The Caucasian Puzzle – Russian-Georgian conflict aftermath
Posted by: irinaforden on: August 24, 2008
Aug. 24, 2008
photo provided by Mitya Aleshkovsky
Just about a month ago three obscure former Soviet republics – Georgia, Ossetia and Abkhazia were little known to the outside world, but it all changed seemingly overnight.
Latest violent fight between Georgia and Russia for the two breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia made headlines around the world.
The last and the most violent part of this never ending conflict lasted about 3 weeks and it’s not clear whether it is completely over, not yet. I doubt that on that fateful day Georgia’s President Mikheil Saakashvili realized what his reckless military actions in and near South Ossetia would lead to.
Russian Military retaliation was fierce and incredibly fast.
By allowing himself to be sucked into an open bloody conflict, which turned out to be a complete disaster, Georgian president had made a series of major blunders no politician can afford to make.
As a result, South Ossetia and his own country are facing now a significant destruction, Georgian infrastructure sustained a major damage, many Georgian villages and small cities were bombed, burned and looted, many people killed.
Some people on Georgian territory died as a result of a Russian offensive,
but there is enough substantial evidence of a numerous Georgians killed (as a revenge for the past persecutions done by Georgians) by organized crime gangs from Ossetia, Chechnya and even Southern part of Russia – Cossacs.
This latest conflict involving Russia, Georgia, Ossetia and Abkhazia is nothing new. Entire Caucasus region – Northern and Southern regions are torn apart by too many ethnic conflicts.
In a past Georgians killed and persecuted numerous Ossetians and Abkhazians, who in turn tried to retaliate in many ways.
Here is a detailed description of the events that lead to this latest conflict between Russia and Georgia.
April, 2008
UN observers conclude that a Russian fighter-jet shot down a Georgian spy drone over Abkhazia.
Russia’s Defence Ministry denied the allegations.
Abkhazian Defence Minister insists that it was the Abkhazian Air Force who shot down the spy drone.
Some time ago Georgia and Abkhazia signed a ceasefire agreement which prohibited sending any kind of drones over the conflict zone.
May 4, 2008
Abkhazian oficial says that 2 drone Georgian spy planes were shot down by Abkhazian anti-aircraft forces over the region of Abkhazia.
A Georgian Foreign Ministry dismisses these claims as a “completely absurd disinformation”.
At the same time the tension between Georgia and Russia continued to increase and Georgia accuses Moscow of shooting down another one of it’s unmanned (drone) spy planes.
Conflicting claims and accusations over drone spy planes attribute to a further increase of the tension between Russia and Georgia.
This is were things get really insanely confusing, both sides continue to accuse each other of all sorts of crimes, but at the same time everybody denies just about everything.
Like it or not I call it “The Caucasian Puzzle”. No matter how much I read I couldn’t understand what was true and what was a lie.
It appears that all the sides were and still are engaged into an endless cycle of accusations and hostilities, which in the end lead to this latest “mini” war between Russia and Georgia.
Through out June and July Georgians periodically shoot over Tskhinvali, Ossetians retaliate back with shootings too.
Both sides blame each other for provocations.
Jul 4, 2008
South Ossetia claims shootings in Tskhinvali and surrounding areas killed 2 people and wounded 11 and blames Georgia for trying to provoke a fighting.
A Georgian defense official denies that Georgian troops fired at Ossetians and says that the incident is a part of ongoing provocation by South Ossetian separatists.
In a meantime Russian state leaders say they will defend their citizens in South Ossetia, referring to the nearly 70,000 people who have Russian passports.
Jul. 10, 2008
Georgia recalls it’s ambassador from Russia after Moscow admits it’s fighter jets had entered Georgian airspace earlier in July.
Tbilisi accuses Moscow of committing a “very grave act of aggression”, Russians in turn say they sent a fighter jet over South Ossetia to “cool hot heads in Tbilisi”.
