The scale of this event is deeply troubling:
Georgia declared a state of war Saturday as fierce battles with Russia military over the breakaway region of South Ossetia entered their second day.
Russia has launched a full-scale military invasion of Georgia, President Mikhail Saakashvili said during a brief news conference Saturday afternoon.
“We are dealing with absolutely criminal and crazy acts of irresponsible and reckless decision makers, which is on the ground producing dramatic and tragic consequences,” Saakashvili said.
Saakashvili compared the Russian invasion, which he called unprovoked, to the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
Overnight fighting was intense:
Overnight, Russian warplanes bombed the Vaziani military base on the outskirts of the Georgian capital and near the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili said. He also said two other military bases were hit, and that warplanes bombed the Black Sea port city of Poti, which has a sizable oil shipment facility.
Georgia, meanwhile, said it has shot down 10 Russian planes, including four brought down Saturday, according to Kakha Lomaya, head of Georgia’s Security Council.
The first Russian confirmation that its planes had been shot down came Saturday from Russian Col. Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn, deputy chief of the General Staff, who said two Russian planes were downed. He did not say where or when.
Our response to this crisis, and any moves made to secure Georgia after the conflict, will likely effect our relationship with Russia for years to come:
Georgia’s reintegration minister, Temur Yakobashvili, told France’s Le Figaro newspaper’s website that Western diplomats would have a huge say over the outcome of the conflict.
Asked what will happen next in the Caucasus, he said, “much will depend on the reaction of the West.”
The Washington Post called the situation in South Ossetia Saturday “a grave challenge to the United States and Europe.”
The newspaper said in an editorial it was unrealistic to expect UN Security Council action because of a likely Russian veto.
“Thus, the United States and its NATO allies must together impose a price on Russia if it does not promptly change course,” the editorial concluded.
25 Responses
Readers are solely responsible for the comments they post. Comments do not necessarily reflect the opinion or approval of Blogs of War or John Little.
August 9th, 2008 at 9:09 am
US troops have no business preventing the breakaway republics from seceding just like Kosovo did from Serbia.
As a US veteran I am appalled that the Bush Neocons think that this is going to accomplish something useful.
Why do Republican Americans hate Russia so much? So many of us Americans are dating and marrying the wonderful Russian women. Why try to kill their brothers? This doesn’t make sense…except when one thinks of the oil pipelines.
August 9th, 2008 at 9:26 am
CNN is lying. It’s not trust. I think that all normal peoples in USA know it. Georgia declares war against South Ossetia.
August 9th, 2008 at 9:27 am
I wonder who else is going to join this mele. It’s clear this is WWIII. The world can no longer sustain its overpopulation. Malthus was right. The world is in need of a good purging of its people.
August 9th, 2008 at 9:28 am
wonder who else is going to join this mele. It’s clear this is WWIII. The world can no longer sustain its overpopulation. Malthus was right. The world is in need of a good purging of its people.
August 9th, 2008 at 10:27 am
Obviously this is Russia’s version of a pre-emptive strike against a country they feel will do harm to them someday into the future. With Georgia’s insistance on being a “friend and ally” to the US, Russia feels the threat is real. Isn’t this also the country that we are trying to put the missle defense system in? Russia has a right to protect itself from any danger. Heck we did it in Iraq ( which posed no danger to the US) and the idiots in Isreal are talking out their butts again about doing it to Iran. Our idiot in command started all of this world mess and one day his turn will come to pay the piper.
August 9th, 2008 at 10:37 am
This is WW3. Russia has attacked Georgia and almost certainly Atlanta is in flames and Russkie tanks roll towards Nashville, Talahassee, and the Carolinas.
Are we New Orleans, ignored by the federal government??? FIGHT for us President Bush!!!
August 9th, 2008 at 10:41 am
What a disgraceful article I’ve read on CNN.I just can’t make up my mind what does really Bush need.
