Iraq has, beyond a reasonable doubt, kick started World War III.
This information is being presented in three parts: The first begins with an analysis of a BBC news report that thousands of Pakistanis are fleeing into Afghanistan; second is a graphical presentation of what the West is planning to do in the Muslim world; and third is why it is crucial that the use of Nuclear and Scalar weapons be avoided at all costs.
In addition, I have also supplied links to articles from chycho.com that are essential reading, further discussing in detail what is presented in this post.
1) How Bad It Is: Pakistanis flee into Hell, while Hell comes to Africa
2) Target is still Iran: Clear Cutting the Middle East and the coming Blood Bath
3) Avoiding Armageddon: Why the use of Nuclear and Scalar weapons must be avoided at all costs
4) Other Triggers of WWIII: Net Neutrality and 2012 Prophecies
5) Additional Information: Related articles from www.chycho.com
_________________ "The conflict between corporations and activists is that of narcolepsy versus remembrance. The corporations have money, power and influence. Our sole influence is public outrage. Extract from "Cloud Atlas (page 125) by David Mitchell.
Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 18335 Location: St. Pauls, Bristol, England
Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 10:06 pm Post subject:
Good to have so much more analysis here than that we're getting on NATO zone mainstream news sources.
Thanks everyone
One can't help wondering though if the West hasn't entirely been caught on the hop by Putin here. Our so-called leaders seem so utterly unprepared with cogent arguments against what Putin's doing.
Utterly indecisive.
This is a worrying sign that the most important levers of NATO foreign policy may be controlled by unimaginative zombie/dollards who have no real analysis of foreign policy. Thus they have to wait to be told what their opinion is and leave it to the various far right funded think tanks' such as the RIIA 'experts' for comment.
Milliband has been particularly, vaccuous absent from the scene on this one.
Maybe he's just a bad, puffed-up actor on a rickety stage and is afraid of forgetting his Mossad scripted lines again?
Quote:
Where on earth is David Miliband?
Peter Hoskin 4:38pm
A great post by Mary Dejevsky over at Open House, questioning just what David Miliband has been doing during the conflict between Russia and Georgia. Yes, our Foreign Secretary has issued a statement on the issue, but some of his colleagues - such as Des Browne and Jim Murphy - have been far more prominent on the airwaves. And Miliband's French counterpart has even gone over to Georgia, to witness the situation first-hand.
I've been assured that Brown and Miliband have been in "direct discussion" over the Georgia crisis. But, still, it's hard not to conclude that the Labour leadership struggle lies behind our Foreign Secretary's no-show. Maybe he's been blocked by the Brownites. Maybe he doesn't want to put his head above the parapet, and fuel the media frenzy once again. Or maybe - as Dejevsky suggests - he's already "moved on" from his current brief. Either way, it would be truly embarrassing if internal party wranglings were getting in the way of Britain's ability to act on the world stage.
http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/891036/where-on-earth-is-david- miliband.thtml
Joined: 10 Dec 2005 Posts: 2017 Location: Croydon, Surrey
Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 10:55 pm Post subject:
Julian Manyon on ITV news has been fairly scathing about the Georgian attack on South Ossetia. It is clear from the ITN bulletins that it was Georgian aggression causing hundreds of South Ossetian deaths that has triggered this war.
On the BBC news, however, the emphasis has all been on Russian aggression and the Russian violation of Georgian sovereignty. One could easily get the impression that this war was started by a Russian attack on Georgia.
Here is a report of a statement from our glorious leader:
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown delivered a sharp warning to Russia on Monday to end its military operations in the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia.
There was 'no justification' for Russia's military offensive, Brown said in a statement released in London.
Tarpley's analysis is surely correct. He was predicting this kind of thing months ago.....that Brezhynsky was now in control and that he was more dangerous than the neo-cons because he wants US/UK to cement their global hegemony by breaking up Russia, China and Iran.
....and, as we speak, a massive US fleet (with a couple of British aircraft carriers) is on its way to the Gulf.
Our fate is in the hands of lunatics.........Parliament, the press, TV, military leadership....lunatics....the effing lot of 'em.
The 'Carry On' films got the character of this country exactly right.
