Finally the truth is seeping in. WH insist they had warned Georgia to attack S Ossetia, Pentagon contradicts Georgian leader ...

U.S. diplomats and military officials insist they delivered a consistent message both publicly and privately warning Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili against military action to reclaim South Ossetia, a separatist enclave inside Georgia that had established close economic and diplomatic ties to Moscow.

That message, they say, was reinforced just a month ago when Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Tbilisi for talks with senior Georgian officials.

A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Washington Times on Wednesday that the Georgians did not inform the U.S. government before mounting a major attack against Russian positions in South Ossetia the evening of Aug. 7.

[link to washingtontimes.com]

Caucasus ally hears mixed U.S. signals

David R. Sands
Thursday, August 14, 2008

Georgia is routinely described as Washington's friend in the Caucasus region, but Georgia and the United States have found it hard to coordinate policies and public statements as regional tensions grew and led to the outbreak of hostilities nearly a week ago.

U.S. diplomats and military officials insist they delivered a consistent message both publicly and privately warning Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili against military action to reclaim South Ossetia, a separatist enclave inside Georgia that had established close economic and diplomatic ties to Moscow.

That message, they say, was reinforced just a month ago when Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Tbilisi for talks with senior Georgian officials.

A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Washington Times on Wednesday that the Georgians did not inform the U.S. government before mounting a major attack against Russian positions in South Ossetia the evening of Aug. 7.

But Mr. Saakhashvili and Georgian Foreign Minister Eka Tkeshelashvili have slammed what they say is the tepid Western reaction to Russia's harsh military response that destroyed hundreds of millions of dollars of military hardware. The war complicates Georgia's U.S.-backed campaign to join the NATO military alliance, an effort Russia opposes.

"I feel [Western nations] are partly to blame," Mr. Saakhashvili told reporters Wednesday. "Not only those who commit atrocities are responsible ... but so are those who fail to react. In a way, Russians are fighting a proxy war with the West through us."

Mrs. Tkeshelashvili, meeting with ministers of the European Union in Brussels, said Georgia's Western allies failed to heed pleas to intervene in the crisis earlier, as tensions in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, a second separatist enclave allied to Russia, were rising.

"We were appealing to everybody in the international community including Russia, saying stop," she said. "Unfortunately, no help came."

The misunderstandings and mixed signals continued even after President Bush announced plans Wednesday to use American military cargo planes and ships to deliver humanitarian aid to Georgians caught up in the fighting.

Mr. Saakhashvili said Mr. Bush's statement meant that U.S. forces would "take control" of Georgia's ports and leading airfields to ensure the aid got through, implying a major escalation of the U.S. role in the conflict.

But Miss Rice and Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell immediately contradicted the Georgian leader.

"We do not need nor do we intend to take over any air or seaports in order to deliver humanitarian assistance to those caught in this conflict," said Mr. Morrell. "It is simply not a requirement of this mission."

Miss Rice Wednesday firmly rejected any suggestions that the Bush administration had privately given Georgia a green light to launch an expanded assault on Tskhinvali, South Ossetia's provincial capital, the move that Moscow claims sparked the war.

She argued it was Russia that had sparked an international crisis by retaliating not just in South Ossetia but in Abkhazia and in parts of Georgia far beyond the immediate "conflict zone."

"Russia seriously overreached," she said. Russia "engaged in activities that could not possibly be associated with the crisis in South Ossetia."

Russian officials, who have long complained of Mr. Saakhashvili's close ties to the West, charge that U.S. military and economic backing for Georgia led Tbilisi to overreach.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed Georgia's elected government as a "virtual project" of Washington.

"We understand that this current Georgian leadership is a special project of the United States, but one day the United States will have to choose between defending its prestige over a virtual project or real partnership which requires joint action," Mr. Lavrov told reporters.

In an Internet chat organized by The Washington Times, Malkhaz Mikeladze, deputy chief of mission for the Georgian Embassy in Washington, said there was clear and consistent communication with the U.S. government before the fighting broke out in earnest.

"Everybody - Georgia and its Western friends - was actively trying to persuade Russia to put a stop to heavy shelling of Georgian villages near Tskhinvali," he said. "There were no other plans but to proceed with peace negotiations."

But some analysts say Mr. Saakhashvili and Mr. Bush were not on the same page when the war broke out, despite the strong and long-standing U.S. support for Georgia. Mr. Bush's fervent and frequent statements of support for Tbilisi may have led the Georgian leader to miscalculate.

"Saakhashvili may have thought he could take Tskhinvali, internationalize the crisis and turn around and see the United States and the West at his back," said Charles Kupchan, a European specialist at the Eurasia Group. "He turned around and there was no one there."

• Jon Ward contributed to this report.

Hi FreeFlow, great find!! Thanks for all the research.

She argued it was Russia that had sparked an international crisis by retaliating not just in South Ossetia but in Abkhazia and in parts of Georgia far beyond the immediate "conflict zone."

