INTERNATIONAL

Collision Course

The Western-looking leaders of Russia and Georgia have locked horns in a fight that puts the smaller nation squarely at a disadvantage.

By Owen Matthews | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Aug 8, 2008 | Updated: 3:07  a.m. ET Aug 12, 2008

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  • Posted By: PREDICTIONET @ 08/18/2008 10:20:40 PM

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  • Posted By: Glenno @ 08/14/2008 11:47:42 PM

    Are people forgetting how this conflict started? US has built up the Georgian army the last four years and the CIA have been present there since 2002. The "beautiful democracy" mentioned here is a election where US was hevily involved and the president got 97% of the votes.... great democracy. I dont blame the US media for not covering the slaughter of the Russians committed by their satelite state, but calling this a Russian plot, ignoring the US interest in the area is just unethical press.

  • Posted By: Questions2 @ 08/12/2008 9:45:54 PM

    Russia claims that the South Ossetians chose independence from Georgia in a referendum in 2004. A fair referendum in Russian-controlled territory is a contradiction in terms but perhaps South Ossetians really prefer to secede. If Russia wants Ossetians to be independent, it should first grant independence to North Ossetia that is currently part of Russia. That would be a very powerful argument in favour of South Ossetian independence. Russia of course just wants to expand its territory and will incorporate South Ossetia into itself, not give it independence.

    • Posted By: streetwise @ 08/13/2008 1:05:27 PM

      Just a question . Are you sure North Ossetia WANTS indipendence from Russia ? That is, the region is orthodox (and surrounded by muslims), in that region happened the onslaught of Beslan (organized by Basaev and other chechen rebels, that, by the way, had their base in the Kodor Valley, Georgia) . So what makes you think they want to get rid of Moscow ? Do you think they are fool ?

  • Posted By: willnotvoteobama @ 08/12/2008 10:31:52 AM

    The only recourse the U.S. has to get Russia???s attention. Is to push for NATO in Chechnya this is a very hard thing for Russia to deal with if NATO is in Chechnya then Russia will be at a stalemate to try and recoup losses from the fall of the soviet union also the Chechnya government will have better economics than Russia because they too are sitting on oil and Russia will not try and attack for two very good reasons (1) they are a member of NATO and (2) the Chechnya population is very large compared to the very small Georgia, Chechnya must have a membership in NATO, or the Russians will continue to get stronger until they feel they are again a super power ! I???m starting to feel sorry for our next president whomever that will be! God help us if it is obama because Russia will surely try him!

    • Posted By: streetwise @ 08/13/2008 12:58:57 PM

      NATA did not have the force and the will (that is, the madness) to sentd troops in Georgia and you want to send troops in Chechnya ? That is, before to join NATO, Chachnya have to have a government ,on its territory, woho ASK to join NATO . Before to have such government, you have to topple the present one (who will NEVER ask to join) . To topple this government, since chechen rebels are not half those they use to be (Basaev is down, Khattab is down, and so on), have to invade the region . With what ?

  • Posted By: fallison @ 08/13/2008 12:19:56 PM

    Anyone that believed Russia would stop yesterday was a fool. You might as put your faith in his friend, Adolf Achmadinejad of Iran....they are of the same mold....evil to the core..... Putin, the KGB agent, is showing his true colors by his actions. Bush was hoodwinked when he looked into his eyes a few years back....he didn't see a man of trust, he saw the cold steel of the Anti-Christ. Putin, and his boy puppet Medvedev, will destroy Georgia. Their imperialistic desires to forcefully take countries will not stop there, however. This is just the first of many conquests to come. Poland, Ukraine, the Balkans....Europe itself is at risk from this evil tyrant. Their evil alliance with the Muslims in Iran and their push to the south was predicted in Ezekial Chapter 38. The prophecy is literally unfolding before our eyes. The people of Russia have bought the lie of Putin and the false religion he preaches.......the only question is who's next on their hit list and when will the real genocide start?

  • Posted By: Questions2 @ 08/12/2008 9:45:26 PM

    The method Russia seems to be using in gaining its objective of restoring the Soviet Union is to separate a piece from another country and then move in its ???piecekeepers??? to keep that piece for itself.
    In conclusion, the international community should make plans for reacting to the next Russian attack on its neighbour. The present reaction is inadequate since Russian forces are still moving deeper into Georgia. The next attack will come since the invasion of Georgia is premeditated and part of a bigger plan (Robert Kagan???s Aug. 11 article in The Washington Post). There are also plenty of ???frozen conflict??? opportunities that Russia can warm up ??? Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan, Eastern Ukraine that is mainly Russian-speaking, Transdniestria in Moldova, the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad between Poland and Lithuania (access rights for example), the mainly Russian-speaking Ida-Virumaa region of Estonia.

  • Posted By: Jill from Florida @ 08/09/2008 3:08:29 PM

    So the main reason that the United States has allied itself with Georgia is for the US Oil Companies' pipeline for Western Europe. And, NATO wanted Georgia in for nuclear missile installations in South Ossetia.

    Was it NOT Georgia who was the aggressor? Or do we overlook the bully who supplies oil to Europe?

    Isn't it time that the United States and Europe allow and recognize the sovereignty of all nations, large and small, including Ossetia? Or is that against their ultimate plan?

