Georgia fired first shot, say UK monitors

[cal04]

Source: TimesOnline

Two former British military officers are expected to give crucial evidence against Georgia when an international inquiry is convened to establish who started the country’s bloody five-day war with Russia in August.

Ryan Grist, a former British Army captain, and Stephen Young, a former RAF wing commander, are said to have concluded that, before the Russian bombardment began, Georgian rockets and artillery were hitting civilian areas in the breakaway region of South Ossetia every 15 or 20 seconds.

Their accounts seem likely to undermine the American-backed claims of President Mikhail Saakashvili of Georgia that his little country was the innocent victim of Russian aggression and acted solely in self-defence.

During the war both Grist and Young were senior figures in the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The organisation had deployed teams of unarmed monitors to try to reduce tension over South Ossetia, which had split from Georgia in a separatist struggle in the early 1990s with Russia’s support.

Read more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/arti...

[dbackjon]

1. Imagine that....

Probably with full knowledge of Bush and company

[StopTheNeoCons]

14. Randy Schuneman told them to do it

[DarthDem]

2. Of Course

Glad this is going to receive some kind of official imprimatur, even if the conclusion seemed obvious. It's still baffling why anyone would believe that poking a sleeping bear in the eye with a stick was good strategy . . . .

[MercutioATC]

3. ...so urging BOTH sides to use restraint maybe wasn't such a bad idea?

Imagine...another baseless McCain attack on Obama...

[dbackjon]

4. I was thinking that as well. Obama was correct on this.

Once again, the Right is Wrong.

[LeftishBrit]

21. Not a bad idea at all

Neither side were or are angels!

[Overseas]

5. K&R because the Republicans tried so hard to PRETEND Russia was the aggressor.

Russia took advantage of Georgia shooting first.

Republicans tried to pretend that Russia's attack came out of the blue and the corporate network news went along with their suggestion.

Republicans pretended it was outrageous of Obama to have urged restraint on both sides. I couldn't believe that they were just ignoring the fact that Georgia fired first. That was the original news story-- Georgia fired first and Russians jumped at the chance to respond aggressively.

[wutangfan85]

6. Actually I heard that Obama also

blamed Russia for it agression against Georgia in the conflict. Now I don't know if he really meant that or he was just trying to talk tough.

[MercutioATC]

8. Actually, he urged BOTH sides to exercise restraint...

...a statement that the McCain campaign attacked him for.

[Egnever]

11. lol welcome to DU!

[dipsydoodle]

7. OSCE 'failed' in Georgia warnings

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[catgirl]

9. Just as I thought

No one should have ever listened to Rove & Co. Now Georgia's going to be on the shit list (deservedly).

[Wilms]

10. McCain: 'Today, we are all Georgians'

"The impact of Russian actions goes beyond their threat to a democratic Georgia. Russia has used violence against Georgia to send a signal to any country that chooses to associate with the West and aspire to our shared political and economic values. My friends, we learned at great cost the price of allowing aggression against free nations to go unchecked. With our allies, we must stand in united purpose to persuade the Russian government to withdraw its troops from Georgia."

The United States should stand with the democratic government in Georgia, he said, adding that he had offered Americans' prayers and thoughts in a conversation with Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili.

"He knows that the thoughts and the prayers and support of the American people are with that brave little nation as they struggle today for their freedom and independence. And he wanted me to say thank you to you, to give you his heartfelt thanks for the support of the American people for this tiny little democracy far away from the United States of America. And I told him that I know I speak for every American when I say to him, ' Today, we are all Georgians,' " McCain declared.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligen...

[Lionel Mandrake]

12. Neither side was innocent.

It's true that Georgia attacked first.

It's also true that the Russians were just waiting for an excuse to smash Georgia, which they did convincingly.

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

13. Who's on 1st?

Well said!

[otherlander]

15. Huh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wImBk5PO9GQ

[defendandprotect]

16. Gee ... Did Bushco have anythimg to do with this by any chance---???

[LynnTheDem]

17. OMG gee I am so deeply incredibly SHOCKED, I tell ya!

Well, actually, no...this was known at the time.


Georgia attacks South Ossetia, Russia responds by attacking Georgia
http://www.cjreport.com/news/4644/georgia-attacks-south...

Georgia invades South Ossetia, a pro-Russia anti-Georgia state
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

For years I have respected American newspapers for being independent. But no longer. Coverage of the conflict between Russia and Georgia has been unprofessional, to say the least.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

Georgian forces attack Russian-backed separatists
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/arti...

Georgia's attack on South Ossetia threatens US control
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/aug/11/geo...

Most the world knew it was Georgia that started it. Funny how most Americans seem to think it was Russia. Hmmmmm. That could explain this...

United States Ranked 36th In The World For Press Freedom

http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=29031

[LeftishBrit]

25. Yes.

I thought there was no doubt that Georgia started the war, even if Russia then overreacted.

I sometimes think you get different news from us.

[IndianaGreen]

18. BBC reported the Georgian attack on Thursday, while peace talks were taking place

The Russians struck back the following day.

The American press disregarded the Georgian attack, and only reported te Russian response.

[jody]

19. Looks like Bush and Obama have a tough foreign policy job ahead because Russia isn't going to

back down.

Forget the UN because Russia will veto anything related to South Ossetia.

[OwnedByFerrets]

20. Its time for Thom Hartman and many many others to say

I told you so!!

[cambie]

22. Mccain

http://ftrsupplemental.blogspot.com/2008/08/mccain-aide...
After absorbing this information go back to read Mccain in reply #10. Have a bucket handy in case you throw up.

[goforit]

23. Yep, instigated by Georgia (Or an indirect move from Cheney)

[TheLastMohican]

24. I don't know about you folks

But I knew that from day one. Here in eastern Europe, where I currently ended up, they showed how Georgia was using GRADs on South Ossetian capital from day one (early morning August 8th).

Moreover the UN Security Council was requested to have an urgent meeting by the Russians precisely after these barrages. After this went nowhere, Russia put an iron fist on the table.

Time to question the coverage of the American media that is being fed to Americans? No?

[KamaAina]

26. Aw, crap! Just when I was looking forward to a new Cold War.

well, the M$M was, anyway.