Jul 11, 2008
A Georgian official warns Russia that it will have to “collect the shattered fragments” of its planes if they intrude Georgian airspace again.
July 15, 2008
A joint Georgian – U.S. military exercise ” Immediate Response 2008″ has started near Tbilisi (Georgian capital).
Aug 2, 2008
South Ossetian officials reported that 6 people were killed and 13 wounded in the shelling of South Ossetia by Georgian forces,
according to Russia’s Interfax News agency.
The commander of Georgian peacekeeping operations – Mamuka Kurashvili, told reporters that “four people were wounded when
several Georgian villages were fired upon from South Ossetia, and Georgia had to return fire.”
Aug 6, 2008
Authorities in the South Ossetia say that the outer areas of the region’s capital
were coming under heavy fire from Georgian-controlled territory, it was reported by Russian news agencies.
Aug 7, 2008
Georgia and South Osetia negotiate ceasefire agreement, but later that day Georgian troops
launch an unexpected attack on Tskhinvali, capital of South Ossetia. Russia condemns the attack and threatens to retaliate.
Aug 8, 2008
Georgian troops launch a major military offensive to regain control over the breakaway region of South Ossetia and Georgian government says it is all done “to restore the constitutional order”.
Russian leaders say they will defend their citizens in South Ossetia, about 70,000 people in South Ossetia have Russian passports.
Although technically South Ossetia is not recognized by the world community as a separate country,
it has been a de facto independent entity since 1992.
Russian air force begins attacks on military targets in Georgia.
Georgian president M. Saakashvili declares a state of war between Russia and Georgia.
Russian state television says Russian troops are moving into South Ossetia.
Military convoy was expected to reach the provincial capital Tskhinvali by evening.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin warns that the Georgian attack will draw retaliation.
Aug 9, 2008
City of Tskhinvali is taken by Russians. Russian air force bombs Poti, Gori, military base in Senaki, Honi, Vaziani and
other targets in Kodori region. News about civilian casualties start coming in, Russians say 2,000 civilians were killed in a fighting, few days later they estimate that number to be at 1,492 .
Georgia says 130 civilians were killed.
Aug. 10, 2008
Georgia offers to negotiate with Russia a ceasefire and peace talks after pulling troops back from South Ossetia’s capital.
Russia says the fighting is continuing and demands an unconditional Georgian withdrawal.
US and European leaders warn Russia that failure to withdraw Russian troops from South Ossetia will damage international relations.
Aug 11, 2008
Russia accuses Georgia of breaking a ceasefire agreement and says Georgia is continuing to shell Tskhinvali.
Georgia’s attack on Tskhinvali was also confirmed by Reuters news agency.
About 9,000 Russian troops sent into Abkhazia and allegedly later sent into Georgia through a border with Abkhazia.
By opening a second front and moving deeper into Georgia’s territory Russia forced Georgia to withdraw it’s troops from Tskhinvali.
Russia demands full disarmament of Georgian troops in the area.
EU representatives visit Georgia, President Mikheil Saakashvili signs a ceasefire agreement.
Aug 12, 2008
Russian officials say they no longer want presence of Georgian peacemakers in the Ossetian and Abkhazian regions.
Nicolas Sarkozy meets with Russian leaders in Moscow to negotiate a ceasefire agreement.
Aug 18, 2008
The government of Abkhazia takes control over the Kodori Gorge region.
Aug 19, 2008
Russian troops continue to move further in to Georgia.
NATO holds meeting in Brussels. US and British government leaders insist on taking a tough approach,
Germany and France call for a more cautious actions.
Russia warns NATO that it’s relationship with Moscow would suffer if foreign ministers back Georgia.
Aug. 22, 2008
Russia finally started a withdrawal of it’s troops from parts of Georgia – Igoeti and Senaki.
Certain amount of troops left Gori and moved towards the South Ossetia.
Russia is demanding to leave a much larger number of a peace keepers around certain strategically important places in Georgia and South Osetia to establish a buffer zone.