"Russia seriously overreached," she said. Russia "engaged in activities that could not possibly be associated with the crisis in South Ossetia."


so here's how they are going to spin it since the truth is out that georgia started it..still try and fix the blame on russia for
over reaching'. cute, considering the iraq debacle, and the sights they have set on iran. sheer evil.

A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Washington Times on Wednesday that the Georgians did not inform the U.S. government before mounting a major attack against Russian positions in South Ossetia the evening of Aug. 7.

And here we have a White House official stating unequivocally that Georgia attacked first...

"Russia seriously overreached," she said. Russia "engaged in activities that could not possibly be associated with the crisis in South Ossetia."


Sums it up for me.

She argued it was Russia that had sparked an international crisis by retaliating not just in South Ossetia but in Abkhazia and in parts of Georgia far beyond the immediate "conflict zone."

"Russia seriously overreached," she said. Russia "engaged in activities that could not possibly be associated with the crisis in South Ossetia."


so here's how they are going to spin it since the truth is out that georgia started it..still try and fix the blame on russia for
over reaching'. cute, considering the iraq debacle, and the sights they have set on iran. sheer evil.

"Russia seriously overreached," she said. Russia "engaged in activities that could not possibly be associated with the crisis in South Ossetia."


Sums it up for me.

You aren't ever able to admit you were wrong, are you?

You always take that what fits to you and ignore the what contradicts you ...

[link to washingtontimes.com]

Caucasus ally hears mixed U.S. signals

David R. Sands
Thursday, August 14, 2008

Georgia is routinely described as Washington's friend in the Caucasus region, but Georgia and the United States have found it hard to coordinate policies and public statements as regional tensions grew and led to the outbreak of hostilities nearly a week ago.

U.S. diplomats and military officials insist they delivered a consistent message both publicly and privately warning Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili against military action to reclaim South Ossetia, a separatist enclave inside Georgia that had established close economic and diplomatic ties to Moscow.

That message, they say, was reinforced just a month ago when Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Tbilisi for talks with senior Georgian officials.

A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Washington Times on Wednesday that the Georgians did not inform the U.S. government before mounting a major attack against Russian positions in South Ossetia the evening of Aug. 7.

But Mr. Saakhashvili and Georgian Foreign Minister Eka Tkeshelashvili have slammed what they say is the tepid Western reaction to Russia's harsh military response that destroyed hundreds of millions of dollars of military hardware. The war complicates Georgia's U.S.-backed campaign to join the NATO military alliance, an effort Russia opposes.

"I feel [Western nations] are partly to blame," Mr. Saakhashvili told reporters Wednesday. "Not only those who commit atrocities are responsible ... but so are those who fail to react. In a way, Russians are fighting a proxy war with the West through us."

Mrs. Tkeshelashvili, meeting with ministers of the European Union in Brussels, said Georgia's Western allies failed to heed pleas to intervene in the crisis earlier, as tensions in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, a second separatist enclave allied to Russia, were rising.

"We were appealing to everybody in the international community including Russia, saying stop," she said. "Unfortunately, no help came."

The misunderstandings and mixed signals continued even after President Bush announced plans Wednesday to use American military cargo planes and ships to deliver humanitarian aid to Georgians caught up in the fighting.

Mr. Saakhashvili said Mr. Bush's statement meant that U.S. forces would "take control" of Georgia's ports and leading airfields to ensure the aid got through, implying a major escalation of the U.S. role in the conflict.

But Miss Rice and Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell immediately contradicted the Georgian leader.

"We do not need nor do we intend to take over any air or seaports in order to deliver humanitarian assistance to those caught in this conflict," said Mr. Morrell. "It is simply not a requirement of this mission."

Miss Rice Wednesday firmly rejected any suggestions that the Bush administration had privately given Georgia a green light to launch an expanded assault on Tskhinvali, South Ossetia's provincial capital, the move that Moscow claims sparked the war.

She argued it was Russia that had sparked an international crisis by retaliating not just in South Ossetia but in Abkhazia and in parts of Georgia far beyond the immediate "conflict zone."

"Russia seriously overreached," she said. Russia "engaged in activities that could not possibly be associated with the crisis in South Ossetia."

Russian officials, who have long complained of Mr. Saakhashvili's close ties to the West, charge that U.S. military and economic backing for Georgia led Tbilisi to overreach.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed Georgia's elected government as a "virtual project" of Washington.

"We understand that this current Georgian leadership is a special project of the United States, but one day the United States will have to choose between defending its prestige over a virtual project or real partnership which requires joint action," Mr. Lavrov told reporters.

In an Internet chat organized by The Washington Times, Malkhaz Mikeladze, deputy chief of mission for the Georgian Embassy in Washington, said there was clear and consistent communication with the U.S. government before the fighting broke out in earnest.

"Everybody - Georgia and its Western friends - was actively trying to persuade Russia to put a stop to heavy shelling of Georgian villages near Tskhinvali," he said. "There were no other plans but to proceed with peace negotiations."