Through all these years, Russia has continued to recognize Georgia's territorial integrity. Clearly, the only way to solve the South Ossetian problem on that basis is through peaceful means. Indeed, in a civilized world, there is no other way.
The Georgian leadership flouted this key principle. What happened on the night of Aug. 7 is beyond comprehension. The Georgian military attacked the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali with multiple rocket launchers designed to devastate large areas. Russia had to respond. To accuse it of aggression against "small, defenseless Georgia" is not just hypocritical but shows a lack of humanity.
Mounting a military assault against innocents was a reckless decision whose tragic consequences, for thousands of people of different nationalities, are now clear. The Georgian leadership could do this only with the perceived support and encouragement of a much more powerful force. Georgian armed forces were trained by hundreds of U.S. instructors, and its sophisticated military equipment was bought in a number of countries. This, coupled with the promise of NATO membership, emboldened Georgian leaders into thinking that they could get away with a "blitzkrieg" in South Ossetia.
In other words, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili was expecting unconditional support from the West, and the West had given him reason to think he would have it.
By declaring the Caucasus, a region that is thousands of miles from the American continent, a sphere of its "national interest," the United States made a serious blunder.... Russia is not seeking territorial expansion, but it has legitimate interests in this region. ...A lesson from recent events is that geopolitical games are dangerous anywhere, not just in the Caucasus. _________________ Simon - http://www.patriotsquestion911.com/
Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 6060 Location: East London
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 9:14 pm Post subject: Russians Have Introduced Ballistic Missiles into S. Ossetia
Russians Have Introduced Ballistic Missile Launchers Into South Ossetia.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article20492.htm _________________ 'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.
"President Bush, Will You Please Shut Up?"
Paul Craig Roberts
Counterpunch
Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:37 EDT
The neoconned Bush Regime and the Israeli-occupied American media are heading the innocent world toward nuclear war.
Back in the Reagan years the National Endowment for Democracy was created as a cold war tool. Today the NED is a neocon-controlled agent for US world hegemony. Its main function is to pour US money and election-rigging into former constituent parts of the Soviet Union in order to ring Russia with American puppet states.
The neoconservative Bush Regime used the NED to intervene in Ukrainian and Georgian internal affairs in keeping with the neoconservative plan to establish US-friendly and Russia-hostile political regimes in these two former constituent parts of Russia and the Soviet Union.
The NED was also used to dismember the former Yugoslavia with its interventions in Slovakia, Serbia, and Montenegro.
Allen Weinstein, who helped draft the legislation establishing NED, told the Washington Post in 1991 that much of what the NED does "today was done covertly 25 years ago by the CIA."
The Bush Regime, having established a puppet, Mikhail Saakashvili, as president of Georgia, tried to bring Georgia into NATO.
For readers too young to know, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was a military alliance between the US and Western European countries to resist any Soviet move into Western Europe [and to ensure European countries lined up behind the US, and bought its weapons systems. Editors] . There has been no reason for NATO since the Soviet Union's internal political collapse almost two decades ago. The neocons turned NATO into another tool, like the NED, for US world hegemony. Subsequent US administrations violated the understandings that President Reagan had reached with Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, and have incorporated former parts of the Soviet empire into NATO. The neocon goal of ringing Russia with a hostile military alliance has been proclaimed many times.
Western European members of NATO balked at the admission of Georgia, as they understood it as a provocative affront to Russia, on whom Western Europe is dependent for natural gas. Western Europeans are also disturbed at the Bush Regime's intentions to install ballistic missile defenses in Poland and the Czech Republic as the consequence will be Russian nuclear cruise missiles targeted on European capitals. Europeans don't see the advantage of helping the US block Russian nuclear retaliation against the US at the expense of their own existence. Ballistic missile defenses are not useful against cruise missiles.
Every country is tired of war except for the US. War, including nuclear war, is the neoconservative strategy for world hegemony.
The entire world, except for Americans, knows that the outbreak of armed conflict between Russian and Georgian forces in South Ossetia was entirely due to the US and its Georgia puppet, Saakashvili. Americans, alone in the world, are unaware that the hostilities were initiated by Saakashvili, because Bush, Cheney and the Israeli-occupied American media have again lied to them.
