Helen & Harry Highwater's cranky weblog of news and opinion.
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"News that's not known, or not known enough." Helen & Harry Highwater's cranky weblog of news and opinion. Available in weekly or daily dosage. |
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What's going on in South Ossetia, Georgia? by Marie K. Monday, August 11, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Given where I live, Georgia is a neighboring country. It is also one of the three countries where the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline is located. My impression is that Turkish TV is trying to play down the story of the fighting there. Instead the humanitarian efforts Turkey is organizing are being discussed. I assume that they do NOT want to get involved in this conflict.
The current fighting seems to have started because some Russian peacekeepers in S. Ossetia were attacked by Georgian forces or among those involved when Georgia attacked. Turkish TV is indicating that twelve Russians have died and that the port area of Poti, Georgia (not in S. Ossetia) was bombed by the Russians (a strategic attack?). Georgia used to be a part of the Russian Empire, but with its break-up Georgia gained independence for three years (1918-1922). Then, it was brought into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (the USSR), but the Ossetian area was split and put into two different soviet republics. S. Ossetia was in the Georgian republic. Georgia became an independent country when the USSR dissolved in 1991. So what is going on right now? The three articles below provide some info. (1) seems to be presenting the US view of things while (2) is said in a comment to be presenting Russia's view. Finally, (3) dated July 9, 2008 offers more info on what's going on. Hopefully, some sound conclusions can be reached. THE US's VIEW Article (1) first focuses on the BTC pipeline, backed by the EU in order to supply oil to Europe and the US, oil that is not from Russia or Iran. It says it entered full service last year. It notes that there was an attack/explosion on the pipeline on Aug. 5, 2008 IN Turkey probably caused by the Kurdish PKK -- the resulting fire hasn't yet been put out nor the repairs completed, so it remains closed down. Then, (1) moves on to point out that S. Ossetia has sought independence and that it wants to be reunified with N. Ossetia, now part of Russia. It seems that neither Russia nor Georgia want to allow their unification and independence although Russia has strengthened economic and legal relations with S. Ossetia and Abkhazia. The article implies rather than states that increased tensions have occurred whenever the current Georgian President opts for regaining control. So, the reader is left to conclude that Russia's interest is in the oil pipeline or perhaps in attempting to annex Georgian territories without clearly indicating how the current fighting got started -- better to keep that obscured, I guess. RUSSIA's VIEW Article (2) clearly states that the current fighting started on Aug. 8, 2008 because Georgian forces, trained and equipped by the US and aided by Israeli military advisors, shelled and killed 10 Russian peacekeepers in S. Ossetia's capital city (as part of a larger attack?) and finally provoked Russia into carrying out some airstrikes. The article says it was "a massive military offensive" launched by Georgia to take control of S. Ossetia. It also indicates that the current Georgian President is a US backed president brought in during the "Rose Revolution" -- which seems to have been one of those US contrived actions supported by such persons as Zbigniew Brzezinski. This article also discusses Georgia's desire to join NATO and the US support for this. In addition, it mentions the fact that the US wants to place "missile defense shield technology" in Poland and the Czech Republic. Both efforts are viewed as threats by Russia. The BTC pipeline is mentioned in a quote as though it hasn't yet been built. Indicated is that Israel could receive oil from the BTC pipeline and send it on to its own Red Sea port for supertanker transport to the Far East -- Israel also wants to get oil from Kirkuk. Comments by Paul Craig Roberts are provided indicating that to him "the entire scenario smacked of a maneuver on behalf of the Neo-Con faction . . ." This article also points out that the US media is not giving much attention to the story. Then, some of the history involved in the current situation is mentioned along with the fact that a UN emergency session failed to push through a Russian backed statement related to calling on both sides to stop fighting. Finally, some quotes from Georgia's President are given. He is calling the situation a Russian-Georgian "war" with Georgia "under attack" -- which again rather obscures what has really happened. This article DOES pull together a lot of info. that indicates that there is more going on here than oil pipelines and the 2 autonomous areas of Georgia. SOME CONCLUSIONS The older article (3) indicates that Russia accused the Georgian government of "a series of mysterious bomb attacks [in June & July, 2008] in the two regions [S. Ossetia & Abkhazia] in an attempt to provoke a new war." This (along with the other provocations -- see another below) seems to indicate that Georgia and its US-Israel backers have worked up some sort of plan related to a SERIES of provocations to draw Russia into finally fighting. A claim by Georgia that Russian fighter jets invaded its airspace is mentioned, which Condoleezza Rice said was Russian provocation related to her visit to Georgia beginning on July 9, 2008 -- however, Russia has accused Georgia of jet flights over S. Ossetia in violation of the cease-fire. Mike Rivero's view is that Israel would like to see the US and Russia battling it out. Another Mike Rivero idea is that the US wants to see Russia get mired in a military confrontation with Georgia so that its ability to aid Iran, if attacked, would be impaired. The Turks, however, seem to think that this situation will soon come to an end based on a new cease-fire. As for what matters the most to Russia, I actually don't think it is the BTC pipeline. They can still get their own projects going. There are enough customers for both the BTC and Russian pipelines. Thus, I assume that it IS the missile defense shield and the possibility of Georgia joining NATO and further encircling Russia with NATO countries that matters. If Georgia had been a NATO member at this time, then NATO could have claimed a Russian attack on one of its members and initiated NATO attacks -- WWIII, in other words. NOTE: The latest news reports are indicating that the situation in Georgia is getting worse and that Georgia's parliament has declared a "state of war" valid for 15 days. Russia says that Georgia is using "salvo systems" or "volley" firing (releasing a lot weapons at the same time) into S. Ossetia which seriously increases the number of casualties. Marie K.  |
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