Georgian soldiers await their turn to fire the Soviet PKM medium machine gun during the live fire training conducted by U.S. Marines in 2003.< U.S.M.C. photo by: 1st Lt. Justin M. Colvin
The proverbial fit has hit the shan in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia.
An invasion by neighboring Russia over the break-away Georgian province of South Ossetia has even the latter nation’s president, Mikheil Saakashvili, running for cover.
Russian forces apparently are doing more than, in the words of Russian Defense Ministry Colonel-General Anatoly Nogovitsyn ” … protect(ing)its peacekeepers and the residents of South Ossetia … ” One must wonder, however, how messed up is it that Russia’s military has a rank called “Colonel-General?” Just a bit o’ levity. A very little bit.
Georgia, the Republic and not the state from which Peanut Jimmy Carter hails, has become good buddies with the U.S. and wants to join NATO but apparently Russia replies with a big, fat “Nyet,” which interestingly enough isn’t a contraction for “not yet.”
But chances the U.S. will come riding to Georgia’s rescue are about as likely as pigs flying and firing air-to-surface missiles. About all the U.S. can do, specifically its president and other politicians, is to get out their hats and promptly eat them because otherwise things could get very uckedfay were the U.S. to foolishly try something militarily at this time.
One must also look at this current conflict with some context. Both sides probably share some blame for the situation and, although Russia is the perpetual Boris Badenov in the soap opera of world relationships, Georgia is hardly the true, blue beacon of democracy that it seems is being portrayed.
Nonetheless, all the damage and loss of life is not a good way to start the week or even the month. Hopefully the two sides will be able to knock it off sooner than later, for the sake of all.