Whenever I’m reading the news, I’m trying to read between the lines — because the truth is often between them!
So where does the truth lie in the Georgian-Russian conflict? Well, the American news media seems to neglect the fact that the Georgian government started this conflict and it appears the Russians are not quite ready to end it!
Last week, a mass incursion of Georgian troops and armor into Southern Ossetia began the conflict and in the midst of the its attack twelve Russian peacekeepers were killed. The Russians responded by launching an offensive of their own against Georgia.
So you must be asking yourself — What is Ossetia? Well, the Ossetians are a unique group of people that considers itself neither Russian or Georgian — yet it finds itself divided by geographical and political borders. The northern part of Ossetia lies inside of Russia, while the Southern part lies in Georgia.
Let me give you just a little background of Southern Ossetia. On November 12, 2006 over 98% of South Ossetians approved a referendum to declare its independence from Georgia. In spite of the fact that South Ossetia declared its independence from Georgia and has been since the 1990s it remains part of Georgia. Nevertheless Georgia has routinely and brutally attacked South Ossetians since the 1990s in order to drive them into North Ossetia and thus trying to claim its land as their own.
Now it appears the real motive for the advance of the Russian army may not be just “protecting” the Ossetian people — but to destroy the democratic government of Georgia and securing its Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline which serves as the only oil and gas route that bypasses Russia’s stranglehold on energy exports in the region.
Let’s face it — the Georgian army is no match against the Russian military machine. According to Jane’s Defense Weekly, Russia’s army totaled 641,000 compared to Georgia’s 26,900 troops. Russia has over 6,700 tanks compared to Georgia’s 82. Russia has 7,550 pieces of heavy artillery compared to Georgia’s merger 95 pieces. Let’s face it — Georgia is seriously outnumbered and outgunned in the conflict!
If we really want to be balanced in analyzing the situation, we need to reprimand Georgia for oppressing their own people — and we need to strongly blame the Russians for escalating the violence to what appears now to be a full blown war! The truth is the Ossetian people are the real victims of this conflict as they are being squeezed between Russia and Georgia!
Until next time…
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August 13th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Russia. Get out. Period.
August 14th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Your comments seem to lign up wuth the Russian propaganda that he media is reporting and that Georgia is confirming. There seems to be several incosistancies with your comments:
1. You stated that Georgia has been oppressing its own people since 1990 and that Russia was only retaliating due to 12 of its “peacekeepers” being killed by Georgian troops.
a. 18 years of oppression hardly would go unnoticed by the international comunity. Sudan has a similiar problem and everyone is aware of it but does nothing to stop it, but everyone is aware of it. In this case no one not even Russia has spoken out about any purposefull oppression by Georgia on the South Ossetians. Actually its been the other way around, Russia is well known for its agression and oppresion of the former soviet republics, especially thise seeking independance and Freedom form Russia and membership into NATO.
b. If the South Ossetians have been wanting their own “independance” from Russia and Georgia why have they not followed the same process as Georgia did to free itself from Russia. The Georgian presedent was on CNN yesterday and seems to have the same motivations as our own US founding fathers for freedom from tyrany, he was schooled in the US and practived law in NY. Georgia understands the cost for freedom and honors all peoples desire for independance. THe USA supports Georgia in its efforts to be a FREE and Indepent and Sovereign nation seperate from all other nations. If South Ossetians wanted the same thing and follwed the same process then Georgia and the US would be more that willing to help them.
c. When you say “peacekeepers” I asume you mean UN Peacekeepers and not just Russion only. I have not heard of any peacekeepers in the region and never heard of any “Russian” peacekeepers recently killed. Even if this is true is there any proof Georgia ‘purposely” killed them??? As you stated Russia is a far bigger military force than Georgia and it makes no sense for George to start a war with Russia, there is nothing positive to be gained from a protracted war with Russia.
d. The FACT is Russia has KILLED 100’s if not 1,000’s of South Ossetians. If they were only trying to protect the South Ossetians why did they KILL them??? I suspect those 12 supposedly Russian peacekeepers were probably spies sent by Russian posing as peacekeepers but actually they were advance lookouts involved in planing the current incursian.
e. South Ossetians may have been atacking both Russia and Georgia and Georgia may have been atampting to control the violance of the South Ossetians, as Georgia believed that area was apart of Georgia and therfore Georgia’s responsability to deal with and not Russia’s. I liken it to a similar agrresion the US had called the CIval War. Although in this case I dont believe the South Ossetians or Georgia were involved in a cival war as they never declared so. It is also possible the 12 supposedly Russian Peacekeepers were accidently killed and were never known to even be in South Ossetians by the Gergian troops, this is consistant with what I previously stated that the 12 Russian Peacekeeps were spies and thus they did not want Georgia to know they were their, that is if they truely existed.
