Heavy Fighting in South Ossetia

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

You mean Russia went into the country, bombed areas, inserted forces, and engaged Georgian forces, yet the Georgian nation is at fault? They're the belligerents?

Well, yes. Did you miss the part where Georgia attacked South Ossetia after they agreed to a ceasefire, where Russian peacekeeping forces (who were also there in agreement with the Georgians) were? Russia responded with justified force to a military operation directed against Russia's interests in the region. Georgia broke the ceasefire and the peacekeeping agreement (which was between South Ossetia, Georgia, and Russia), not Russia. Even Georgia acknowledges that Russian forces moved in after Georgian forces attacked.

[KarlXII]

Well, yes. Did you miss the part where Georgia attacked South Ossetia after they agreed to a ceasefire, where Russian peacekeeping forces (who were also there in agreement with the Georgians) were? Russia responded with justified force to a military operation directed against Russia's interests in the region. Georgia broke the ceasefire and the peacekeeping agreement (which was between South Ossetia, Georgia, and Russia), not Russia. Even Georgia acknowledges that Russian forces moved in after Georgian forces attacked.

So Russia now has all right to get involved in an internal affair?

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

So Russia now has all right to get involved in an internal affair?

[cough] Breakup of Yugoslavia [/cough]

Anyhow, yes, Russia has the right to get involved when 70% of the affected are Russian citizens, the target is a breakaway republic that potentially wants to become a part of Russia, and the Georgians violated an agreement they had with the said breakaway republic and Russia.

EDIT: And this post is a good answer to that question:

The Russians didn't "storm" into Ossetia. By agreement, it is Russia's responsibility to protect South Ossetia. The Georgian military attempted to wipe it off the face of the Earth. Russia responded by reinforcing South Ossetia... and by trying to wipe the Georgian military installations off the face of the Earth.

[Mailman653]

To my understanding S.O has no international recognition as a sovereign and independent country so really it's still part of Georgia. And second, perhaps 70% of population has Russian passports, but that does not give it right to enter another nations territory even if its disputed.

Thats like Mexico entering Texas and California because they feel they must defend their citizens living in the US from US aggression in which ever form they feel is violating their citizens rights.

Didn't Hitler use the same kind of logic not too long ago in order to step foot into other countries with the idea of protecting its German citizens (even if it was just a minority) living in that country from whatever aggression they perceived to be going on?

My two cents.

[Marshal Murat]

If the Ossetians wish to have a nation so bad, I wouldn't mind them joining with Northern Ossetia and forming an independent republic, free and unfettered by Russian or Georgian allegiance.

It was going along quite well until the Rose Revolution, where a much saner and reasonable president was ousted and replaced with a staunch nationalist.

Whose fault is that? The Georgians have the right to elect whichever president they feel best represents their interests. Clearly the 'sane and reasonable' president wasn't acting in the best interests of the nation, or he would still be in office. If Georgia doesn't wish for the regions in question to secede, then I believe they have the full right to enforce their authority in aforementioned province. Considering the unusual nature of the province, I would hope that talks and discussions could create a situation where the Ossetians could withdraw, or accept a 'gray-area' state of affairs.

I think that were the Ossetians really wishing for a safe, secure nation for themselves, they would work hard in the national legislative group. Instead they have created a situation that has resulted in Georgia moving against them, to ostensibly preserve their nation from Russian annexation. While the effort on the Russian part is no doubt to preserve a reasonable situation in the region, it smacks more of an attempt to put Georgia in it's place, to discourage them from becoming an upstart Western Republic.

To solve the situation, I would hope that Georgia and Russia can come to an agreement where the Ossetians can create their own national state, move the Ossetians out of their homes (like that'll happen ), or where Ossetians understand their own unique place in the Georgian nation, and accept the boundaries as they are and work into the Georgian nation and give up this 'homeland' notion. However, convinced that it's their own 'special ethnic location' and inspired (suddenly?) to join the Russian nation, just to rejoin their own 'compatriots' without asking for a separate nation for themselves?
Something is fishy.

[KarlXII]

[cough] Breakup of Yugoslavia [/cough]

Anyhow, yes, Russia has the right to get involved when 70% of the affected are Russian citizens, the target is a breakaway republic that potentially wants to become a part of Russia, and the Georgians violated an agreement they had with the said breakaway republic and Russia.

EDIT: And this post is a good answer to that question:

As said by Mailman

And second, perhaps 70% of population has Russian passports, but that does not give it right to enter another nations territory even if its disputed.

Potentially, I could be President, but I am not. South Ossetia has no international recognition, and is still a part of Georgia, therefore, the conflict is internal with Russian intervention.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Potentially, I could be President, but I am not. South Ossetia has no international recognition, and is still a part of Georgia, therefore, the conflict is internal with Russian intervention.

South Ossetia does not consider itself part of Georgia, and Georgia and Russia have de facto recognized at least some South Ossetian authority by signing agreements with the South Ossetian government. If Russia's citizens are threatened, Russia intervenes. I believe it is constitutionally obligated to do so.

[KarlXII]

South Ossetia does not consider itself part of Georgia, and Georgia and Russia have de facto recognized at least some South Ossetian authority by signing agreements with the South Ossetian government. If Russia's citizens are threatened, Russia intervenes. I believe it is constitutionally obligated to do so.

You mean the provincial administration that still holds no international recognition and probably has less power than a US State? So instead of evacuating the Russian citizens, they decide to bomb Georgia?

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

You mean the provincial administration that still holds no international recognition and probably has less power than a US State? So instead of evacuating the Russian citizens, they decide to bomb Georgia?

As far as I know, US states have the right to secede. I'm not sure if Georgian autonomous republics (which is what Abkhazia and South Ossetia are, if you choose to ignore that they are de facto independant states) have the right to do so, but since the people in the regions want to secede, I'm not sure what right Georgia has to stop them.