Everyone else in the world knows that the unstable and corrupt Saakashvili, who proclaims democracy and runs a police state, would not have taken on Russia by attacking South Ossetia unless given the go-ahead by Washington.
The purpose of the Georgian attack on the Russian population of South Ossetia is twofold:
To convince Europeans that their action in delaying Georgia's NATO membership is the cause of "the Russian aggression" and that to save Georgia from conquest Georgia must be given NATO membership.
To ethnically cleanse South Ossetia of its Russian population. Two thousand Russian civilians were targeted and killed by the US-equipped and trained Georgian Army, and tens of thousands fled into Russia. Having achieved this goal, Saakashvili and his puppet-masters in Washington quickly called for a cease fire and a halt to "the Russian invasion." The hope is that the Russian population will be afraid to return or can be prevented from returning, thus removing the secessionist threat.
No doubt the Bush Regime can con the American population, just as it did with Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, Iranian nukes, and 9/11 itself, but the rest of the world is not buying it, not even America's bought-and-paid-for European allies.
Writing in the Asia Times, Ambassador M. K. Bhadrakumar, a former career diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service, notes the disinformation that is being peddled by the Bush Regime and the US media and reports that "at the outbreak of violence, Russia had tried to have the United Nations Security Council issue a statement calling on Georgia and South Ossetia to immediately lay down weapons. However, Washington was disinterested."
Amb. Bhadrakumar notes that the American and Georgian resort to violence and propaganda has brought an end to the Russian government's belief that diplomacy and good will can bring about a settlement of the South Ossetia issue. If Russia wished, Russia could terminate Georgia's existence as a separate country at will, and there is nothing the US could do about it.
It is certain that the Georgian invasion of South Ossetia was a Bush Regime orchestrated event. The American media and the neocon think tanks were ready with their propaganda blitzes. Neocons had ready a Wall Street Journal editorial page article for Saakashvili that declares "the war in Georgia is a war for the West."
Faced with the collapse of his army when Russia sent in troops to protect South Ossetians from the Georgian troops, Saakashvili declared: "This is not about Georgia any more. It is about America, its values."
The neocon Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., quickly called a conference hosted by warmonger Ariel Cohen, "Urgent! Event: Russian-Georgian War: A Challenge for the U.S. and the World."
The Washington Post hosted neocon Robert Kagen's war drums, "Putin Makes His Move."
Only a fool like Kagen could think that if Putin intended to invade Georgia he would do so from Beijing, or that after sending the American-trained Georgian army in flight, he would not continue and conquer all of Georgia in order to put an end to American machinations on Russia's most sensitive border, machinations that are likely to eventually end in nuclear war.
The New York Tiimes hosted Billy Kristol's rant, "Will Russia Get Away With It?" Kristol thunders against "dictatorial and aggressive and fanatical regimes" that "seem happy to work together to weaken the influence of the United States and its democratic allies." Kristol presents a new axis of evil--Russia, China, North Korea and Iran--and warns against "delay and irresolution" that "simply invite future threats and graver dangers."
In other words, "attack Russia now."
Dick Cheney, the insane American Vice President telephoned Saakashvili to express US solidarity with Georgia in the conflict with Russia and declared: "Russian aggression must not go unanswered. Only an idiot would tell Saakashvili anything other than "to cease immediately."
What must be the effect on US Intelligence services and the US military of Cheney's propagandistic and irresponsible statement of US support for Georgia's war crimes? Does anyone really believe that the CIA or any US intelligence service told the vice president that Russia opened the conflict with an invasion? Russian troops arrived in South Ossetia after thousands of Ossetians had been killed by the Georgian attack and after tens of thousands of Ossetians had fled into Russia to escape the Georgian attack. According to news reports, Russian forces have captured Americans who were with the Georgian troops directing their attack on civilians.
The US military certainly has no resources for a war against Russia on top of lost wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a planned war with Iran.
With its Georgian venture, the Bush Regime is guilty of a new round of war crimes. What will be the consequence?
Many will reply that having got away with 9/11, Afghanistan, Iraq, and with its preparations for attacking Iran, the Bush Regime will get away with its Georgian venture as well.
Possibly, however, this time the Bush Regime has overreached.
