Well I’ll buy that you are at least associated with the FSB.

So take this one back to them: the US gets trust because when asked to leave they do. Philippines, Saudi Arabia are recent examples. Iraq as soon as they ask.

Russia when asked to leave and agreeing to leave does not. In addition the current rampage in Georgia is not a confidence builder. Is shows a certain lack of discipline. Which is not law and order.

For 500 year Russia has sucked totally on grand strategy. It appears to be reverting to form. As to law and order: abrogating the contracts with outside oil companies is not a confidence builder. So you made a bad deal. Do better on the next contract. It builds confidence. Or if you really got cheated re-negotiate. Throwing the oil guys out looks bad and discourages new investment. Which you may not need now but who knows what the future will bring?

re: “Just guessing…”

not a problem. Just offering an opportunity to fine-tune your guesses a bit. Your understanding of the local geography does you credit.

Thank you most kindly for your replies.

Since there were multiple reports of neighborhoods in Tskhinvali being damaged by errant fire from both sides with reference to Georgians “bombing” a “bridge”, I assumed they referred to the main River bridge at Tskhinvali which could possibly be the only bridge South of Kurta capable of supporting armor.

The Kurta Bridge carries the big highway from Roki but there seems to always be an alternative, smaller road on the Western side of the river from there South. Taking out both big bridges would cramp Russkie freedom of movement to cross the river Eastward until they got further South than Tskhinvali and slow the whole thing down a lot.

In this day and age of cel fones, is it not reasonable to presume that both sides knew with absolute certainty what the large scale movements of the other side were, albeit only broadly? What is amazing is that Georgia had artillery in range of Tskhinvali, was my point.

Other than that, I’m just reading tea leaves and blowing hot fumes, sorry.

That is a major factor. Another is the improvement of law and order.

Thank you, that reference from The Telegraph (UK) was just what I was looking for, and it sets right the inconsistancy of the proposed scenario. Substitute the ‘Kurta bridge and the sabotage effort’ in place of the ‘bridge and artillery’, and I’d say you’ve got it all open source now. Single source still, but something to work from.

I wholeheartedly favor a full and frank accounting of all relevant events. Let’s study and document all atrocities on all sides. Let’s document all the suffering of all the Georgians and Ossetians, and let’s allocate blame. Let the chips fall where they may.

And in some cases, we might have to ask why Ossetian women too were attacked and chased from the homes and murdered and allocated the blame to Georgian thugs.

What did Russia export during the Yeltsyn years? High technology? Pharmaceuticals? Financial and consulting services? Art?

If Russia rejected Putin’s leadership and replaced him as with, say, Gary Kasparov, then would we suddenly see a boom in such exports?

The fact is that the economy under Putin’s leadership has improved strongly and steadily.

As I recall this issue, this change was made because there was gross and uncontrolled corruption in the provincial leaderships. Ne pravda li?

I don’t intend to get into arguments defending everything Putin has done. I suggest that you ponder Putin’s popularity and that you consider other explanations than that Russians are inherently evil, angry fools who love dictatorship and who want to reassemble the Soviet Union. The Russians perceive that Putin dealt with the country’s real problems in a decisive and effective manner.

So, if I have a different perspective than yours, then I am a liar and an FSB agent.

Putin is extremely popular in Russia. Not a lie.

Putin was elected President twice and would have been re-elected a third time if he had been allowed to run again. Not a lie.

The citizens of Russia who love Putin’s leadership want Russia to become a liberal democracy. Not a lie.

Since overthrowing the Communist regime, Russia has had to deal with many enormous difficulties on its path toward a liberal democracy. Not a lie.

Putin is popular because he has dealt with such problems decisively and effectively. Not a lie.

Russia is willing to deal and cooperate with Georgia as a fellow sovereign country and is not taking over Georgia. Not a lie.

Instead of smearing other commentators as liars and FSB agents, you ought to discuss the issues calmly and objectively. The Russians are not devils, and the Georgians are not angels. The Ossetians have valid national aspirations.

As long Russia has troops in South Ossetia protecting Ossetia from Georgians, Russia will not allow Georgia to become a NATO member. The basic ethnic conflict needs to resolved first, and it will take a long time and will not be done without cooperation between Russia and Georgia. Not a lie.