CNN publishes it’s going to be a war against Georgia and Russia and Russia is an incendiary. How is it possible whe the reality is that our competriots have been killed by bombing and shooting down that bloody night? Nobody expected this shameful act from Saakashvili who has promised to keep from military operations. And as a result, children, women and the aged have been killed and are being killed at this moment.
What is the main poin of persuading the world of the fact that Russia is the dangerous enemy despite we were first assailed? Why do the EN countries say nothing and wait for the SC final verdict? Why the SC tells Russia to stop fire when we are trying to defend our citizens? For our turn, we are asking Georgia to stop fire and stop killing our people. The Georgians were the first to start all this shame.
Furthermore,the world is going to trust these articles. I just can’t find any support here..Russia have always been a guarantor of Caucause’s people safety. And now they are being killed.
And what is more,all the largest american web agencies publish the information which satisfies the American Government. It’s not a secret, it has been planned much time before. What for?
What a shame on Saakashvili..He could do nothing without his american friends. He’s a shameful, disreputable and mean terrorist.
We are suffering from watching SC’s vacancy.
I am a russian student and there are many nice Georgians studying with me. There would never be a war between these two countries, because we have been friends for centuries. But somebody is trying to destroy our friendship. Is it a secret who is exactly???
August 9th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Fuck Bush, Fuck Georgia too.
August 9th, 2008 at 11:19 am
LOL!
Bush is “deeply concerned” about Georgia?
I’M DEEPLY CONCERNED OUR PSYCHOTIC PRESIDENT AND HIS NEO-CON BUDDIES ARE SENDING A WHOLE WAR FLEET TO BLOCKADE IRAN.
Bush is a worthless piece of crap, he needs to be impeached ASAP so we don’t have to listen to his hypocritical bullshit and war mongering.
http://www.impeachbush.org
August 9th, 2008 at 11:26 am
From the CNN article:
“Russians said they had “liberated” the city.”
U.S. speak meaning “bombed it to the stone ages”
August 9th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Saakashvili comes from US, he gets his salary from US, Georgia have US armament, so Saakashvili just do his job, do it well… Fucking Bush…
August 9th, 2008 at 11:59 am
For so long we in the US were taught not to trust the Soviets, now we have to decide which former Soiviet to trust is tellig the truth. The people are lied to so much by governments, I honestly don’t know what to think. As for all the “fuck Bush” stuff… that really does not get anything accomplished, truth being, if Clinton, Regan, or Carter were in office while this was going on would it really change anything? Wars happened around the world under previous administrations, but the real issue is people are dying, and that is the true issue. I have fought in battles and they are truely horrible, the utter fear of the unknown death that may come to you in those moments and the “recourse” you take to prevent such an end to oneself will make you loose sleep for a long time. Again… I really don’t know what to think about the problems in Georgia, so for now, I will patiently wait for better information before I make any irrational conclustions.
August 9th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
This act of aggression from Georgia in a night time, after their maniac-President said just minutes before they launched an offenseve attack that he ordered a ceasefire reminds me about Hitler actions in WWII. Massive bombardment of a breakaway republic capital and unprovoked attack on peacekeepers is a total disgrace and shall be punished to the full extention of law. Don’t even think for a moment, mr.Saakashvili, that the whole West is believing your lies after what you have done. Shame on you! I hope to see you in justice hands no matter what your current sponsors are promissing you now.
August 9th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
CNN is awfully biased against Russia. Why don’t you guys at CNN just disband your journalists and keep showing only the officials from Washington and Tbilisi instead of the news?
By the way, why do American tax payers finance military assistance to Georgia (country, not the US state), which fights to restore the ethnically fracturing lines drawn by Stalin? Why does USA deny the right to Osetia and Abhasia to become sovereign democratic states, while giving Kosovo this right? Why does USA tacitly approve of ethnic cleansing by Georgians? And finally, why do American citizens put up with their lying, back-stabbing, despicable government?
August 9th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
My mind can’t understand how do U.S. and some European TV-channels and newspapaers can lie in such a huge scope!!! It is 2008!!! Not times of Cold War! Millions of people from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia ad all over the world places are visiting Russia. They can see the reality!!!