Certainly Russia now recognizes that the US is determined to exert hegemony over Russia and is Russia's worst enemy.
China realizes the US threat to its own energy supply and, thereby, economy.
Even America's European allies, chafing under their role of supplying troops for America's Empire, must now realize that being an American ally is dangerous and has no benefits. If Georgia becomes a NATO member and renews its attack on South Ossetia, it must drag Europe into a war with Russia, a main supplier of energy to Europe.
Moreover, if Russian troops are sent across European frontiers, there is nothing to stop them.
What does America offer Europe, aside from the millions of dollars it pays to buy off Europe's political leaders to insure that they betray their own peoples? Nothing whatsoever.
The only military threat that Europe faces comes from being dragged into America's wars for American hegemony.
The US is financially bankrupt, with budget and trade deficits that exceed the combined deficits of the rest of the world together. The dollar has wilted. The American consumer market is dying from the offshoring of American jobs and, thereby, incomes, and from the wealth effect of the real estate and derivatives collapses. The US has nothing to offer Europe. Indeed, American economic decline is killing European exports by driving up the value of the euro.
America long ago lost the moral high ground. Hypocrisy has become America's best known hallmark. Bush, the invader of Afghanistan and Iraq on the basis of lies and deception, thunders at Russia for coming to the defense of its peacekeepers and Russian citizens in South Ossetia. Bush who ripped Kosovo out of Serbia's heart and handed it to the Muslims, has taken an adamant stand against other separatist movements, especially the South Ossetians who wish to be part of the Russian Federation.
The neoconned Bush Regime is furious that the Russian bear was not intimidated by the US supported aggression of the American puppet state, Georgia. Instead of accepting the act of American hegemony that the neocon script called for, Russia sent the Americanized Georgian army fleeing in fear.
Having failed with weapons, the Bush Regime now unleashes the rhetoric. The White House is warning Russia that failure to acquiesce to US hegemony could have a "significant, long-term impact on relations between Washington and Moscow."
Do the morons who comprise the Bush Regime really not understand that short of a surprise nuclear attack on Russia there is nothing whatsoever the US can do to Moscow?
The Bush Regime owns no Russian currency that it can dump. The Russians own US dollars.
The Bush Regime owns no Russian bonds that it can dump. The Russians own US bonds.
The US can cut Russia off from no energy supplies. Russia can cut America's European allies off from energy.
President Reagan negotiated the end of the cold war with Soviet President Gorbachev.,The neoconservatives, whom Reagan fired and drove from his administration, were furious. The neocons had hoped to win the cold war, thereby establishing American hegemony.
The Republican Establishment reestablished its hegemony under Bush 1st that it had lost to Ronald Reagan. With this feat, intelligence was driven from the Republican Party.
The neocons engineered their comeback with the First Gulf War and their propaganda, pure lies, that Iraqi troops bayoneted Kuwait babies in hospitals.
The neocons made a further comeback with President Clinton, whom they convinced to bomb Serbia in order to permit separatist movements to become independent states dependent on America.
With Bush 2nd, the neocons took over. Their agenda, American world hegemony, includes Israeli hegemony in the Middle East.
So far the schemes of these ignorant and dangerous ideologues have come a cropper. Iraq, formerly in the hands of secular Sunnis who were a check on Iran, is, after the American invasion and occupation, in the hands of religious Shi'ites allied with Iran.
In Afghanistan, the Taliban are resurgent, and a large NATO/US army there is unable to control the situation.
One consequence of the neocons' Afghan war has been the loss of power of the American puppet president of Pakistan, a Muslim country armed with nuclear weapons. The puppet president now faces impeachment, and the Pakistani military has informed the Americans to stop conducting military operations in Pakistani territory.
The American puppets in Egypt and Jordan might be next to fall.
In Iraq, the Shi'ites, having completed their ethnic cleansing of Sunnis from neighborhoods, have declared a cease fire in order to contradict the US propaganda that American withdrawal would lead to a blood bath. Negotiations on withdrawal dates are now underway between the Americans and the Iraqi government, which is no longer behaving like a puppet.
Last year Hugo Chavez ridiculed Bush before the UN. Russia's Putin ridiculed Bush as Comrade Wolf.
