Reply #16: The Russians objected because the Georgians had announced their intention to take back S. Ossetia...

[arendt]

which has been under Russian protection for FIFTEEN YEARS. If not for the intransigence of the West, this de facto independence would have been recognized. The West recognizes such events only when it suits their purpose, like in Kosovo.

As it was, the Georgians DID invade another independent country with those weapons. The Russians, who were peacekeepers, were attacked and defended themselves. Like any decent army, the Russians had a contingency plan and they executed it. The U.S. is for "pre-emptive war". The Russians were polite enough to wait until attacked. Then they taught the Georgians a lesson.

The neocons preach their right to dictate to the rest of the world with military force (Iraq, threats to Iran). But they get all angry when someone beats them back.

----

Further, about the weapons. I have seen estimates of $1B of weapons (not sure if this is per year, but it was compared to a $30 M estimate, which sounds per year). If that is true, it represents an expenditure of 1B/5M = $2,000 per capita per year. According to Wikipedia, Georgia has a per capita GNP of about $4,500/year. So, Georgia is spending almost 50% of its GNP on weapons. And this while instituting the standard set of inequality-producing neoliberal economic doctrines.

----

Georgia is just another neocon hellhole.

arendt