How can CNN say that Russia is agressor?!!! We do not need this!!! We are really strong country now, but the power of everybody in PEACE! Mr. Lavrov was asking for Saakashvili Agrrement, that nobody will start war!!! And who started???? Georgia!!! Why don’t they tell about this??? Everybody knows that Saakashvivli has direct connection to the U.S. governors etc! He plays by Bush support!!!
It’s so pity to see how people are die while Saakashvivli plays his theatre!!! And a lot of people around the world trust CNN etc!!!!!
HEY PEOPLE! Wake up!!!!
August 9th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
It’s a pleasure to see that somebody knows CNN is lying. It’s a pity we could do nothing speaking about this “theatre”, as Igor said.
I’m afraid only God would judge Saakashvili and Bush, because the International Criminal Tribunal would hardly deal with it.
And now Ukraine is going to be the next pawn in Bush’s hands. I’m afraid this will be a disaster..
August 9th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Just CNN is biased against Russia. Funny, I see a lot of other news outlets around the world denouncing Russia, along with world leaders.
August 9th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Ernest Oporto, you are absolutely right. I was inspired by the CNN article for posting my message here, but it is not the only one news outlet accusing Russia of “bombing Georgia,killing civilians..and so on”.
August 9th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Please stop genocide of Ocetian nation!
Starting 1989 nationalistic fascist Georgian government tries to annihilate and expel Ocetian nation from its territory. As the result of Georgian warfare against small nations, tens thousands of Ocetian, Abhasian, Armenian and Russian people died since 1991. The scale of genocide is concealed by Georgian mass media. Brutality of Georgian fascists and freaksville torture of the local population overrode the torture of fascists during the Second World War.
Georgian mass media stir up the sickness of Georgian nation – they believe they are only people deserving life on Georgian territory, they are exclusive, elitist; other nations should move out or be killed.
At the moment the tragedy is happening – Georgians systematically shooting dead the Ocetian people in their own houses or burying under the falling homes.
Georgian fascists destroyed Ocetian settlements and town Tskhinvally – they lay even with the ground.
The number of victims buried by Georgian fire under the ruins cannot be calculated – it is amounted to thousands.
Georgians destroyed all hospitals. Medics cannot work under the fire of Georgians. People saved in underground stores do not have food, water, electricity, gas for 3 days – they cannot go out because of Georgian fire and cannot move out of town because Georgians are trying to take hold with tanks and armored vehicles of the only road from the town to tunnel controlled by Russians.
At that Georgian president insincerely is saying that he tries to make constitutional order and peace, and suggesting lefthandedly to cease fire. All his actions are aimed towards USA and NATO (he even speaks with his nation in English so that you understand him).
USA has strategic interest in region – pipeline going through Georgia. So official government of USA will never realize that Georgian president is criminal politician betrayed its nation (in fact people in Georgia do not want war), instead government of USA will support him (several hours ago a train with NATO armored machines came to Georgia).
The next victim of Georgian fascists will be Abhasian nation.
People in USA and Europe please force your politicians to stop Georgians.
August 10th, 2008 at 6:37 am
Will small lies help Georgian leader?
CNN interview (to R. Church):
1. … We responded on 07.08.2008, when 150 Russian tanks moved to Georgia …
Check:
23:50 07.08.2008 Georgian army starts bombardment of S. Ossetia (1500-2000 killed)
14:00-15:00 08.08.2008 Russian tanks moved to S. Ossetia
2. … Ossetia is in the middle of Georgia. It’s not anyhow close to Russia …
Check the map
3. … hundreds people were killed in a block of flats …
Check: Official Georgian data: less than 100 killed in total in Georgia
August 10th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Guys look normally adequately at things all the foreign information to be exact America shows only ??????. That War between Georgia and ???????. There is no it not so. YOU not ??????? to see the truth as the president of Georgia it ?????????? the USA. And the truth about the conflict can be learned then when both parties will show. Georgia the first ????? on ???????????? Young Ossetia. Has attacked about “HAILSTONES” on children’s and parents.