On August 12, 2008, Pravda ridiculed Bush, "Bush: Why don't you shut up."
Americans may think they are a superpower before whose presence the world trembles. But not the Russians.
Those Americans stupid enough to think that America's "superpower" insures its citizens from danger need to read the total contempt shown for President Bush in Pravda:
"President Bush,
Why don't you shut up? In your statement on Monday regarding the legitimate actions of the Russian Federation in Georgia, you failed to mention the war crimes perpetrated by Georgian military forces, which American advisors support, against Russian and Ossetian civilians
"President Bush,
Why don't you shut up? Your faithful ally, Mikhail Saakashvili, was announcing a ceasefire deal while his troops, with your advisors, were massing on Ossetia's border, which they crossed under cover of night and destroyed Tskhinvali, targeting civilian structures just like your forces did in Iraq.
"President Bush,
Why don't you shut up? Your American transport aircraft gave a ride home to thousands of Georgian soldiers from Iraq directly into the combat zone.
"President Bush,
Why don't you shut up? How do you account for the fact that among the Georgian soldiers fleeing the fighting yesterday you could clearly hear officers using American English giving orders to "Get back inside" and how do you account for the fact that there are reports of American soldiers among the Georgian casualties?
"President Bush,
Why don't you shut up? Do you really think anyone gives any importance whatsoever to your words after 8 years of your criminal and murderous regime and policies? Do you really believe you have any moral ground whatsoever and do you really imagine there is a single human being anywhere on this planet who does not stick up his middle finger every time you appear on a TV screen?
Do you really believe you have the right to give any opinion or advice after Abu Ghraib? After Guantanamo? After the massacre of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens? After the torture by CIA operatives?
Do you really believe you have any right to make a statement on any point of international law after your trumped-up charges against Iraq and the subsequent criminal invasion?
"President Bush,
Why don't you shut up? Suppose Russia for instance declares that Georgia has weapons of mass destruction? And that Russia knows where these WMD are, namely in Tblisi and Poti and north, south, east and west of there? And that it must be true because there is 'magnificent foreign intelligenc' such as satellite photos of milk powder factories and baby cereals producing chemical weapons and which are currently being 'driven around the country in vehicles'? Suppose Russia declares for instance that 'Saakashvili stiffed the world' and it is 'time for regime change'?
Nice and simple, isn't it, President Bush?
"So, why don't you shut up? Oh and by the way, send some more of your military advisors to Georgia, they are doing a sterling job. And they look all funny down the night sight, all green."
The US is not a superpower. It is a bankrupt farce run by imbeciles who were installed by stolen elections arranged by Karl Rove and Diebold. It is a laughing stock, that ignorantly affronts and attempts to bully an enormous country equipped with tens of thousands of nuclear weapons.
________________________________________
Reader Comments
Starting To Make Sense
By Thomas
I must confess that I have not followed recent events in that part of the world. So when reports of war started coming on the media I was a bit puzzled. Who is on which side? This was far from clear from the first reports.
But little Georgia going to war with mighty Russia? And what are US advisers doing there?
This fine article explains alot. Another Neocon adventure. Thousands dead, property destroyed, more horror.
"The US is not a superpower. It is a bankrupt farce run by imbeciles who were installed by stolen elections arranged by Karl Rove and Diebold. It is a laughing stock, that ignorantly affronts and attempts to bully an enormous country equipped with tens of thousands of nuclear weapons."
The Pravada article is blistering and dead on.
Added: Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:47 EDT
Replies
"The Us Is Not A Superpower..." By Great hierophant
If the rest of the world can figure it out, why can't "average" Americans?
Added: Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:40 EDT
Good Article, Sott Team! By Great hierophant
Tells it like it is! You're doing great work! Keep 'em coming!
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili denied on Wednesday night that Israel has suspended its military aid to the country. "I haven't heard anything about that, and I haven't had time to think about that issue for some days," he told Haaretz.
Saakashvili said he is aware of problems with supplying the pilotless drones that his army ordered from Israeli companies, but not of the stopping of any other shipments of military aid.
