In ancient Greece, the Olympics were a time for the warlike city-states to lay down arms in a truce known as ekecheiria. Runners called spondophoroi ran across the known world passing the word of the truce, armies were forbidden to approach the city of Olympia, wars were placed on hold and the death penalty forbidden until the games were over.
Nowadays?
Russian troops advanced towards the capital of Georgia’s separatist region, Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, said “ethnic cleansing” had been reported in villages in South Ossetia amid a Georgian offensive to retake the breakaway region.
The military operation marks the first time Russian troops have taken action on foreign soil since the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989.
Georgia has warned that any involvement of Russian forces in the conflict would result in a state of war between the two countries…
Georgian troops had earlier launched a massive attack to regain control of breakaway South Ossetia, where officials said at least 15 people were killed and an unspecified number of people wounded.
I guess the end of history isn’t so ended, is it?
Russia always has been, and always will be an expansionist nation. It’s just a shame they don’t try to exploit their own territory, rather than robbing from others.
I spent 5 months in Georgia back in 2005 as TF XO of the Georgia Sustainment & Stability Operations Program (GSSOP). Abkhazia, Ajaria and S. Ossetia were all semi-autonomous regions that thought they’d be better off as fully-fledged independent nations. Due to their proximity to Mother Russia, Abkhazia and Ossetia both have had Russian “peacekeepers” present, though there was some debate as to whose side they were really on. Naturally, Russia is still keenly interested in the Caucasus region, and tends to support the separatists. In a sense, at least in those areas, the Russians had never left; though most of the regular “occupying forces” had been kicked out when Georgia claimed independence, the continued rule by former Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze meant that Russian troops were never too far away.
Funny that both Georgian and Russian Armies have just finished their exercises. Had they agreed on the date earlier?
I’m sceptical about this war. Seems both sides do this out of sheer pride. Some business considerations, too.
Chechen wars were about serious things, so I supported them. Maybe some real reasons are hidden, but right now this bloodshed looks reckless and useless.
First thing I thought when I heard this today? No surprise here.
Second thing was Dang, another damned NEO. Can’t the Air Force take this one?
Georgia has recalled its troops from Iraq, so that sounds bad.
My question is whether Obama knows which Georgia everyone else is talking about.
When I first heard about it this morning, I was like “DAMN.. Those F’IN RUSSIANS! Invading Georgia, while a good portion of their military is in IRAQ!”
But the more I read about, the more I find myself thinking “FINE. If they want to be Russian.. LET THEM.” Georgia is a small country, bordered by the mighty Russia. It doesn’t surprise me a bit that there could be people who consider themselves “Russian” living there, and who would rather be a part of Russia instead of Georgia.
These people have been fighting to become Russian since 1990, and Russia has granted them citizenship. It’s entirely understandable why Russia would step in to defend those they consider to be their citizens- even if they technically live in another country.
If I were Georgia, I would have to ask myself “Is South Ossetia really worth fighting for, or should we just let them cecede to Russia?” Unless there’s some great wealth or treasure in SO, I say… let them go.
Hell, I’ve been saying the same thing about California for a year now. If they want to become their own country, LET THEM. And then we can all get passports and go visit the state of North Mexico! The grass is NOT always greener.
On a prosaic note… I like the Olympic “Despair” poster. That was a good piece of work.