Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Captain Corea]

I've been watching the news today and am wondering how far this is going to go.

Originally there was a cease fire, but the latest reports have Russian tanks and planes storming across Georgia's border (and the rumor of some being shot down).

Anyone else think that the name 'South Ossetia' sounds like some fictional flash point from a WWIII video game?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7548715.stm

[Nowhere Man]

Holy crap.

(edited for flippancy)

[mithridates]

[Adventurer]

It appears that Georgia wants to impose itself on the break away province. Obviously, that province has Russian support and Russia uses that as an excuse to extend its reach.

[mithridates]

Here's some more on the training and equipment Georgia's received from the US:

http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/08/did-us-military.html

[soviet_man]

Politically, South Ossetia is a place that suffers an identity crisis. It is what I would call Chechnya-lite.

On the one hand it has historical outlook toward Moscow and Russia, it is contested by its current links to Georgia and increasingly it is also being pulled into the orbit of islamic world. Within the republic, there are moves to declare independence. So it is effectively a four-way tug of war.

My view is that the only sensible resolution is for it to become a semi autonomous oblast/district of Russia. No other scenario would offer security and stability.

[nautilus]

[Captain Corea]

I'm trying to think of this in 'North American' terms.

Lets say that the issue was lower Vancouver Island.
-The US starts to offer residents of the area (easily approved) American citizenship and encourages separatist groups in the region (funding and such).
-The separatists finally build up the gumption to press for independence from the Canadian government (without a referendum or negotiation).
-The Canadian government sends in the Armed forces to secure the area and fighting ensues.
-The US says that its 'citizens' are being attacked and sends in armor and air.

War starts.

Canada gets wiped out.


Sound about right?

[soviet_man]

North Ossetia is part of current Russian territory.

South Ossetia is part of current Georgian territory.

It is a geo-political mess to have one leg on either side of the fence.

I cannot see any cultural, linguistic or ethnic reason for the two Ossetia's to be separated.

I foresee that both will ultimately be part of Russia either voluntarily or by force, as they rightly belong. Russia will not tolerate a state like Georgia expanding.

[mithridates]

Georgia has some really cool traditional clothing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Qartvelebi_poloneti.jpg

Not the kind of traditional clothing you only pretend to like because of a sense of wanting to be nice to somebody else's culture.

[mindmetoo]

[mithridates]

[chris_J2]

The latest news is that 1,500 civilians have been killed in South Ossetia, & Russia & Geogia are inching towards all out war:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/world/europe/10georgia.html?ref=europe

Another 60 have been killed in Gori, Georgia.

http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/08/georgia-latest.html

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/images/photo/2008/08/09/20080809-GEORGIA/24393526.JPG

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/reuters/olusworld_iptc/2008-08-09t135828z_01_nootr_rtridsp_2_international-georgia-ossetia-dc.jpg

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/reuters/olusworld_iptc/2008-08-09t100928z_01_nootr_rtridsp_2_international-georgia-ossetia-dc.jpg

[contrarian]

Does anyone see any similarities to Kosovo.

The Albanian Kosovars want to take thier area of of Serbia of which it is part. The west, including the US approves. The Russians disapprove.

So far any similarities?

South Osetia's people, who are largely Russian, want to take thier area out of Georgia. The Russians using the wests rationale in Kosovo against them objects.

Hmm! The Russians are just helping their fellow citizens,

[Ya-ta Boy]

contrarian,

You are playing fast and loose with the Russian ethnicity/citizenship bit.

From Wiki: Before the Georgian-Ossetian conflict roughly two-thirds of the population of South Ossetia was Ossetian and 25-30% was Georgian. The present composition of the population is unknown, although according to some estimates there were 45,000 ethnic Ossetians and 17,500 ethnic Georgians in South Ossetia in 2007.[40] By August 2008 more than 70% of the South Ossetia citizens had Russian citizenship.

In 1979 2.1% of the population was Russian. The Russians have been extending citizenship to non-ethnic Russians outside their country.