Abkhaz Leader Has Ordered Army To Sink Any Georgian Ships In Its Waters

I don't know if this has already been mentioned but IMO Georgia is between a rock and a hard place here. Russia is stirring the pot for two reasons. First, they still consider former-Soviet Georgia in it's sphere of influence which, when you factor in where Georgia is located, is kinda understandable, and Georgia's recent flirtations with the West and aspirations to join NATO are unacceptable to Moscow. The second reason is a result of the recent independence of Kosovo which was violently opposed by not only Serbia, but her ally Russia as well. When you throw in the secessionist-minded Georgian regions of S. Ossetia and Abkhazia who stated their pro-Russian leanings one can see why Russia is doing this. Unfortunately for Georgia they can't realistically expect Western military help if Russia escalates the situation and all parties know that.

More news from the region, and it appears the situation isn't getting any better.

Georgia increases troops, budget for military

TBILISI, July 15 (Reuters) - Georgia's parliament unanimously approved an increase of 5,000 soldiers and a 26.8 percent rise in military spending on Tuesday, days after Russia's air force admitted to flying over Georgian airspace.

Georgia has a long-term plan to strengthen its military, in part to promote its bid for NATO membership. But the latest expansion comes against the backdrop of heightened tension with Russia over the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The US is holding joint-military exercises with Georgia all throughout the month of July.
Stand up to Russia over Georgia

If proof were needed of the significance of the crisis facing the troubled Caucasus state of Georgia, it came yesterday with the start of exercises involving 1,000 US troops.

US officials insist the long-planned wargames have nothing to do with the recent dispute between Russia and Georgia over the breakaway Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. But they give Washington a chance to support pro-west Tbilisi at a critical time.

Georgia leader Mikhail Saakashvili: Russia is a menace to peace

The West must confront Russia to prevent another conflict from breaking out in the Caucasus, the President of Georgia has told The Times.

Mikhail Saakashvili said that elements in Russia were intent on provoking trouble in Georgia’s breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and compared Europe’s response to the failures of appeasement in the 1930s.

I posted these recent events in the Breaking News Forum as well:
Georgia increases troops, budget for military

Russia: Threat of war between Georgia and South Ossetia real

The Russian Foreign Ministry said today that war between Georgia and South Ossetia is becoming increasingly real. Exchange of fire killed six people and wounded thirteen in South Ossetia, late Friday and early Saturday.


RIA Novosti: Russia says threat of war between Georgia, South Ossetia real

Latest news: Georgia is engaged in a large scale attack of Tskhinvali. Artillery bombed is being reported and Georgian troops are on the move.

Georgian, SOssetian troops clash near Tskhinvali - SOssetia leader

That bloody idiot Saakashvilli has done it. The moron deserves to be killed, which I don't doubt he will be eventually.

GOOD JOB - U.S. YOU JUST SPONSORED ANOTHER BLOODY CONFLICT.

Looks like the war has begun...

It has been reported that Georgia has shelled Russian positions as well, and that Russian soldiers have been killed.


This video is in Russian.

The Russians have invaded South Ossetia and Russian tanks could reach Tskhinvali within hours. Georgia has shot down a couple of Russian planes, and Russian planes have apparently dropped bombs on Georgian bases. There are reports of ethnic cleansing going on in Tskhinvali...


From CNN:

reply to post by Hellmutt


"The Russians have invaded South Ossetia"? - I am sorry for asking, but this is no invasion - they are helping South Ossetia against the Georgian attack.
Why does everyone repeat what CC says and don't make the effort to inform himself a little about the topic?

reply to post by absente


Words... I'm trying to make the reporting as unbiased as possible, but I can tell you that I'm not biased in Georgia's favor. If you read this thread (yeah, I know it's a long thread), you will see better. However, South Ossetia is not Russia, so it's technically an invasion ("justified" or not)...

reply to post by Hellmutt


Hellmutt, it is not Russia but there are many Russians living there. Maybe my post was a little bit overreacted - I didn't read the thread and didn't know your position.

But, speaking of an invasion is a little bit unserious - South Ossetia called for help early this morning - I think "helping a country" is not like invading it (well, we don't talk about Iraq here) - of course Russia is looking for reasons to invade Georgia - yes, but talking about that would be off topic - ignore my last post, cheers.

Originally posted by absente

I think "helping a country" is not like invading it

If it was as simple as that... but it isn't. South Ossetia is not recognized by any country in the world (not even Russia), so it's technically not a country...

reply to post by Hellmutt


Well, they want independence, but Georgia and Russia want them to be part of their own country, so yes - you're right. But on the other hand just 1/3 of the South Ossetian population is Georgian, the other 2/3 are the same people like in North Ossetia witch is a Russian province.

Four Russian planes are shot down. Reports of heavy fighting. This is spinning out of control. How will it end?

Russia bombed a military airfield south of Tbilisi. The runway is "damaged".

Central Tskhinvali is destroyed and on fire...


Regnum: Central Tskhinvali is on fire and almost completely destroyed

Seconds ago:

Georgia just entered the stadium in the Olympics opening serimony in China. It was dead quiet. The whole stadium was dead silent.

Originally posted by Hellmutt
Seconds ago:

Georgia just entered the stadium in the Olympics opening serimony in China. It was dead quiet. The whole stadium was dead silent.

I'm all over the net right now reading the developing news. I'm not seeing anything about what you just posted. Where did you get that info?

reply to post by Digital_Reality


I'm watching the Olympics opening show live on tv. In this case, norwegian channel NRK1.

Hellmutt looks like your thread is becoming more and more relevant. Thanks for keeping up with unbiased news, and I hope you will continue to do so.

Unfortunately in this conflict there are no unbiased news, and it is up to us to interpret them from a realistic standpoint. Georgia, U.S., Russia, and South Ossetia are all reporting the news from their point of view. Thankfully we have been watching these news for a long enough time to know the backstory and what is really going on.

Keep it up.

Georgian parliament declares state of war! Russian jets have attacked the Georgian town Gori. Georgian Black Sea port Poti has been destroyed. There is fighting going on in Abkhazia too. Georgia withdraws all of their soldiers from Iraq. OSCE warns of "full-scale war", while NATO is "seriously concerned".

Originally posted by Vis Mega
"Georgia and US are right now holding their first ever Joint Navy Exercises."

.. and on the 18th China and Russia will be holding joint exercises on their eastern boarders.


But there is nothing going on right? No one is getting ready for something we don't actually know about right? We are not being kept in the dark about a conflict that is about to errupt, errupt hard right?

Nah. Unbelieveable.

In todays Daily Mail here in the UK part of the headline states 'what could turn into a deadly clash of the superpowers' Inside on page 5, a quote reads 'Could this be the most dangerous flashpoint since the Cuba crisis'. For those born in the 80's and 90's, it is referring to the Cuban Missile Crisis, which many people were in fear of it being the start of WW3. Fortunately, Kennedy and Castro settled it, but we are talking something even more intense then that crisis.

the Daily Mail UK is online:Daily Mail

I have the hard copy of the paper, and there is a huge spread about it on the inside on pages 4 and 5.

Also, 15,000 civilians have been killed in the recent clash of armies. It is always the innocent and those who are non-partisan, who pay the price. Why should innocent people suffer, because world leaders don't know how to use diplomacy and love to go to war at the people's expense.