But some analysts say Mr. Saakhashvili and Mr. Bush were not on the same page when the war broke out, despite the strong and long-standing U.S. support for Georgia. Mr. Bush's fervent and frequent statements of support for Tbilisi may have led the Georgian leader to miscalculate.

"Saakhashvili may have thought he could take Tskhinvali, internationalize the crisis and turn around and see the United States and the West at his back," said Charles Kupchan, a European specialist at the Eurasia Group. "He turned around and there was no one there."

• Jon Ward contributed to this report.

I think they meant the Russian peacekeepers there, 7th was clearly before the Russians intervened.

+ They are leaving the devastation of civil areas off.
But still it's a major progress in the direction of truth.

Ah so Georgia didn't go too far eh?

"Russia seriously overreached," she said. Russia "engaged in activities that could not possibly be associated with the crisis in South Ossetia."


Sums it up for me.

You aren't ever able to admit you were wrong, are you?

You always take that what fits to you and ignore the what contradicts you ...

I'm not wrong.

I have an opinion, just like you.

My opinion is; Russia has gone too far.

Regardless of who started it.

And this didn't start last week, and you know it.

In an Internet chat organized by The Washington Times, Malkhaz Mikeladze, deputy chief of mission for the Georgian Embassy in Washington, said there was clear and consistent communication with the U.S. government before the fighting broke out in earnest.

"Everybody - Georgia and its Western friends - was actively trying to persuade Russia to put a stop to heavy shelling of Georgian villages near Tskhinvali," he said. "There were no other plans but to proceed with peace negotiations."



FreeFlow note the portion I've emboldened.

More PROOF that the Georgians were constantly being fired upon before they launched their attack.

What were Russian "peacekeepers" doing there? Obviously not keeping the peace by letting their proxies keep agitating the situation.

The Georgians got fed up with it, pretty simple.

Then of course there is the Russian propaganda about 2000 killed when in reality it was about 44.

U.S. diplomats and military officials insist they delivered a consistent message both publicly and privately warning Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili against military action to reclaim South Ossetia, a separatist enclave inside Georgia that had established close economic and diplomatic ties to Moscow.

That message, they say, was reinforced just a month ago when Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Tbilisi for talks with senior Georgian officials.

A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Washington Times on Wednesday that the Georgians did not inform the U.S. government before mounting a major attack against Russian positions in South Ossetia the evening of Aug. 7.

Hi FreeFlow, great find!! Thanks for all the research.

THIS LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING VERY ORGANISED !!!

Let me know when you see Georgian tanks in Russia.

Let me know when you see Georgian tanks in Russia.

Rocket attacks and intentional shelling of civilian areas don't count for you I know, you have lost your compassion and sense for human proportions somewhere.

U.S. diplomats and military officials insist they delivered a consistent message both publicly and privately warning Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili against military action to reclaim South Ossetia, a separatist enclave inside Georgia that had established close economic and diplomatic ties to Moscow.

That message, they say, was reinforced just a month ago when Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Tbilisi for talks with senior Georgian officials.

A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Washington Times on Wednesday that the Georgians did not inform the U.S. government before mounting a major attack against Russian positions in South Ossetia the evening of Aug. 7.

Hi FreeFlow, great find!! Thanks for all the research.



Ah YES ??

U.S. Military Instructors Command Hirelings in Georgia

Thousands of mercenaries are fighting for Georgia in this burning conflict with South Ossetia. They are commanded by the U.S. military instructors, RIA Novosti reported with reference to a high-ranked officer of Russia’s military intelligence.
“From 2,500 to 3,000 mercenaries fight against Russia’s peacekeepers on behalf of Georgia,” the unnamed source said. Amid them are the natives of Ukraine, some Baltic states and the Caucasus regions.

The U.S. military instructors directly command and coordinate actions of mercenaries without being involved in actual fighting, the source specified. According to intelligence data, there are roughly 1,000 military instructors of the United States in Georgia.

Task force of Russia has annihilated a few groups of mercenaries. Some of mercenaries have been captured, and investigators are working with them, the source said.
www.kommersant.com

[link to kommersant.com]


THIS LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING VERY ORGANISED !!!

You don't seem to have a problem with the Georgian villages being shelled by S. Ossetians.

In fact, you just tried to deny those villages even existed in S. Ossetia.

It's common knowledge that they do exist, and were being attacked.

"Everybody - Georgia and its Western friends - was actively trying to persuade Russia to put a stop to heavy shelling of Georgian villages near Tskhinvali," he said. "There were no other plans but to proceed with peace negotiations."

Georgian villages near the Ossetian capital makes no sense, they mean Georgian units and that they mention peace negotiations in the same paragraph clearly proves that was after the Russians intervened.

Basic message of the article is what October emphsized above

If you read it with the previous paragraph it is very clear he is talking about before the Russians intervened.

Let me know when you see Georgian tanks in Russia.

Rocket attacks and intentional shelling of civilian areas don't count for you I know, you have lost your compassion and sense for human proportions somewhere.