I am Czech, it is August 2008 - 40th anniversary of invasion into Czechoslovakia. Therefore if Russian army goes with tanks over some border, you can imagine what are my first emotions. The picture of Russian army as friendly force and peace keeper was not part of education I got from my parents (married in 1968)
small example: when I was small boy, I was prohibited by my parents to wave at Russian soldiers when they were driving around.
I appreciate Juha´s comments on similarities with Chechnia and Grozny, but I try listen to the news carefully (Russian, European and US)
it looks like:
- there was some kind of small clash several days ago, but both parties (Georgia and Russia) agreed on cease of fire.
- suddenly, at the end of this week, Georgia opened
artilery shelling (unguided rockets) at Tskhinvali city - residential area and also at area with peace-keeping soldiers from several countries including Russians. Think about it ... shelling of city with inhabitants.
- the attack was done at the beginning of Olympic games ... hardly a coincidence.
- Russian Army entered the area to push Georgian army back. Russian a/c bombed Georgian targets and IMHO tried to hit military and logistics targets and did not hit too much residential buildings - otherwise Georgian media would make publicity of such bombings.
- Russian media say (could be fake, exaggerated or correct, who knows - it´s media war as well) - about 1600 residents dead, Georgian tanks rolling over women and children, Georgian soldiers throwing hand-grenades into cellars with people, group of people locked in a house and burned live etc. ... there is even an American citizen as eyewitness in Russian news.
My impression - Georgia is agressor, but the overall situation is very much in favour of Russia. Georgia is now having zero chance to enter NATO, and US got cold shower from Kremlin. I bet that Putin was waiting for similar opportunity. Looks like Russian side was well prepared for both - war with weapons as well as media war.
Friend of mine told me today that this is somewhat similar to Falkland war. If the similarity works - let me guess - current Georgian goverment will not last long.
But bloody hell, who cares. There were hundreds or maybe thousands of simple people alive over there a week ago. And they are now dead. Again same story. Politians and army big guys have their games and simple people are in sh..
