Article

2008-08-09 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

GEORGIA: PRESIDENT SAYS GEORGIAN TROOPS CONTROL SOUTH OSSETIA

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by phil_b 2008-08-09 01:27|| || Front Page|| [11126 views ] Top

#1 Not much specific news. If Russia can get its armour down the road from the border then Georgia has lost. If Georgia has blocked the road then Russians are probably in difficulty.

Reading between the lines of the Russian reports their armour hasn't reached Tskhavali.

I'd be surprised if Georgia hasn't set up positions along that road. They don't even need sophisticated weapons. There must be a thousand culverts under the road and pack a few with explosives and Russia has a serious problem.

Posted by phil_b 2008-08-09 04:26|| 2008-08-09 04:26|| Front Page Top

#2 If Russia can get its armour down the road from the border then Georgia has lost.

And sustain them. That's the bugger. If they can be contained, they have to sit and consume. That consumption has to be maintained. One road can only support so much lift. The ~~Soviets~~ Russians aren't known for great maintenance and that'll start to show on the wear of their lift. The longer the Georgians can drag it out, the weaker the Russians will become. Soviet doctrine was always about a big hit looking for a single knock out so that ops wouldn't drag out. Then another build up and planning period and another hit. Get into their planning-execution cycle and they're not particularly great at improvisation.

Posted by Procopius2k 2008-08-09 09:31|| 2008-08-09 09:31|| Front Page Top

#3 I have no problem if they use IED on the commie scum.

Posted by Cheretch Crereng9873 2008-08-09 09:37|| 2008-08-09 09:37|| Front Page Top

#4 Worse, that road is a mountain tunnel at the Georgian-Russian border. The road is closed in winter, even w/o trying to blow up the tunnel.

Posted by ed 2008-08-09 10:13|| 2008-08-09 10:13|| Front Page Top

#5 The world will become very interesting if the Russians lose this thing. It's very important to the national ego that they're still a world power despite losing their Soviet empire. How will they react if they can't even beat a small country like Georgia?

Posted by trailing wife">trailing wife 2008-08-09 10:19|| 2008-08-09 10:19|| Front Page Top

#6 I liked the reference to the 10 Russian Peacekeepers killed. I guess they get a failing grade in that effort. Somehow with our contingency of military assistance (training) staff and contractors there - we are going to get involved either directly or indirectly and that will be interesting to watch.

Posted by Jack is Back!">Jack is Back! 2008-08-09 10:28|| 2008-08-09 10:28|| Front Page Top

#7 I wonder how we could give them a helpful bump without making it obvious.

Posted by Alistaire Grise9814 2008-08-09 11:06|| 2008-08-09 11:06|| Front Page Top

#8 One hopes we're loading up the Georgian units leaving Iraq with arms, ammunition, and satellite photos, at the very least.

Posted by trailing wife">trailing wife 2008-08-09 11:31|| 2008-08-09 11:31|| Front Page Top

#9 One MCLC and the Roki tunnel is shut. I beleive that is the only red-ball route in thr ethe mountaints. Resupply and road movement into that place from the N look to be a stone bitch.

Posted by OldSpook 2008-08-09 11:34|| 2008-08-09 11:34|| Front Page Top

#10 I wonder how we could give them a helpful bump without making it obvious.

I think we are doing that already with satellite intel sharing. It would make the most sense and providing coordinates to Georgia's artillery would help the most on that little mountain road, along with damage assessment.
Maybe some ammo and some of the ammo dumps captured in Iraq being sent to Georgia would help too, since most of it is Russian and Chinese manufacture.

Posted by DarthVader 2008-08-09 11:37|| 2008-08-09 11:37|| Front Page Top

#11 I just noted that the International Herald Tribune is reporting that Putin has left China and is in a neighboring Russian area in his role as Prime Minister to coordinate "refugee assistance".
With his direct on the ground command involvement, I imagine the next 24 hrous will give the clearest possible signature of Russia's future direction. The parallels to German actions in 36-38 are interesting.

Posted by NoMoreBS">NoMoreBS 2008-08-09 12:06|| 2008-08-09 12:06|| Front Page Top

#12 The whole Israeli/pipeline aspect of this is most interesting. The NATO decision to resist the US proposal to put Georgia on the path to membership showed a European lack of will.
So, given the opening, Putie appears to have determined he can stop the energy end-around the pipeline would have given the Georgians and the Europeans, not to mentioned the Turks. SO .... by attacking the pipeline, he gets to continue the stranglehold Russia has on European energy demands and increase influence on European politics-the famed "soft" power move. Watching the Iranian connection to Russia also shows an emerging power axis, and anti-Israeli bias. The sale of P-300 ADA systems to Iran and this action may well be the signal to the Isreali's to act against Iran before the election.....

Posted by NoMoreBS">NoMoreBS 2008-08-09 12:12|| 2008-08-09 12:12|| Front Page Top

#13 Maybe some ammo and some of the ammo dumps captured in Iraq being sent to Georgia would help too, since most of it is Russian and Chinese manufacture.

It will be interesting to see how the Georgian troops now in Iraq are re-deployed home. Direct airlift into contested airspace over Georgia would be dicey, and sealift with the Black Sea Fleet active in the area wouldn't be wise. Will Turkey allow transit?

Posted by mrp 2008-08-09 12:16|| 2008-08-09 12:16|| Front Page Top

#14 Fly them back in US Transports as part of the MNF, under escort of US F-22s.

Dare anyone to say anything.

(and be sure to hav them supplied with Javelin systems, etc, that just thappened to be on the plane).

Also, encourage the Israelis to sell the Georgianas a battery of patriots for immediate deployment (while shipping another one to Israel).

Posted by OldSpook 2008-08-09 13:15|| 2008-08-09 13:15|| Front Page Top

#15 The Georgians can also drive via Turkey. Nothing says they can't take the armored vehicles they are using in Iraq with them. In addition, is it our problem if they were well supplied with .50, Javelin and Stinger while in Iraq?

Posted by ed 2008-08-09 18:35|| 2008-08-09 18:35|| Front Page Top

#16 I read that the Georgians requested US airlift for their troops, whether it happens..?

Posted by linker 2008-08-09 19:45|| 2008-08-09 19:45|| Front Page Top

23:53 Bangkok Billy
23:33 CrazyFool
23:30 bman
23:18 Johnathan Arbuckle
23:00 badanov
22:45 Old Patriot
22:35 ed
22:26 Steve White
22:18 Pappy
22:14 Chuck Simmins
22:09 phil_b
22:08 Chuck Simmins
22:06 Chuck Simmins
22:01 Chuck Simmins
21:48 ed
21:43 linker
21:25 Barbara Skolaut
21:23 3dc
21:22 Steve White
21:21 macofromoc
21:07 ed
20:55 ed
20:46 USN,Ret.
20:42 3dc