2. The only comment in this blog that seems to be accurate is as follows:
“Now it appears the real motive for the advance of the Russian army may not be just “protecting” the Ossetian people — but to destroy the democratic government of Georgia and securing its Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline which serves as the only oil and gas route that bypasses Russia’s stranglehold on energy exports in the region.
a. Russia and Putin have stated they are opposed to former soviet republice from gaing independance from Russia and being FREE and sovereign nations. With the support of the US and NATO several of these former republics are in a position to become members of NATO which Russia does not want o happen. Ukraine recently anounced a possible blockaid of the Baltic Sea as a show of solidarity with Georgia, the US, Poland and others against Russian agression in the region.
b. Botom line: Russia and Putin are against “democracy” and will do anything to prevent it from occuring.
3. We should praise and suport the Georgians for taking a stand against Russia. All americans should support any country seeking independance and freedom. Georgia has acted apropriatly and honorably in this and should be applauded for its efforts to keep democracy alive and well.
4. The truth is the Ossetian people are the real victims of this conflict - I agree but also add the Georgians, Ukrainians, and all other nations seeking freedom and independance. Russia is threatening ALL former republics and will stop at nothing to find an excuse to invade and atempt to destroy democracy and freedom.
5. Here is another interesting fact: Russia only has about 140 million people, US has 301 million, Ukraine has 50 million, Georgia has 4.6 million. Russia feels small and wants all of the former republics back to show its strength against the US.
August 15th, 2008 at 2:41 am
Just a few points. The international community did recognize the situation, but it’s such a small group of people — roughly 70,000 or so that’s it’s barely a blip on the screen! In the early 1990’s, in a ceasefire agreement to end the 1991–1992 South Ossetia War a peacekeeping force was established comprising of Russian, Georgian, North Ossetian and South Ossetian soldiers.
This little blog piece wasn’t to defend Russian activities, but rather provide an even handed viewpoint of the situation. I heard first hand of the situation from some friends serving the Lord in Beslan (where Muslim militants raided the school a few years ago) which is just a few miles from the current situation. As a matter of fact, many of those in Beslan are South Ossetian refugees and they sent me their perspective of the situation from a birds eye view!
The military action by Georgia started on August 1st, and it wasn’t until August 8th that Russia got involved. Russian Ambassdor Yuri Popov warned on August 5th that Russia would get involved if Georgia didn’t stop the military offensive. So on August 7th, Georgian President Saakashvili declared a ceasefire.
Saakashvili: Georgia to unilaterally declare ceasefire (Extra)
Aug 7, 2008, 16:00 GMT
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1422198.php
Tbilisi, Georgia - President Mikheil Saakashvili said Georgian troops would ‘unilaterally cease fire’ after heavy fighting in the separatist region of South Ossetia that left 20 wounded.
But that’s not what happened, instead later that day and through the night, Georgia launched a military offensive to surround and capture the capital of South Ossetia, Tskhinvali. It was only after this that Russia became involved. It wasn’t as if Russia jumped right into the situation — with that being said — it doesn’t mean I’m pro-Russian in the conflict!
Quite the opposite, I believe Russia acted far beyond their needed response and I’ve been one of a few voices that routinely reports of the oppression of Russian journalists in Russia! But if Georgia NEVER would have taken Tskhinvali and would have stopped their offensive as the Georgian President claimed on August 7th then it wouldn’t have brought Russia into the conflict!
I totally agree that Russia is completely anti-democratic and against the values of the free world, but this view shouldn’t void the Georgian military actions which escalated this conflict.
August 18th, 2008 at 9:15 am
It’s funny how out of this conflict that Bush gets the missiles he wants in Europe. Isn’t it funny how generating fear of Russian dominance moves people in a direction of getting more oil territory and missiles to protect the oil from Russia. What are we doing? Are we really willing to risk a war with Russia for oil? Are we really willing to fight the war of greed and prophet for the oil companies? Will God not judge our willingness to be deceived and our covetousness of the world’s oil? Lies don’t become Christians and death and destruction for lust and greed is beneath a Christian nation. Look close and ask for eyes to see what is really going on with America today and the many wars it has begun in the last eight years.
August 31st, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Sumbra, you are wrong about missles coming out of this conflict…these were on the table prior to this escalation.
You are also wrong about President Bush beginning a war, as this war of terrorism has been going on a long time, in fact we would not have suffered from 9/11 had our prior President Clinton not been playing politics and had gotten Osama bin Laden years ago, when they already knew he was our enemy. Saddam Hussein was causing death and destruction of his own people and was harboring weapons of mass destruction that were then snuck out of the country to, I believe Syria.
And when you’re talking death and destruction, how about looking inward to the death and destruction caused by killing babies (especially a high number of black babies) in the womb when God says He knew us before we were in the womb and that He has a plan for our lives.