Russian military personnel insists that they got an order to move only back to the border of South Ossetia.
Vitalyi Churkin, Russian UN representative refused to sign a newly edited by UN version of an earlier six point plan signed by Sarkozy and Medvedev.
The original version of a ceasefire agreement (otherwise called six point peace plan) contained a point in which there was an agreement to allow Russian side to establish a buffer zone on Georgian territory up to 10 km beyond South Osetia.
UN also insists on sending an international peacekeepers to Georgia.
The original six-point peace plan allegedly allows Russian forces to take the additional unspecified security measures and, as expressed by some western diplomats, is very vague.
Aug 23, 2008
Russians declare that the pullback of troops from Georgia is finished, but there is apparently still a significant number of the weapons
and military personnel left in a parts of Georgia.
This week Russia has been negotiating a six point plan (ceasefire agreement) with UN and only agrees to follow an earlier version of a six point plan (Medvedev-Sarkozy plan)
approved originally by Presidents of France, Georgia and Russia and backed by EU.
Allegedly, Sarkozy’s plan originally had just the first four points.
Russia added the fifth and sixth points. Georgia apparently asked for additional changes, but Russia rejected them and Sarkozy
convinced Georgia to agree to the unchanged plan.
Six point plan -
1. No recourse to the use of force.
2. Definitive cessation of hostilities.
3. Free access to humanitarian aid (addition rejected: and to allow the return of refugees).
4. Georgian military forces must withdraw to their normal bases of encampment.
5. Russian military forces must withdraw to the lines prior to the start of hostilities. While awaiting an international mechanism,
Russian peacekeeping forces will implement additional security measures (addition rejected: six months).
6. Opening of international discussions on the modalities of lasting security in Abkhazia and South Ossetia
(addition rejected: based on the decisions of the UN and the OSCE).
Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said that Russia would only follow six point plan and that there was no territorial integrity of Georgia
mentioned in that document.
New version of the agreement was significantly changed by diplomats from UN and after that Russian side refused to sign it.
Vitaly Churkin mentioned that the most unacceptable point in the agreement was “an immidiate withdrawal of Russian troops
from Georgia back to it’s original location in South Ossetia.”
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made a following statement – “One can forget about any talk about Georgia’s territorial integrity
because, I believe, it is impossible to persuade South Ossetia and Abkhazia to agree with the logic that they can be forced back into the Georgian state”.
Statements done by the US, European and Russian officials are showing a huge difference in the way West and Russia interpret the ceasefire agreement.
Some of the major points of disagreement is that Russian forces can carry out unspecified “additional security measures” to resolve the conflict and
also a preservation of a territorial integrity of Georgia.
Both breakaway regions – South Ossetia and Abkhazia voted to separate from Georgian republic after a proclamation of a Georgian independence in 1991.
In the aftermath of a conflict Russian State is facing another problem – foreign capital started to flow out of the country at a significant rate and it is predicted that
investments and funds by Russian companies into the US are likely to face tougher scrutiny in Washington, as predicted by experts.
Russia’s stock markets were affected since the conflict began.
RGE Monitor reports about it on their website
http://www.rgemonitor.com/ -
“Conflict in Georgia: Economic and Financial Fallout ” -
“This conflict is having a significant effect on the economies and financial markets of Georgia and Russia, as well as on the region and energy supply.”
As a direct result of the conflict, tension and misunderstanding had significantly increased between US,
Western and some Eastern European countries and Russia -
Poland just signed an agreement with US to station parts of a U.S. missile defence shield on Polish soil, drawing an immediate negative response from Moscow.
One of Russia’s deputy chiefs of General Staff – Anatoly Nogovitsyn said that Poland’s agreement to accept a U.S. missile interceptor base “exposes the Poland
to attack, possibly by nuclear weapons”.
Foreign Ministry of Ukraine issued a statement saying it was prepared to give Western countries access to its missile-warning systems.
Reports start to come in about Russia negotiating a deal about selling weapons and weapons systems to Syria.
