The following is my opinion as a member participating in this discussion.
So then how did Russia get its figure if the bodies have not been found?
Well, if that is what happened, they probably got their estimates the same way we get ours in the wake of natural disasters - they use formulas,
probably plugging in factors like population density, the munitions used, the sorts of cover around, the number of elderly/infirm/children, etc..
That would be my guess - if the Russians did make a guess, that would be the basis for it.
And if that is the case, then there could be starving survivors and dead amongst the wreckage, how can Russia justify advancing toward the Georgian
capital when the claim they went into Georgia to protect Russian citizens but are leaving them behind?
Yeah, I find that unlikely.
More likely is that either a.) there weren't that many dead to begin with, or b.) the dead weren't all in that hospital where the reporter went to
research his story.
I'd say it's a coin toss at this point, as to which is more probable...
..invade a nation to steal it's land under the guise of duty to it's citizens there.
I dunno about that. It seems like an awful lot of trouble to go through for such a small prize - the region has no resources to speak of, and its
only real value appears to be strategic in terms of force projection and resource transportation. The Russians didn't need it, but maybe they needed
us to not have access to it?
If it was some strategic play, I would say it's for the purpose of resource denial, not resource exploitation. Just a guess on my part...
We would do well to remember that the Russians typically play a mean game of chess, on the micro and the macro level. If they're up to something as
insidious and complicated as you suggest, it's probably a pretty well thought out plan.
I also think that there's a strong possibility that the timing of their troop movement had something to do without our plans for Iran.
They are getting what they wanted and we are showing that we have grown into a nation weaklings.
What is it that you think they wanted?
As an ATS Staff Member, I will not moderate in threads such as this where I have participated as a member.
