Russian Life & People Digest
Question by Nestea: Can somebody explain whats happening in South Ossetia, and in your opinion, if russia or georgia is right?
Explain why you think russia or georgia is right as well?
Answers and Views:
Answer by Tyler M
Georgia asserted it’s sovereignty by preventing pro-russian regions of their nation from gaining independence. Russia doesn’t like it when nations they don’t like have sovereignty and invaded
Read all the answers in the comments.
What do you think?
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Plasma says
Russia is definitely the aggressor in this case.
NATO and the UN are useless against such a powerful nation.
Here's a good article on the situation:
Visor says
I think Russia is wrong by all means and standards.
It was Russia who started fueling national tensions in several soviet republics around 1990. Next year USSR fell apart and "democratic" Russia started supplying arms and money to separatists in those regions, as means to weaken independent countries and keep Russian control of the region.
Russian politics is directly responsible for conflicts in S.O. and Abkhazia in Georgia, Pridnestrovye in Moldova, nagorny-karabakh in Azerbaijan. Russia also failed to instigate the same style conflict in Ukraine.
Pattern everywhere is identical. Separatist groups armed and financed by Russia talk about independence and kill locals, start wars etc. When separatists are about get their butts kicked Russia intervenes to "restore peace", "protect Russians" and so on.
In all cases separatists want the region in dispute to break away from the republic(Georgia, Moldova) and to join Russia. How does that mean independence I dunno.
Russian troops supported and participated in genocide of several ethnic groups:
1) Genocide of Ingushs in 1992 by North and South Ossetins with the help of Russians.
2) Genocide of Georgians, Greeks and Armenians in Abkhazia by Abkhazs, Chechens and of course Russian army.
3) Continued Genocide of Chechen people by Russian army in last two Chechen wars.
Today, Russia still occupies half of Georgia with no reason or justification for that. Dragging their feet to get out. One Russian general even requested Georgian troops to return to Iraq where they were stationed before the conflict.
Russian citizens that Russia wants to protect in fact are ethnic Ossetins and were given Russian passports in violation of Russian and Georgian laws and in violation of the peace treaty Russia itself brokered in 1992 when they appointed themselves as peacekeepers.
By now it's clear that Russian claim of 2000 dead civilians was a blatant lie to justify aggression. HRW reported 44 dead and it was verified by several sources, while Russia was unable to provide a single photo of thousands of dead they claimed and Russia still refusing to let western media in the conflict zone.
S.O. president Kokoiti openly admitted ethnic cleansing of Georgians from the villages they and Russians occupied. He declared the demolition of Georgian houses and refused Georgian refugees the right to come home. This act of ethnic cleansing is fully supported by Russia.
So, given all that I think Russia is at fault 300%.
angel barbie says
Georgia took over Ossetia which is mostly populated by Russians. The Russian people of Ossetia were fleeing the bombings and crying for help. Russia went in to help the innocent people. It's simple. Why would Georgia go attack Ossetia for no apparent reason unless they were trying to stir up drama with Russia. What's Russia supposed to do, sit on her ass and watch her civilians die? And Georgia clearly thinks that she is going to receive help from the U.S, etc. I think the question is, why would Georgia go attack Ossetia?
zclifton2 says
It is a common enough problem in communities. More than one ethnic, national, religious or otherwise group is living together with another and is contesting for dominance. One group is protected by a powerful other group and one is protected another powerful group, and the outcome is conflict and terrible death and destruction.
There is no absolute right or wrong, but their is a world of power and differences with no agreed upon resolution for the conflict. This is where an organization like the United Nations can help except that these countries or groups have no experience with the UN or with world courts to solve their disputes, or they ignore the influence of International institution that offer compromise because they feel that their National influence and priorities are more important than any resolution.
They want to win at almost any cost!
Otto von Bismarck says
Rather true articles: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/aug/… http://exiledonline.com/war-nerd-south-ossetia-th…
waruibuff says
South Ossetia wanted to separate from Georgia, however President Saakashvili (of Georgia) did not appreciate it. Georgian troops launched a major military offensive, prompting a furious response from Russia — which vowed retaliation and sent a column of tanks into the region.
In my opinion Russia is right in fighting back aggression but it got carried away when it entered Georgia proper. I believe it (Russia) is trying to prove a point by flexing its might that its still a force to be reckoned with in that part of the world.
? says
There are some great articles on this situation at Lewrockell.com. It is a Libertarian website.