Hello,
The point of the South Ossetia War is that Georgia has the backing of the USA. The military exercises that USA had in Georgia, several weeks ago is the prelude to this attack. Georgia was told how and when to attack. The fact that it happened on the opening days of the Olympics is a political slap in the Chinese face!
Now Russia must decide what to do. I think, that Russia will be the bad, evil guy no matter what. So Russia needs to ignore the Western world and their biased attitudes, then slap Georgia back to Tbilisi. (My opinion of course!)
Now, the Cossacks from the Voronezh Cossack District of the Great Don Host have begun assembling volunteers to aid South Ossetia, Ataman of the Voronezh Cossack District Nikolay Sapelkin told Interfax on Friday. Sapelkin said that “The Cossacks cannot remain impartial to the fate of a fraternal republic.” He continued, “In the condition of aggression from Georgia, the Don Cossacks of Voronezh Region, who support the course of the South Ossetian authorities toward independence, are prepared to take a stand among the defenders of the republic.”
Then meanwhile Georgia is attacking Russia peacekeeper’s by deliberately firing to destroy peacekeeper’s positions in Tskhinvali, said the command of peacekeeping forces. “Tbilisi attempts to mislead world community, with no aversion to blatant lie,” spokesman of the command specified. The shells were exploding right in the facilities of peacekeepers, including the barracks, confirmed the reporter of Interfax.
Recent History of Conflict: (for general information)
Georgia and its breakaway republic of South Ossetia have always had an uneasy relationship. The current armed conflict has its roots in a dispute that goes back almost one hundred years.
The first major conflict between the sides took place in 1918-1920. It began in a series of uprisings in the Ossetian-inhabited areas of what is now South Ossetia.
The uprisings were against the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic, which claimed several thousand lives and left painful memories among the two communities.
During Soviet times the conflict was frozen because of Moscow’s tight control of the area. However, it began to gain momentum in late 1980s, not long before the collapse of the Soviet Union, amid the rising nationalism among both Georgians and Ossetians.
The influential South Ossetian Popular Front was created in 1988. But in the summer of 1990 the Georgian Supreme Council adopted a law barring regional parties.
This was interpreted by Ossetians as a move against the South Ossetian Popular Front and led to Ossetians proclaiming South Ossetia a Soviet Democratic Republic, fully sovereign within the USSR.
Ossetians boycotted subsequent Georgian parliamentary elections and held their own contest in December. The Georgian government headed by Zviad Gamsakhurdia declared this election illegitimate and abolished South Ossetia’s autonomous status altogether in December, 1990.
Violent conflict broke out towards the end of 1991. Many South Ossetian villages were attacked and burned down as well along with Georgian houses and schools in Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia.
As a result of the violence, approximately 1,000 people died and about 100,000 ethnic Ossetians fled the territory and moved mostly to North Ossetia, a republic within the Russian Federation.
In 1992, Georgia was forced to accept a ceasefire to avoid a large scale confrontation with Russia. The government of Georgia and South Ossetian separatists reached an agreement to avoid the use of force against one another, and Georgia pledged not to impose sanctions against South Ossetia.
A peacekeeping force of Ossetians, Russians and Georgians was established at the time. And late in 1992 the OSCE set up a mission in Georgia to monitor the peacekeeping operation.
From then, until mid-2004, South Ossetia was generally peaceful.
In June 2004, tensions began to rise as the Georgian authorities strengthened their efforts against smuggling in the region. Hostage takings, shootouts and occasional bombings left dozens dead and wounded.
A ceasefire deal was reached on August 13, but it has been repeatedly violated.
Tensions in the region soared in 2008 and outbreaks of violence became increasingly frequent in the border area.
Georgia said it was an internal affair as the breakaway republic had never been recognized internationally.
The Georgian side repeatedly insisted the conflict could be resolved without outside interference.
However, early on August 8 Georgia launched a massive military offensive to take control of the republic.
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Now Russia must make a decision: Take control of their backyard or let the USA continue to play…….
Kyle & Svet
comments always welcome.