"The Israeli weapons have proved very effective," he said at a press conference at his office. When asked whether the Israeli arms played a role in the military successes he claimed the Georgian army had achieved, he joked: "Are you asking me as a representative of Elbit or of Israel Aerospace Industries?"
To a reporter's question about Jews who have fled the fighting and come to Israel, he said: "We have two Israeli cabinet ministers, one deals with war [Defense Minister David Kezerashvili], and the other with negotiations [State Minister for Territorial Integration Temur Yakobashvili], and that is the Israeli involvement here: Both war and peace are in the hands of Israeli Jews."
Yakobashvili is actually not an Israeli citizen. Saakashvili's statements are part of his government's attempt to bring other countries into its war against Russia. During the briefing, Saakashvili noted that he is in constant contact with U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. He promised that U.S. warships would be docking in Georgian ports within a few days to make sure they remain open.
Saakashvili tried to project confidence during the interview, but could not completely hide the stress he is under. A few hours earlier, refugees from Gori held a spontaneous demonstration in front of parliament, calling for Saakashvili to resign.
"We will fight to the death until the last Russian soldier leaves Georgian territory," Saakashvili told reporters. "We will never surrender."
He characterized the announcements against him by Russia's government, blaming him for the suffering of the Georgian people, as "typical Nazi propaganda." He accused Russia of ethnic cleansing in the Georgian villages in the north of the country. "If Georgia falls, all of the energy supply routes will be blocked," he said.
Saakashvili told the press conference that he expected Russia's next victims to be the Baltic countries. He accused Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin of "trying to take revenge on the United States, but instead of attacking the Sixth Fleet he found himself an easier target."
Georgian minister slams Israeli suspension of aid
Earlier Wednesday, Yakobashvili told Haaretz that Israel has joined in the West's betrayal of Georgia. As the official in charge of bringing Abkhazia and South Ossetia back into the fold, Yakobashvili oversaw negotiations with the Russians to end the fighting there. He warned the world that the situation would escalate into war, but the West ignored him.
"They said the Georgians are exaggerating again," he charged.
A former Zionist leader who speaks fluent Hebrew, Yakobashvili credited Israeli defense companies with "enabling us to train our army and giving us the possibility to withstand the Russians," but termed the Israeli government's decision to stop arms exports to his country "a disgrace."
He said the West should have responded by "deploying NATO troops to defend Georgia's vital infrastructure," and that "Israel is betraying us, along with the European countries and the United States."
Referring to rioting by Russian militia groups in villages surrounding Gori, Yakobashvili said: "Today there was a Cossack pogrom against the local population. As a Jew that gives me a different feeling."
Yakobashvili blasted Israel's decision to suspend defense aid to Georgia: "Israel did it at the Russians' behest. It aided the terrorists, the Russians. It's a disgrace. I don't know what it received in return, I only see that Hezbollah continues to get Russian arms, and plenty of it."
"Israel should protect the interests it has here," he continued. "There are many Israeli businesspeople who invested money, and a country should protect its citizens' investments."
He ascribed Georgia's feisty military ability to Israeli training, and said that Russian experts had told him "they never believed Georgia has such an army and that they would encounter such resistance."
Yakobashvili claimed the Georgian forces had destroyed Russia's 58th army and downed 17 planes and three helicopters (data unsubstantiated by other sources). Eventually they had to retreat, he said, because "Russia deployed 30,000 soldiers and a thousand tanks. Our people are not suicidal we don't want our soldiers to remain in the field and be killed by Russian planes."
The minister claimed that the Abkhazian minority had carried out "ethnic cleansing" in that breakaway region in recent years by expelling members of other ethnic groups, and had supplied weapons to separatists in Ossetia for attacks on Georgian villages.
He was in Tskhinvali, Ossetia, last week, hours before fighting broke out there. "The separatists fired at Georgian villages. We returned fire and asked the Russians to order the Ossetians to stop. The Russian representative told me we have to agree to a total cease-fire and that President Saakashvili had issued such an order to our army, and we did not return fire, even when they bombarded two of our villages. I told the president we should pay the price, just let there be peace. But when we found out that they were continuing to transfer more weapons through the Roki Tunnel [between Russia and Ossetia], we had to attack. It was a matter of screwing or being screwed."