They have killed 2000 people, from them 1000 Russian. Peacemakers are killed. And in ??????? has suffered 1500 people. In Georgia goes wars also political and information, they by means of the weapon which Ukraine has given and money of the USA supervises all news. All is wars was untied only I thank Bush. It has allocated money of Georgia for all this and helps to supervise all news and presidents. They a dark horse. If the World does not learn the truth of all (even two parties).
By the way at once I speak, that fight is conducted only by Peacemakers, Georgia and Ossetia, instead of Russia-Georgia, not be stupid. That Will be undermined all balance ??????? on the Earth
ALL news acting of Georgia, all this provocation against Russia that they have not helped Ossetia, and Georgia will win war. And it wants also NATO. It is Territory good for bombardment of Russia and Mountains Kavkazkih. Unique who spoke the truth about War there were Russian (they are dependent ????????) THEREFORE the President ?????? HAS forbidden THAT Russian reporters spoke that occurs. In fact ????? Russian were on two ?????????? in Ossetia and In Georgia when war has begun. And the first have gone to attack Georgia, thus having killed.And the first have gone to attack Georgia, thus having killed peacemakers. And the president of Georgia is afraid that the truth learns the World
August 10th, 2008 at 11:23 am
What is even more amazing is that Bush, UN, or NATO are not denouncing that Georgia has killed almost 3% of the Ocetian population. They have shelled, grenaded, strafed, and executed over 2000 people from a population of 70,000. Can you imagine if someone invaded our country and killed 3% of our population……the world would be in an uproar. I am sure that when the real numbers come out that NATO takes Georgia off the list of prospective countries.
I personally have friends and family that live in Georgia and Russia. People in both countries both despise Saakashvili and would love for him to leave office ( or just disappear). Of course this would not be in the best interest for Bush………..as well as his new puppet Yushchenko in Ukraine. Despite that over 80% of Ukrainians do not want to enter NATO Yushchenko and Bush will still push. Maybe Bush wants to put his new missile toy systems in Georgia and Ukraine too?
If you have seen McCain’s latest rants about Russia you get a feel for how he wants Russia to just disappear……sorry it’s not going to happen. I wonder if all that time in captivity in the war by the vietcong bred this hated towards communist states. He has gone so far as to suggest along with Bush that Russia is removed from the Group of Eight (G8)……..again, not going to happen.
In this post McCarthy era this communist bashing is not keeping up with the times. We all need to get past this 1950′s way of thinking………and if you have noticed Moscow is now the most rich and expensive city in the world as of 2008. Notice that the US does not even enter the list until city #22.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_expensive_cities
August 11th, 2008 at 8:40 am
hello everyone!! I’m russian and I’m very concerned about this war… president of georgia is lying to the whole world, and I’m very surprised that ALL f**ing politicians believes him… this f**ing Saakashvili began this war!! Russia is only defends!! we’re not intruders!! Georgia attacks S.Osetia and accuses Russia…. Russia only helps but the whole world only talks about “Russia invades Georgia”…. Georgia’s soldiers killed 1600 Osetians… WHY??? is that normal???????? it’s a genocide!! it’s a f***ing war!!!! it’s a fascism…. we mustn’t let Georgia do that!! but US helps them…… i’m interested, how many money did Bush got from Saakashvili to that help??? World must stop the Facsism!! we must not forget the World War 2… we must stop that f**king Saakashvili!! but now only Russia do that…..
P.S. instead of watching videos about Russia kill Georgians protecting Osetians, watch video about f**ing georgian soldier killing unarmed man!!!!!!
August 11th, 2008 at 8:50 am
it’s me again… I read some posts and I’m glad that people understand the situation… news in the world (except Russia) only write about “bad” russians that stop “free” georgians…. russia don’t get away their freedom, russia protects the freedom of Osetia… Bush says that he helps countries that loves freedom….. I don’t understand him…. genocide equal love freedom??????????
August 11th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Truth About War – South Ossetia
http://www.nebog.com/truthaboutwar.htm