This week Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad explored the possibility of the deployment of Russian missiles on his territory.
Russian media agencies release information about that Moscow is also interested in an establishing a naval base for the Russian Black Sea fleet at the Syrian port of Tartus.
New naval base can be very useful for Russia after the agreement with Ukraine expires in 2017.
Ukraine had threatened recently to refuse an entry to the Russian vessels back to the Sevastopol naval base. Russia’s Black Sea Fleet uses the Sevastopol base under
agreements signed in 1997. President of Ukraine Yushchenko announced earlier this year that Ukraine would not extend the lease of the base beyond 2017.
News about latest negotiations between Russia and Syria in turn caused a great concern among the top US and Israeli officials.
Syria and Russia were a close allies in a Soviet past.
Latest conflict and a further escalation of hostilities between so many countries is a direct result of a too much of a political meddling
in the region done by many different governments.
This subject in itself is so complex that it requires a further detailed assessment, which I will try to prepare in a future.
To summarize matters in short – too many power hungry world leaders and their governments were involved into this conflict and not just from Georgia or Russia.
A little bit of more “warmongers” from around the world and we are back to the Cold War – era (I hope it’s not too late) and
with a little bit of “help” matters could get even worse.
With a current destabilization in a Middle East, economic crisis in US, Russia’s latest attempts to restore an old influence in some parts of the world
and what it appears to be a return to the old competition between US and Russia for world domination – we are in for a long “fun ride”.
Analysing all the latest events in the world we need to ask ourselves – will US be better off with a reasonable, Democratic and less aggressive
towards Russia and other countries, future US President, or with the one who had already proved himself to be fairly hostile towards Russia
and is playing a big tough guy ?
It seems that in a last 8 years only the tough and autocratic type leaders were popular in US and Russia.
I think here in US we are in the urgent need to choose in the coming presidential elections a more reasonable and cautious candidate for the President of US.
This world can use a little bit of a real diplomacy, patience and understanding between all countries.
by Irina Forden
13 Responses to "The Caucasian Puzzle – Russian-Georgian conflict aftermath"
August 25, 2008 at 5:59 am
You are right. It’s not clear what future holds for us here in US. Will see who wins the elections…
About autonomy/annexation of South Ossetia and Abkhazia – they’ve tried to negotiate it in a different ways, nothing good came out of it, this is why that horrible mess had happened.
I do think those two regions should have separated from Georgia completely, not necessarily under Russian wing, but they should decide themselves about their future.
I will write about the history behind the ongoing conflict, but I’ll need a lot of time to prepare an article about it.
I’m not Georgian either, but I do like Georgians and I like Russians (I’m of a Slavic descent and I live in US).
We have Georgian friends here in US, who immigrated here from Georgia. They are all wonderful people.
I’m torn apart on this issue (conflict), to tell honestly, I would not take a side in this conflict, but I do sympathize with everybody who suffered in this war. I wish everybody peace…
August 31, 2008 at 8:41 pm
I am a 55 year old lifelong US citizen. I have been most concerned about the deteriorating situation not only in Eastern Europe, but around the world. I blame the failed leadership of the Bush administration,and the almost complete lack of skilled diplomacy. The Bush administration has proven to be one of the most aggressive and ruthless I have witnessed in my lifetime. I have a lot of first hand knowledge of Middle Eastern politics and I disagreed with the Iraq war while it was still in the planning stages. Iraq is not Afghansitan, I told my family and any one else that would listen. I read a speech recently that Putin gave in Munich in February of 2007. In it he was warning the US that if it continued on its New World Order path, there would be consequences. Of course his words went unheeded. I feel the current Russian leadership would have been open to skilled US diplomcay if only we had attempted it. Instead Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld continued on their desired course of unbridled arrogant aggressiveness. No want desires nuclear war, yet the US continues to aggravate its “so called” enemies. Russia and Iran could become great countries if we only would show respect and the willingness to truly listen and negotiate terms for the good of all concerned. There will always be disagreements, but nothing that can’t be negotiated if the lines of communication are kept open. Our people are suffering because of failed diplomacy and ruthless aggressiveness on the part of our government. The world simply can not take four more years of what we here in the US have endured for the last eight. The world is teetering on the edge of a deep abyss that threatens to engulf everyone.