    • Posted By: PresidentSupporter @ 08/11/2008 3:41:41 PM

      Nobody in the world recognizes the sovereignty of Ossetia, not just the US. Stop making every problem in the world about the US and oil. It's getting old and sounds paranoid.

  • Posted By: ayvan @ 08/11/2008 2:28:07 PM

    We are watching the Great Lie from Internet! The reality is that Saakashvili FIRST bombed Tskhinvali on the Day of the Olympian Games! Georgian soldiers SHOT Russian Peace-making armies, peaceful population FIRST and only AFTER this Russia moved army to prevent further destruction. Remember Kosovo, and the US position in that case!
    If you understand the reality, that means your have a free mind.
    P.S. Please, send this message to all your friends. Thank you!

  • Posted By: ayvan @ 08/11/2008 2:25:27 PM

    baks25, you say is very good,about RUSSIA!

  • Posted By: teesqr @ 08/11/2008 2:06:45 PM

    Contrary to the propoganda posted here Russia is no ally of the West or the U.S.

    Russia has been buying and laying claim to vast deposits of the world's oil and natural gas for some time now in an attempt to position themselves as the New OPEC for the 21st century. Instead of Nukes Russia intends to use oil as their weapon of choice. Just cut off a country's oil supply and you don't even have to fire a single missle to get what you want. Russia has done everything in their power to stop the construction of the BTC pipeline because they know they would not be able to implement their domination plans with the BTC pipeline in existence. They have fought the building of this pipeline every step of the way.

    Now Georgia has given Russia an excuse to invade and to ultimately destroy this pipeline once and for all. Don't believe it?? The facts are out there - do your own research on this issue.

  • Posted By: teesqr @ 08/11/2008 2:06:32 PM

    Contrary to the propoganda posted here Russia is no ally of the West or the U.S.

    Russia has been buying and laying claim to vast deposits of the world's oil and natural gas for some time now in an attempt to position themselves as the New OPEC for the 21st century. Instead of Nukes Russia intends to use oil as their weapon of choice. Just cut off a country's oil supply and you don't even have to fire a single missle to get what you want. Russia has done everything in their power to stop the construction of the BTC pipeline because they know they would not be able to implement their domination plans with the BTC pipeline in existence. They have fought the building of this pipeline every step of the way.

    Now Georgia has given Russia an excuse to invade and to ultimately destroy this pipeline once and for all. Don't believe it?? The facts are out there - do your own research on this issue.

  • Posted By: baks25 @ 08/11/2008 1:10:43 PM

    Dear friends! We are watching the Great Lie from Internet! The reality is that Saakashvili FIRST bombed Tskhinvali on the Day of the Olympian Games! Georgian soldiers SHOT Russian Peace-making armies, peaceful population FIRST and only AFTER this Russia moved army to prevent further destruction. Remember Kosovo, and the US position in that case!
    If you understand the reality, that means your have a free mind.
    P.S. Please, send this message to all your friends. Thank you!

  • Posted By: baks25 @ 08/11/2008 1:07:48 PM

    Dear friends! We are watching the Great Lie from Internet! The reality is that Saakashvili FIRST bombed Tskhinvali on the Day of the Olympian Games! Georgian soldiers SHOT Russian Peace-making armies, peaceful population FIRST and only AFTER this Russia moved army to prevent further destruction. Remember Kosovo, and the US position in that case!
    If you understand the reality, that means your have a free mind.
    P.S. Please, send this message to all your friends. Thank you!

  • Posted By: baks25 @ 08/11/2008 1:05:43 PM

    Dear friends! We are watching the Great Lie from Internet! The reality is that Saakashvili FIRST bombed Tskhinvali on the Day of the Olympian Games! Georgian soldiers SHOT Russian Peace-making armies, peaceful population FIRST and only AFTER this Russia moved army to prevent further destruction. Remember Kosovo, and the US position in that case!
    If you understand the reality, that means your have a free mind.
    P.S. Please, send this message to all your friends. Thank you!

  • Posted By: baks25 @ 08/11/2008 1:05:30 PM

    Dear friends! We are watching the Great Lie from Internet! The reality is that Saakashvili FIRST bombed Tskhinvali on the Day of the Olympian Games! Georgian soldiers SHOT Russian Peace-making armies, peaceful population FIRST and only AFTER this Russia moved army to prevent further destruction. Remember Kosovo, and the US position in that case!
    If you understand the reality, that means your have a free mind.
    P.S. Please, send this message to all your friends. Thank you!

  • Posted By: That who sees @ 08/11/2008 3:55:10 AM

    NEWSWEEK think again!!!!! What do you write????? Who does it dictate to you?!?!! Why you shut eyes to destruction southern Ossetias from ?????????????! Why you play hide-abd-seeck with the truth screening Georgia?! A shame

  • Posted By: That who sees @ 08/11/2008 3:52:28 AM

    NEWSWEEK think again!!!!! What do you write????? Who does it dictate to you?!?!! Why you shut eyes to destruction southern Ossetias from ?????????????! Why you play hide-abd-seeck with the truth screening Georgia?! A shame

  • Posted By: Richard11 @ 08/10/2008 10:52:13 PM

    President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, should be punished for the "Genocide" of South Ossetian people.

  • Posted By: Richard11 @ 08/10/2008 10:49:10 PM

    President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, should be punished for "Genocide" of South Ossetian people.

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