The Russia Georgia War -- One Year Later

Russian soldiers prepare tanks at the Tskhinvali military base on Aug. 7, 2009
DMITRY KOSTYUKOV / AFP / Getty

In South Ossetia, Families Remain Torn Apart -- Time Magazine

The Russian-patrolled border that separates South Ossetia from Georgia snakes its way across sunny fields cut with trenches and through quiet woods spotted with landmines. The only visible signs of the border's presence are where it crosses roads. At these crossings, flags snap in the breeze and opposing soldiers sit just 60 feet from each other behind sandbag walls. But for many South Ossetians and Georgians with family on the other side of the border, the nearly invisible line is as divisive and impregnable as the Berlin Wall once was.

Read more ....

More News On The Legacy Of The Russian - Georgian War

The fog of war: Unravelling the Ossetia conflict, one year later -- The Economist
Georgia: One Year Later -- Forbes
A Year After Georgian War, Refugees Still Coping With Losses -- Washington Post
Russia plans no troop boost in Georgia rebel regions -- Reuters
A Year After War, S. Ossetia More Dependent on Russia -- Time Magazine
Ossetian elderly live in ruins and pain -- RT (Video)
South Ossetia’s Eduard Kokoity rules out new aggression from Georgia -- The Telegraph
An eerie tension in the Caucasus -- The Moscow News
Georgia-Russia: What We Still Don't Know -- CBS News

My Comment: The legacy from this conflict is going to last for decades.

Another Foreign Challenge For Obama: Georgia-Russia

A Russian soldier walks past destroyed Georgian tanks in the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali during August. Photograph: Denis Sinyakov/Reuters

From McClatchy Newspapers:

TBILISI, Georgia — When Russia's tanks and fighter jets invaded Georgia last August, the Kremlin said its aim was to stop genocide in the breakaway Georgian republic of South Ossetia. In a few days, Georgia's military had slaughtered some 2,000 people there, Russian officials and their allies in the South Ossetian government claimed.

Last month, however, the head of the Russian federal prosecutor's task force examining the war said the toll was 162 civilians and 48 Russian soldiers killed.

Read more ....

My Comment: President Obama will perceive Russia to be more important that Georgia. His policies, unlike President Bush, will reflect that.

Russia / Georgia War -- News Updates (Update #3)

A Russian NTV channel tv grab shows South Ossetian separatists by a burning Georgian tank in Tskhinvali. The UN Security Council failed yet again to agree on a call for an immediate truce in the worsening fighting in Georgia's breakaway South Ossetia enclave but agreed to make another attempt Saturday (AFP/Ntv)

Georgia Reports New Air Attacks At Military Bases -- Yahoo News/AP

DZHAVA, Georgia - Russia dispatched an armored column into the breakaway enclave of South Ossetia on Friday after Georgia, a staunch U.S. ally, launched a surprise offensive to crush separatists. Witnesses said hundreds of civilians were killed. Fighting reportedly raged well into the night with Georgia's interior ministry saying early Saturday that warplanes attacked three Georgian military bases and key facilities for shipping oil to the West.

The fighting, which devastated the capital of Tskhinvali, threatened to ignite a wider war between Georgia and Russia, and escalate tensions between Moscow and Washington. Georgia said it was forced to launch the assault because of rebel attacks; the separatists alleged Georgia violated a cease-fire.

Read more ....

More News On The Georgian / Russian War

Full Coverage: Georgia -- Yahoo News
Russia, Georgia seek control of South Ossetia capital -- Reuters
Armed Cossacks pour in to fight Georgians -- the Guardian
The Western-looking leaders of Russia and Georgia have locked horns in a fight that puts the smaller nation squarely at a disadvantage. -- Newsweek
UN still unable to agree call for South Ossetia ceasefire -- AFP
UN Security Council Fails to Agree on Georgia -- Voice Of America
Security Council Postpones Agreement on South Ossetia -- Deutsche Welle
UN Security Council to meet Saturday over South Ossetia conflict -- China View
UN divided over S Ossetia reponse -- Al Jazeera
OSCE holds special meeting in Vienna for Georgian-Ossetian conflict -- China View
Russia's `War' With Georgia Dashes NATO Entry Plans (Update1) -- Bloomberg
Putin Tries to Depose a Neighbor -- Washington Post

Russian News Sources

Moscow times -- Full Coverage
Shelling of South Ossetia capital stopped -- Russia Today
Russian tanks enter South Ossetia to oust Georgian troops -- Pravda
Georgia starts war against S.Ossetia -- RIA Novosti
Time line: Georgia-Ossetia armed conflict, August 9 -- Russia Today
Lack of UN reaction worsened Georgia-South Ossetia conflict - Russia Today
NATO encouraged Georgia – Russian envoy -- Russia Today
Georgia vs. South Ossetia: roots of a 100-year conflict -- Russia Today
Experts argue over Georgia-Ossetia conflict -- Russia Today
12 Russian peacekeepers dead, 50 wounded in S-Ossetia -- Itar Tass

Georgian News Sources

Georgia: President Says Georgian Troops Control South Ossetia -- Eurasia Net
Tbilisi, Georgia News -- Topix News
Georgia Times -- Full News Coverage
Georgia Today -- Full News Coverage


My Comment: The Georgian Government was hoping that with the world focused on the Olympics, their takeover of South Ossetia will surprise everyone including the Russians. In this regard, they have been successful.

Unfortunately, they have awaken the Russian bear. Russia is now preparing itself for a major counter attack against all Georgian armed forces in South Ossetia and in Georgia itself. They are not gong to stop until they have taken over the province. I repeat .... Russia is not going to back down. I expect (in the next few weeks) that this war is going to escalate exponentially with heavy civilian casualties.

Russia has numerous small and "autonomous" regions .... many of them wanting to be independent. Any sign of weakness will only embolden these separatist movements, a situation that is unacceptable to the Russian Government and its citizens. They know that failure will only produce a catastrophe that Russia and its people cannot accept.

On a personal note, I am disappointed with how the international community has reacted to these events. When Kosovo demanded and voted for independence, the West went out of their way to recognize this new state. But the same criteria is not being used for the citizens of South Ossetia. This double standard does not make us look good.

Next Posting: August 9, 2008 09:00 EST