August 31, 2008 at 10:22 pm
@Helen – I completely agree with you, our current foreign policy is steering the wrong way.
Although Putin’s government worries me too, I see two countries with hardliners in power clashing here over who controls the region.
But we need to remember that Caucasus region was for a long time a Russian zone of influence, US is a newcomer there and yes, Russians see it as a bold meddling in their backyard.
This all reminds me of a Middle East (on a much smaller scale) and Middle East is so close by (Iran especially), this is why all this is happening there in a first place.
I don’t know whether Georgia’s President actually understands he is being used for a “higher purposes” and in a meantime his people are suffering. Who needed this war ?
Would be great to see more rational and respectful politicians on world’s stage.
September 1, 2008 at 12:45 am
irinafordeb- I appreciate your response to my comment. While I feel proud and fortunate to have been born in America, I have become ashamed and embarrassed by our government’s increasing arrogance and greed. This has attracted investors from other countries who are arrogant, greedy, and self serving. In the end we have problems existing on a local, regional, national, and international scale. Our government should be a positive role model for the rest of the world, not a negative influence. I am weak in world history (strong in ancient), but I am strong in human relations. My parents taught me that honesty and respect were extremely important. This was not a religious discipline, rather a life discipline. I coined a phrase after 9/11. It is “The truth shall set you free, that is if you can recognize it.” In a world filled with disinformation and extreme distortions of the truth, it becomes almost impossible to decide what is the truth and what is a lie. I have an innate ability to detect deception. Unfortunately, the ability to manipulate the truth for the common good is the core of politics. A skilled diplomat has the ability to manipulate the truth to the advantage of all negotiating parties. Our intelligence service is in need of akilled deception detectors and how to manipulate them. Most deception is through mass media. Disinformation is being manipulated on a global scale. In the aftermath of the US occupation of Iraq, it is obvious the grand scale of disinformation that was fed to the world to obtain a desired end. We have been discredited and lost respect worldwide. Instead of ranting about freedom, democracy, and human rights, we should have shouted the truth to the world which is oil, oil, oil. Everyone that has it wants to sell it, and everyone that needs it wants to buy it. Oil is money, money is power, power is politics. I only hope that the US learns skilled diplomacy before all that precious crude goes up in smoke. There is no place in this world for brutal dictators, but continued occupation of oil rich Middle Eastern countries is a recipe for disaster. I hope it is not too late.
September 1, 2008 at 12:47 am
Irinaforden- Sorry I misspelled your name in my last comment.
September 1, 2008 at 3:33 am
@Helen – “A skilled diplomat has the ability to manipulate the truth” – very true, I’ve worked with foreign diplomats for a while and yes, I can confirm it. It’s the nature of their job.
Mass media is the most effective way of manipulation, definitely. Like they say – whoever controls the media controls the masses and, unfortunately, masses don’t mind being lied to.
I’ve lived in a different countries under different regimes, but it was always the same – someone (meaning any upper level person in any given government) eventually tries to use available resources to their advantage.
I used to think (when I was young and naive) that West was more or less immune to it, but I was surprised to discover that it is happening here too, not to degree it is happening in a less “democratically evolved” countries (sorry I had to create my own term here 
), but it does happen.
Fortunately, here in US there are some very efficient mechanisms in place present to prevent abuse of power and it works most of the time, lets hope for the best.
We can only imagine now how different things could be if only John Kerry was given a chance to become a US president in 2004.
I keep wondering how could anybody in their right mind not want this man to lead the country after that disastrous war.
Nothing will be achieved in a Middle East – democracy and all, they don’t need it. It’s entirely different culture and religion and we should not stick our noses in there telling them how to do things.
