War in South Ossetia

[Abomination]

So.... what do you guys think about the war? Is Georgia in the wrong here? Russia? Both? With all the conflicting news sources, I'd rather not post any links, but I'm sure everyone has had various exposure to various media on the subject.

And I thought the news couldn't get more biased and ridiculous after the all the accusations in the USA presidential primaries.

[Saxon]

I've read here and there about it. Mostly the headlines on yahoo.

From what I've read, Georgia is the one who started the conflict and Russia went to back Ossetia up and quashed it. Now I think Russia is taking advantage of the situation by invading Georgia.

Am I close?

[Terminus Mortis]

Too close for comfort.

Both sides are wrong, it's that simple. Russia did in fact take advantage of the situation, but the Georgian Republic is the opressor.

War is hell, especially the way the Russians and Georgians fight it. Crazy-ass motherfuckers. Barely trained, just indoctrinated. Stupid shit is all it is. More respect for Russian soldiers than Georgians, though, but I'd find it hard to trust either of them.

[Visla Eraclaire]

I've read a lot of contradictory things about this war, and I've frankly come to the conclusion that it's none of my business. I can't get accurate enough information to make an informed choice about who is right. Not to mention it only affects me in an extremely tangential way.

I'm an opinionated person, but I also think that too many people form beliefs when it isn't strictly necessary. It's as if every event that happens they need to form a personal belief about, even if there is insufficient information.

Not surprising, but still disappointing.

[Sighter Tnailog]

I'm with the Georgians on this one. I mean, sure, there are a lot of Russian speaking folks in South Ossetia, but it's clear that Russia merely wants full control of the Roki Tunnel. Having control of that sort of link through the Caucuses is crucial to Russian interests, and ultimately this whole "there are Russians there so it's our job to watch over it" sort of attitude seems no different from the "We must have Austria and Czechoslovakia" attitude shown by Germany in the 1930s.

Russia has clearly been taken steps for a decade to try to leverage its economic and security interests in South Ossetia to try to destabilize Georgia and lay claim to one of its key routes to points south of the Greater Caucuses. In that sort of situation, Georgia's response to real incursions of its sovereignty seem justified. And the South Ossetians seem, in some ways, to not be a province with any real grievance against Georgian rule -- it's not like the Georgian secret police have been forcefeeding them or waterboarding their children. The rumbles of unrest in South Ossetia have instead felt like nothing more than fomented grumblings produced by the Russian state for the sole purpose of undermining Georgian sovereignty.

[Serilliant]

"In the 21st century, nations don't invade other nations." --John McCain

[Sloth]

Sweet plug Ser.

Hilarious.

Russia is obviously fighting a proxy war with the west. After all, they are a pure black-oil evil communist nation. Relations between states should be on the basis of equality, sovereignty, and economic integration, as Ms. Rice said is reason enough to want to station naval forces in Georgia and set up a few missiles in Poland. Just in case Russia decides to further undermine Georgian rule.

I'm sure the CIA can fake an attack on U.S. aid forces, or on some other not so obvious front and manipulate the media to produce public approval of a full scale Russian invasion. Finally, we can do away with this bad hangover of a superpower and focus our attention on China.

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