Despite the Russian army's advance toward Tbilisi on Wednesday, Yakobashvili said he believes the cease-fire reached through French mediation will hold. _________________ Simon - http://www.patriotsquestion911.com/
Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 18335 Location: St. Pauls, Bristol, England
Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:10 pm Post subject:
Reporters without borders
GEORGIA
Russian and Georgian websites fall victim to a war being fought online as well as in the field
Reporters Without Borders condemns the many violations of online freedom of information since the outbreak of fighting in the Georgian province of South Ossetia on 8 August, including the Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks on many Georgian websites, in which the servers they use are overloaded and crashed by millions of connection requests.
“The Internet has become a battleground in which information is the first victim,” Reporters Without Borders said. “On the one side, the main Georgian ISPs severed access to Russian websites. On the other side, Georgian government websites were attacked by Russian hackers. With newspapers and radio and TV stations putting out very little independent news, the Internet is a vital tool for the public, so these attacks must stop at once.”
The Georgian authorities decided on 11 August to “combat disinformation” by cutting all access to Russian TV station broadcasts.
Georgia’s leading ISP, Caucasus Online, is filtering the Russian domain name “.ru” thereby blocking access to the main Russian-language news websites such as those of the Russian news agency Ria Novosti, the newspaper Izvestia and the Lenta.ru and Interfax ( www.interfax.com <http://www.interfax.com/> ) agencies. Russian hackers have meanwhile also attacked some regional news portals such as Day.az and ANS.az, two leading news websites based in Azerbaijan.
Many Georgian online news media are also blocked, such as Rustavi 2 (http://pr1.rustavi2.com/news/index.php), Civil.ge ( http://www.civil.gehttp://www.civil.ge/> ), Media.ge and Interpressnews.ge (http://www.interpressnews.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG).
The Georgian government websites that have been attacked by Russian hackers include the president’s site ( http://www.apsny.ge <http://www.apsny.ge/> ), which was inaccessible on 11 and 12 August. The foreign ministry website changed its URL address in order to remain accessible. It can now be reached at
http://georgiamfa.blogspot.com/.
Four journalists and a driver have been killed and around 10 journalists have been injured since the outbreak of fighting between Georgia and Russia in South Ossetia.
Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 18335 Location: St. Pauls, Bristol, England
Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 11:39 pm Post subject:
Peace breaks out in Georgia.
Much better quality (if I can use that word as a pacifist) military operation than those in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Georgia forced to accept a Russian occupation
President Saakashvili was forced to accept defeat yesterday as he signed a peace agreement that gives the Russian Army the right to patrol on Georgian soil.
In a critical amendment to the ceasefire drawn up by President Sarkozy of France, the Kremlin forced Mr Saakashvili to accept that Russian troops could control a buffer zone of Georgian territory up to 10km beyond the border of the breakaway region of South Ossetia.
Mr Saakashvili was humiliated further when the final text of the agreement, delivered personally by Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, removed a reference to Russian recognition of Georgia’s territorial integrity.....
Many more 'Warts and All' photographs from South Ossetia here
Also Cameron is clearly the warmongering Zionist racist toe-rag agent through and through - check this Daily Mail piece. And see what he's up to today! Flying out to lecture everyone on the new Cuban missile crisis.
Unfortunately you won't find Anderw Alexander's very sensible view expressed almost anywhere else in the British media. Because it's not the fascist elite in the US and Israel's view.
Nato is pushing Russia into a new Cold War
Last updated at 9:12 PM on 14th August 2008
As so often, the Americans are proving a menace on the international stage
And the term humbug is wholly inadequate to describe the reproaches that President Bush heaps on the Russians.
As are reckless and irresponsible to describe the use of the U.S. military to carry humanitarian aid to Georgia. That is the way conflicts can escalate.
Russia Georgia war
Nato has been expanding eastwards and wooing former Soviet satellites, including the Ukraine, which could cause future conflicts with Russia
It is easy to imagine the frenzy in Washington if Russia treated the U.S.'s Latin American neighbours as though they were within its sphere of influence.
One question has been lingering for years.
Whatever made Washington think it could keep pushing Nato right up to Russia's border without provoking conflict?
Some European governments have long been uneasy about this provocative strategy, but never the United States.
