Heavy Fighting in South Ossetia

[KukriKhan]

UPDATE: C'mon, comment on my ideas!

Neither NATO nor the US have a dog in this fight. An interest, yes, but no dog. IMHO.

Let the UN handle it.

[ICantSpellDawg]

Neither NATO nor the US have a dog in this fight. An interest, yes, but no dog. IMHO.

Let the UN handle it.

The UN cannot handle situations in which any prime vetoing powers are deeply invested. All reasonable actions will be vetoed. You saw the result in Kosovo and NATO mediation was the only viable option.

The U.N. is simply an agglomeration of embassies and serves an interesting but terribly limited international role. To treat it as anything close to a functional voting body is deeply naive.

[FactionHeir]

I think the idea of veto in the UN is silly anyway. That results in it not being able to get anything done.

[KukriKhan]

The UN cannot handle situations in which any prime vetoing powers are deeply invested. All reasonable actions will be vetoed. You saw the result in Kosovo and NATO mediation was the only viable option.

The U.N. is simply an agglomeration of embassies and serves an interesting but terribly limited international role. To treat it as anything close to a functional voting body is deeply naive.

You call for, nay beg for, reaction to your war-mongering solution to a regional conflict, and toss out any reliance on the body whose raison d'être is the working out of regional conflicts lest they blow up into WWIII, as "deeply naive".

As a veteren of a couple of shooting conflicts, I reject this assessment. If the UN is not resorted to, or stands mute, then it is, as you say "...an agglomeration of embassies and serves an interesting but terribly limited international role... ", and should be disbanded immediately.

But it needs to step up. And now. Screw the vetoes, play it out diplomatically.

[ICantSpellDawg]

You call for, nay beg for, reaction to your war-mongering solution to a regional conflict, and toss out any reliance on the body whose raison d'être is the working out of regional conflicts lest they blow up into WWIII, as "deeply naive".

As a veteren of a couple of shooting conflicts, I reject this assessment. If the UN is not resorted to, or stands mute, then it is, as you say "...an agglomeration of embassies and serves an interesting but terribly limited international role... ", and should be disbanded immediately.

But it needs to step up. And now. Screw the vetoes, play it out diplomatically.

I don't see why a group of National embassies who are always ready to meet in whole is a bad idea. I believe that beyond that and some humanitarian action it is a waste of money and is pointless to rely on in a violent dispute when it involves vetoing powers.

I'm listening to your opinion and I'm not dismissing you, but I fail to see what the U.N. will do for this situation beyond providing an avenue of dialogue between the interested parties.

Also - I'm not talking about an invasion of any Russian or even Ossetian rebel territory, rather a NATO build up to deter further violence within Georgia. There is always a risk of war - doing nothing and talking forever during violent annexations had more to do with the origins of WW2 than concrete early action by the Allies would have. NATO troops within Georgia wouldn't guarantee any support for Georgia in the event of an all-out war, but it would provide and immediate deterrent for Russia based on the possibility of action.

[rory_20_uk]

The UN will fail. No one has the balls to stand up to Russia - indeed so many countries have similar designs on their fellows they'd rather not set a trend.

I think that admitting the Ukraine would be a step in the right direction. Russia might not want to mess with a member of NATO in the same way it can with non-members.

The humanitarian part of the UN needs splitting off from the politics talking shop. Then when people decide to get rid of it the useful bits are kept.

[ICantSpellDawg]

Full-scale invasion of Georgia

Russian artillery and tanks have advanced on Gori in Georgia proper as Russia increases its presence in Abkhazia to 6,000 troops. Russian and Abkhazian troops have amassed on the Abkhazian-Georgian border and are about to begin an invasion of Georgia on a western front. Russia continues not to take calls by Georgia for a ceasefire.

[Caius]

By the way, Putin said "The war has begun" in other words, it means that he is not willing to stop that easy. And if he is winning battles, why would he stop attacking?

[Hosakawa Tito]

Neither NATO nor the US have a dog in this fight. An interest, yes, but no dog. IMHO.

Let the UN handle it.

Yes, I agree. However, except for token military contributions and handing out blue helmets, who does the UN look to for the bulk of it's martial needs?