All the previous attempts by other governments in a past have failed there, eventually everybody will understand it.
About Middle East, oil, power and politics – there is a great book available on this subject – “The Great War for Civilization ” (The conquest of the Middle East) by Robert Fisk. Spectacular book, if you haven’t read it already, try it. Fisk was and still is a British foreign affairs journalist in a Middle East.
P.S. don’t worry about misspelling my name :O) it’s all right.
September 2, 2008 at 3:52 am
Irina- It is so wonderful to discuss these issues with you. Most Americans, even the educated ones, have no knowledge of foreign affairs. It is hard to find someone who can discuss the issues intelligently. Unless you dig on the net, you will never find the “other side of the story.” I am hesitant to say anything contrary to what we are fed in our slanted media. I have friends that were born and raised in New Delhi,India: Amman, Jordan; and Kuwait. From them I learned world politics and “the other side of the story.” I traveled to Amman Jordan in Oct 2002. I have always been fascinated by other cultures and my assocation wirh my foreign friends enabled me to not only learn their politics, but also their cultures and religions. I also had the good fortune to travel to London at Christmas in 1993. Ironically, I was more fearful of something blowing up in London than while I was in Amman. I arrived there two days after the US diplomat Foley was killed. The US embassy was completely empty of Americans as they had been told by our State Department to leave. As they were leaving, this American was flying in. I was the only American on board the Royal Jordanian jet. A male passenger sitting beside me was returing to Baghdad for Ramadhan and to visit his family. Of course the Iraqi occuaption had already been given the green light by the Pentagon. I wonder what happened to this man’s family. I lived through Vietnam and this is what I feared in Iraq. Because of oil, I fear worse in Iraq. I have had the book you mentioned since it was published. It is a great book. People get so caught up in what they are fed by the media they forget that people’s lives are being torn apart by senseless wars that could have been averted by skilled diplomacy. Also, I wanted to tell you that I met a young man from Lithuania years ago. He was merely an aquaintance, but I really liked him. You seem like a nice person, and as I said, I am glad that I happened upon your blog. I wish I had pursued a degree in journalism when I was a young girl. Investigative journalism in war zones would not have scared me. I was sorry to hear of the death of the journalist involved in the Russia/Georgia conflict. That is one in which we will never learn the “other side of the story.”
September 2, 2008 at 6:42 am
Helen – about flying and jitters, boy, I’m terrified to fly anyway. I keep thinking during flight that the plane is going to go down, not necessarily because of a terror act, just because something may happen.
I’ve tried even to avoid flying with British Airways to Europe and back after 9/11, I was flying through Amsterdam instead of London. Later I’ve learned it’s in no way safer, British were long used to more strict airways safety control, because of the issues with IRA.
About Iraq and Afghanistan, I’ve lived in a former Soviet Union – look what happened to the Soviet troops in Afghanistan – lots of dead young soldiers, practically kids, 18 year olds were sent there to die and it was all in vain.
No one ever wins in a Middle East (meaning us – West and East meddling there).
I’m glad you read that book I talked about in my previous response – when I was bying it, a man – an American of about 50+ years old, told me that he thought that book is a must read for every American.
I’m glad that you stumbled into my blog too as I’m always happy to talk to intelligent people, by the way, I just started this blog recently and am surprised that it is getting quite a bit of attention.
It is hard to find people to discuss these issues in our everyday surroundings with regular folks, it’s true in every country. I was observing various blogs and chat rooms for weeks now trying to grasp where are the Americans and other Westerners on this issue and I was surprised to see that a considerable amount of people not buying a “conveniently wrapped” TV stories about this latest conflict.
I’m glad that people are questioning the way facts in stories (articles) are presented, by the way it is happening in Russia too. Some people (not a majority though) are voicing concerns there about how necessary that forceful retaliation was too.
I think if people learn not to be afraid to question their governments actions it will be harder for some politicians to get away with their unjustified decisions.