This dangerous recruitment drive started under President Clinton.
Now we have Poland and the Czech Republic agreeing to U.S. missile and radar sites.
Almost beyond belief, Nato is wooing the Ukraine.
Yet, as anyone with an ounce of history knows, fear of encirclement has characterised Russia for centuries - after so many invasions from east, west and south.
This fear has a deep hold on the country's psyche. This is not just being ignored by the U.S., it is being flouted.
The problem about Nato is that it may be a multi-nation alliance in theory, but Washington has always led it by the nose, being the dominant power, by virtue of size, funds and military technology.
There is also a curious fear that if we upset the Americans they might lose interest in Europe and become isolationist. If only!
Few would have believed that East-West relations should have so declined 20 years after the collapse of the Berlin Wall.
Nato itself has been a principle cause. With the collapse of Communism, the organisation lost its principal purpose.
But anyone familiar with large international organisations knows that no great military and bureaucratic machine is ever easily persuaded to dismantle itself or even shrink.
Jobs, pensions, prestigious appointments, fringe benefits, visa privileges and all the other comforts of officialdom were at stake.
So Nato set about devising a new role - expansion to the east.
This fitted all too well with Washington's expansionist instincts.
Every quarter of the globe is regarded as the business of the U.S.
Everyone is seen as needing American guidance, to say nothing of lectures on human rights and the rule of law (from the creators of Guantanamo Bay).
The expansionist urge gained impetus from the 'neo-cons' in the late 1990s, with their 'Project for the New American Century', in which they lamented a lack of forcefulness in Washington's policies.
Commanding huge sums of money, not least from the defence contractors, they succeeded in getting their pawn into the Oval Office and themselves into key government posts.
The American defence industry has good reason for backing the drive to the east.
The former Soviet satellites could be offered American military technology, naturally on comfortable terms.
The 'industrial-military complex', which a disillusioned President Eisenhower warned against nearly half-a-century ago, is alive and well.
Now we are in a position as if the Cold War had never ended.
Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (Bilderberg) has announced that the current conflict does not mean that Georgia may not yet become a Nato member.
He seems happy, like Bush, to strengthen the hardliners in the Kremlin.
In the course of its relentless expansion, Nato has acquired dangerous commitment.
The alliance is pledged to come to the aid of any member under threat.
Thus, we assume a responsibility for the policies of an array of former Soviet satellites, many of them traditionally unfriendly to Russia.
The belief that because these countries are now democracies they are bound to behave responsibly is absurdly optimistic.
We cannot be certain that none of the new Nato states - nine of them resentful, former Soviet satellites - may not drag us into conflict with Russia.
The position of Russian passport-holders in the Baltic states, a remnant from the Soviet conquest in World War II, has already been seen as a potential source of trouble.
Baiting the Bear is not only dangerous, it is wholly unnecessary.
Russia will do as it pleases - which may sometimes be disagreeable - when it thinks its own security is at stake.
It is hard to see why President Bush, of all people, should be surprised, let alone shocked.
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dail ymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-1045057%2FANDREW-ALEXANDER-Nato-pushing-R ussia-new-Cold-War.html • If you are looking for the voice of calm reason, you will certainly not find it in David Cameron, breaking off from his holiday to clarify the Tory position on the current conflict.
He declares that the path to Nato membership for Georgia and the Ukraine should be 'accelerated'.
The kindest conclusion is that the poor fellow has got a touch of sunstroke. _________________ www.lawyerscommitteefor9-11inquiry.org www.rethink911.org www.patriotsquestion911.com www.actorsandartistsfor911truth.org www.mediafor911truth.org www.pilotsfor911truth.org www.mp911truth.org www.ae911truth.org www.rl911truth.org www.stj911.org www.v911t.org www.thisweek.org.uk www.abolishwar.org.uk www.elementary.org.uk www.radio4all.net/index.php/contributor/2149 http://utangente.free.fr/2003/media2003.pdf
"The maintenance of secrets acts like a psychic poison which alienates the possessor from the community" Carl Jung
https://37.220.108.147/members/www.bilderberg.org/phpBB2/
Last edited by TonyGosling on Sat Aug 16, 2008 11:53 am; edited 1 time in total
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