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Thursday, August 14, 2008

Russians are freaking Nuts!

It is obvious that Russia is locking its jaws on Georgia, something they always wanted, and will take another nation, neutral forces, another powerful country, organization (NATO or UN) to change or reverse the situation.
Just a few hours ago, the Georgian government had announced that the Russians have controlled over 1/3 of the country. Yet, the Russians denied that its troops are engaged in random killings, looting, or bombings in Gori. But that doesn't matter because the Russians agreed to the terms of the ceasefire that required both sides to retreat to the pre-invasion condition. Which means that Russia must leave all major cities they occupied and moved back to Russia or to the separatist enclaves they claimed to have protected.
This announcement followed the eye-witnesses that saw Russians sinking the last Georgian coastguard ship. It is unclear what the Russians want, but this new development shows that Russia wants Georgia gone! Putin wants to annexed Georgia just as in the days of Communism expansion westward when they rolled into Yugoslavia and other countries that Russian annexed or taken by force.

US Reaction, reminiscent of Berlin Airlift
A few hours ago, US War planes arrived in Georgia with relief aids for the Georgians. A bold move that US is taking despite the fact that the main highways that linked the country together are controlled by Russians. This aid is important to the 100,000 of lives being displaced by Russia in its week long invasion of Georgia, and proceeded US Sec. Ms. Condolezza Rice, visit to Georgia.
This brings back some of the memories of the Cold-War era when the Berlin wall was build and the US and allies (France and UK) in West decided to airlift most needed aid to starving West Berliners.
But with the US bold move comes a tremendous risk. What if the Russians see this assistance to Georgia as an US intervention? and what if a plan is shot down by the Russians? This is exactly what happened in Norther Vietnam that changed the history of the world for ever. The US government sent military advisers and weapons to South Vietnam ahead of North Vietnamese military advance southward, and were instructed to train the South Vietnamese army. But as time went on, the US decided to send boats to monitor the situation. When three of these US boats mysteriously sunk in the bay of Tong kin, the US voted unanimously to retaliate.
The likely scenario is that the US will have to be confront Russia if the two nations meant what they actually exchanged in the last few days.

US: the President warned Russia that their relationship will be in jeopardy or damaged for years to come. The head of the CIA also said that there should be consequences for the actions of Russian soldiers in Georgia. Whether he meant economic or military consequences, the truth will come out soon.

Russia: The Russian Prime Minister accused US of invading Iraq and then criticized Russia of invading a nation they see as evil as Hussein was to the US and the West.

The former Russian satellites are seeing this as Russia's attempt to retake the Soviet Empire. Poland came out and finalized the missile defense system agreement with USA, stating that they wouldn't want to be caught in a huge mess as the Georgians. And Western countries now seeing Georgia's ambition to join the NATO as inevitable. Some said that had Georgia join the NATO, Russia wouldn't have invaded Georgia.
In all, the Georgians have under-estimated Russian response to its incursion to Ossetia, on the other hand, however, the Russians may have also under-estimated the international reaction to their decision to invade Georgia. So far, the French government who brokered the ceasefire between Georgia and Russia, which Russia failed to honor, also expressed their disappointment over Russian reactions, so as the NATO. This Russian invasion may also solidify NATO in terms of Military strength, and democratic nations bordering or closer to Russia.

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