Another Georgia/Russia thread

It seems like everyone is pissed about America sticking their noses into other people's business. Is it just me, or is our ally the one who is in the wrong here? South Ossetia has been a soverign nation since 1992... thats 16 years! What makes Georgia think they have the right to reclaim it now? And the fact that we are on Georgia's side simply because they supported us in Iraq is rediculous. Isnt it plain to see that the Georgians are the aggressors? In my eyes, the Georgians are no better than Iraq when they tried to take Kuwait. Why do we support this?!

Apparently I am watching all the wrong channels. I have no idea what is going on with that whole conflict. I am not well versed in politics here in America and especially not in that part of the world. I haven't had the internet to look up unbiased news sources and I'm just now learning that maybe Russia was protecting people. I am completely confused.

I'm done with MSM forever, well except for ESPN and ESPN2

I am very confused with the media coverage of this conflict. For years, South Ossetia for some reason has been 'included" as a part of Georgia - South Ossetia has tried free and fair elections only to have them voided by Georgia; Georgia has been working on legally forcing South Ossetians to only speak the majority language of Georgia, has tried to intimidate South Ossetia into giving up their culture and replacing it with Georgia's culture. That's just the tip of this iceberg.

These "conflicts" have been ongoing for the last (approx.) 100 years.

This is what I posted on the other Georgia v Ossetia board:

"Having said that, Georgia is no saint either; there is much history behind Georgia/Russia/S. Ossetia/N Ossetia, not to mention US involvement in this region, and why everyone wants control of South Ossetia; major transport routes, gas & oil pipelines, etc..

The Ossetians are spread across several countries including Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and others. The home base is Ossetia itself which is also divided between countries; the north in Russia and the south in Georgia. The goal of the South Ossetian separatists is to either gain its independence or unite with North Ossetia, which lies in Russia.

Ethnically, the Ossetians are of Iranian stock and speak their own language, which is closely related to Pashto, and more distantly to Farsi.

They claim to be the descendents of the ancient Alanian and Scythian tribes and therefore to have been inhabiting the South Caucasus for thousands of years.

The Georgians, on the other hand, are a Caucasian people and speak a language belonging to the Caucasian family. The Georgians also claim to have ancient roots in the South Caucasus, while at the same time arguing that the Ossetians only migrated to the Caucasus between the 17th and 19th centuries.

Along religious lines, both are predominately Orthodox Christian, with a Sunni Islam minority among the Ossetians.

Therefore, the conflict between the two peoples is not based on religion, but rather on ethnicity, and territory.

This is not the first conflict between Georgia, South Ossetia and Russia - it's been a hot zone since the turn of the the 20th century."


sherry

Originally Posted by SenorSanteria

It seems like everyone is pissed about America sticking their noses into other people's business. Is it just me, or is our ally the one who is in the wrong here? South Ossetia has been a soverign nation since 1992... thats 16 years! What makes Georgia think they have the right to reclaim it now? And the fact that we are on Georgia's side simply because they supported us in Iraq is rediculous. Isnt it plain to see that the Georgians are the aggressors? In my eyes, the Georgians are no better than Iraq when they tried to take Kuwait. Why do we support this?!

This is not the first conflict between Georgia, South Ossetia and Russia - it's been a hot zone since the turn of the the 20th century."


Since the commies came rolling into town?

Actually during Soviet rule in the 1920's - there was Peace.

The South Ossetians of Georgia have been in conflict with the Georgian government since just before the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the early 1990’s. Between 1918 and 1920, the first overtures to South Ossetian independence were made during a series of Ossetian rebellions against the first Georgian Republic. Once Georgia came under Soviet rule in 1923, and for the remainder of Soviet rule, there was peace between the two groups. Major violent conflict erupted again, however, between Ossetian separatist guerillas and Georgian troops in the early 1990’s, and then once more in 2004. The basic domestic and international issues surrounding the conflict are the South Ossetians' claims of unequal treatment under Georgian rule and subsequent demands for cultural, social, economic and political protections as a minority group, Russia’s desire to punish Georgia for its increasingly pro-Western political orientation, and outside concerns about the stability and accessibility of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline running partly through Georgia. However, at the conflict’s most basic level, it is a conflict over land and territory. Georgia wants to maintain its territorial integrity and thus prevent the region of South Ossetia from seceding, while South Ossetia wants to either establish independence or join with North Ossetia and come under Russian rule.

Georgia and South Ossetia

sherry

Originally Posted by ccodiane

This is not the first conflict between Georgia, South Ossetia and Russia - it's been a hot zone since the turn of the the 20th century."


Since the commies came rolling into town?

Actually during Soviet rule in the 1920's - there was Peace.

Before the commies brutally took power in the Balkan states/Eastern Europe, was there peace?

This "conflict' reminds me of that movie "Wag The Dog".

This topic is on Georgia and South Ossetia, not the whole of Eastern Europe. I am not condoning Russia's part in this conflict; Georgia has a lot to lose if South Ossetia ever gains their independence. Just look at the map of that area - look where the gas and oil piplelines are, and 2 of the major 4 transport routes.

Georgia wants those resources badly - they always have. They have instigated many "conflicts" in the past - some of those conficts they claimed the "South Ossetians started it" when facts clearly proved that Georgia fired the first shot. It's happening all over again.

I am an American, I served this country for 20 years in the US NAVY; I am not condoning communism.

Just because the United States has been supplying Georgia for years and years with money, ammunition and many other perks does not mean that the USA made the right choice. There is OIL in South Ossetia.

This conflict may eventually require US Troops to help Poor Poor Georgia.

When the American people find out they've been duped into war again by the first President Bush - I don't want to be around for THAT.

Read the history of the region - not all of Eastern Europe - just this region. There is a clear history of genocide (ethnic cleansing) perpetrated by the Georgians - not Russians - in this region.

You know what I find interesting in a sickening way? The MEDIA include South Ossetia when talking about GEORGIA.

The Media make this conflict look as if it's Georgia vs. Russia when it is not.

This conflict is about Georgia vs South Ossetia - Russia is South Ossetia's ALLY - Russia is protecting South Ossetia from the Georgian troops

sherry

Originally Posted by ccodiane

Before the commies brutally took power in the Balkan states/Eastern Europe, was there peace?

So my initial feeling was correct- the united states is completely in the wrong here. We're supporting "the bad guys" so to speak.

Fuck Bush man, this is crap. Ron Paul anyone?

The truth is out there........dooo dooo do do do dooo doooo doooo dooooo do do do do..........

Bush on Georgian aid....yes!

wow nice award ccodiane: Activity Award