“The ones most to benefit from enmity between orthodox christian Moscow and orthodox christian Tbilisi are the Turks . . .”

Without Russia backstopping them, Georgia would be fast lunch for the Turks. Georgia will never have it so good again. Georgians, individually (don’t forget Stalin) & collectively, are total morons.

The one valid point in your links is the sale of phosphorous oxychloride, a precursor chemical for nerve gas. I do not know the scale of the sales or whether if can be accounted for by other legitimate uses. Interestingly, the links indicated that the US sold much less material to Saddam than other western countries.

Japan started from nothing, China started from a planned economy more primitive than the Soviet Union’s.

The irony here is that if I wanted to boycott Russian goods, there isn’t anything available to me to choose not to buy. The only thing that I have ever seen with a “Made in Russia” label is low quality textiles.

For a nation as well educated as Russia, it is impossible to understand why she is so unable to develop as a proper country. Soon, India will overtake Russia as an industrial power.

What happens with Ossetia is pretty similar. Ossetians wanted to separate from Georgia. There was inter-ethnic conflict with a lot of civilian casualties and destructions. Russians protected Ossetians by sending their peacekeepers there. They promised them further protection. They said they would not allow any military actions by Georgians. Ossetians denied access for Georgian to their area. They had their own elections, they kept provoking Georgians by shooting at their villages. And Russians blamed Georgians all the time. This time Georgians attacked the Ossetian capital causing heavy civilian casualties. Russians called it “genocide” and “humanitarian catastrophe”. They intervened to push Georgians out of Koso… err, form S. Ossetia. Where you see the difference?
That Milosevich was “a thug” and Saakashvilly is “a nice guy”? Well, this is a matter of tastes. And how can you explain it to the dead Ossetians?
What is next? I think Russians are going to make a statement that Georgia lost its moral right to govern S. Ossetia and Abkhazia…
P.S. Separation of this two regions from is the Russian objective. The pipe stays aside and has nothing to do with this Russian operation. The pipe is not the Georgian only property. It was built with the money from a few Western oil companies, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. Russia has good relations with all of them other than Georgia. Russia’s oil business is going well. She is getting her dollars- this pipe is not an obstacle. Why would Russia go after the pipe? Just to get in troubles?

I think he’s fled the thread. Just another Russian who’s following orders and making the required appearance. And you won’t get an honest answer from the likes of him.

Georgia is about resources, location, and to cow all the other former satellites into line. It is about denying Europe the oil from the pipeline. It is about telling Western Europe that Russia owns them and everyone knows it.

“Calling on hypocrats” you are a dope if you cannot see the details and the differences. You are an agent of dizinformatzia because you are falsely conflating the two countries which have nothing in common in any sense whatsoever.

This stupid and shallow argument keeps making the rounds in the blog world and I am utterly amazed that it has the life it has.

Last I heard Gori has fallen. No word on the state of the Georgian army, one can only hope it remains in fighting shape. Since Tbilisi is in rough terrain it’s likely the Russians will be slowed down

According to one map I’ve seen Georgia has a third autonomous region on the border with Turkey. Will Ankara occupy the region to deny it to the Russians? Will the region become a safe haven for Georgians? What would the Russians do if presented with such a fiat accompli?

As for Azerbaijan and Armenia, is anybody keeping an eye on them? Any word on what they’re doing? The last I checked Armenia has evacuated their citizens in Georgia, and has assisted foreign nationals in evacuating. I have emailed an Armenian news agency, but have yet received no reply.

Are talks ongoing between Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan regarding intervention on Georgia’s behalf? Is Washington consulting with the three concerning actions to be taken. While the four countries — Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan — have their differences, they are united by their alliances with the United States. Given the prospect of a starving bear on their borders, will they fight alongside an eagle?