By the way, my degree is not in journalism, I have a masters in Physics plus about three years at different US universities in biology/medical research, I’m an odd case :O))
After I’ve graduated from University I went into journalism instead of Physics for a number of reasons which I may describe later. I live in US like you (I’ve been here for about 15 years).
My father was a writer too, so it’s in a family.
War zones don’t scare me too :O)) I wanted to go to Georgia to see what exactly is happening there, my husband was shocked when he heard that, lol… but I couldn’t go – I need to fix my papers first.
I’ll try to post some info on that latest conflict soon – either tonight or tomorrow.
September 2, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Irina- One note of interest on the US media. In the early 80′s I was told by my foreign friends “in the know” about world affairs to watch the scroll on TV for Reuters. I saw info there that we never see on our major TV news sources. Then it disappeared from the scene and CNN became the dominant source. The NY Times is probably the best in print, but since NYC is the financial capital of the world, they seemed to be slanted towards the financial US and world news. Time magazine is good but of course it is not daily. Physics huh? I took two semesters in college as I was studying to be a physical therpist. It was hard but not as hard for me as statistics. Kudos for starting the blog. It is great to read everyone’s comments. By the way, I guess you know that Dick Cheney is in eastern Europe checking to be sure Halliburton’s pipelines are intact. HA!!!!
September 3, 2008 at 12:14 am
@Helen – I think they’ve sent Cheney to Eastern Europe to keep him away from the GOP convention, lol… so he and his buddy wouldn’t spoil the elections …
Well, Gustav, allegedly scared them away, but some media sources claim that they prob. had to stay away from GOP so they would not make things worse for McCain.
God, if that man wins we will stay in Iraq for another 100 years and may go into war with Russia ( I wonder who will win ) … good grief…
I looked into McCain’s eyes and I saw 4 letters I R A Q … (in response to his statement that he looked into Putin’s eyes and saw 3 letters – K G B)
I don’t think he ever met Putin personally and ever looked into his eyes, although Putin definitely is a former KGB officer.
About Reuters – I came to US in 90-ties, so I never saw their channel. I do think newspapers are the best bet for now, I read various on-line European newspapers and watch international TV channels to get more detailed and clear picture on variety of subjects.
We do subscribe to New York Times – we both, me and my husband, love it.
They seem to be doing a good job covering the topics accurately. The Times of London (I think it’s called timesonline.uk. or something like that) are all right too.
CNN is completely out of touch on a coverage of a certain topics, they have changed for the worse in a last 5-8 years – with Nancy Grace, Glenn Beck running tabloid like TV shows and that “Showbiz”, I do think they’ve degenerated to the level of a tabloid press.
September 4, 2008 at 2:45 am
Hey Irina- Reuters was so neat in the 80′s. I used to stay glued to it. It was all written, no verbal. with a deep blue screen and white print. Breaking news from around the world was undated every few minutes. It is no wonder it was yanked off the air. Also MTV debued and there were no ads at all. Just constant videos. That is all anyone was talking about. I was in heaven. My two favorite things music videos and news. I would switch back and forth between the two channels. My fav music is still from the 80s. All the boys from Britian were some of my favorites. Talking Heads, Duran Duran, Tears for Fears. Dancing is my passion and I was a disco “queen” in those days. Sorry for not talking politics tonight. Simply not in the mood. Recently broke up with my boyfriend of five years.
September 5, 2008 at 3:46 am
Helen – sorry about the boyfriend, hope you will recover from that soon, it’s not much fun to go through things like that.
I’ve been very busy lately myself :O))
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August 25, 2008 at 5:35 am
I am not a Georgian, but American. In my view, the partition, autonomy, and/or annexation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to Russia could & should have been negotiated, would there have been diplomats sensitive to the desires of the peoples involved. A lot of suffering bloodshed destruction and other (now) unending unpleasantness might have been avoided. Unfortunately Saakashvili, Bush and McCain are still talking from their pre-August 9th mentality.