Russian, Georgian Withdrawal Claims Differ

Though the conflict between Russia and Georgia seems to be largely over, the two countries offer differing reports today about Russia's withdrawal.

Russia claims that the withdrawal has already begun, the Associated Press reports.

GORI, Georgia -- Russian tanks and troops roamed freely around Gori on Monday and made forays toward the Georgian capital, keeping control of the highway that slices through Georgia's midsection despite Russia's announcement that a withdrawal had begun.

The movements of Russian forces around the key city of Gori raised questions about whether Russia was fulfilling its side of the cease-fire intended to end the short but intense fighting that reignited Cold War tensions.

The deputy chief of the Russian general staff, Col.-Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn, told a briefing in that "today, according to the peace plan, the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers and reinforcements has begun" and said forces were leaving Gori.

But in another report by the Associated Press, Georgian officials claimed that few signs of withdrawal had yet to present themselves.

GORI, Georgia -- Russian tanks and troops roamed freely around Gori on Monday and made forays toward the Georgian capital, keeping control of the highway that slices through Georgia's midsection despite Russia's announcement that a withdrawal had begun.

The movements of Russian forces around the key city of Gori raised questions about whether Russia was fulfilling its side of the cease-fire intended to end the short but intense fighting that reignited Cold War tensions.

The deputy chief of the Russian general staff, Col.-Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn, told a briefing in that "today, according to the peace plan, the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers and reinforcements has begun" and said forces were leaving Gori.

Comments

[research]

Will the USA withdraw from Iraq?

[BayAreaResident]

http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=2057

[grn1]

http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=Kid379OjuC0

[newworldman777]

When I read "Will they, or won't they?" (regarding invading troop withdrawel), I though that they were referring to invading American troops in Iraq. So sorry...my bad. With several aggressive invading military campaigns occurring simultaneously aroung the world, I tend to get confused.

[janmarie]

Biden wants to send one billion to Georgia....why? This is the American Taxpayer's problem how?

[jesuswazasocialist]

The Russians are NOT LEAVING they are inching bit by bit towards the Georgian capital.
They are not leaving.

[BayAreaResident]

therealnews.com on the issue:
http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=2072

[UrbanEnnui]

I submitted this on another link, but it's worth a look. My husband is a producer at Rustavi 2, the main broadcasting company in Georgia. He sent me these.

These are short clips about Georgian refugees. They're quite straightforward -- just people talking about their circumstances.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOfTHIVn9Tk

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=sKnVudDuIN0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auGv9WcfSbk

[Nicolaus]

The Turkish Government refused a request by the administration for US Navy ships to cross the Bosphorus straight.

The treaty of 1936 permitted Turkey to prevent the passage of any naval ships that do not belong to countries that do not lie on the Black Sea.

But more to the point is the press conference of the Turkish President, reported in the English language newspaper Zaman as saying :

"The US should stop tailoring world policy according to its whims, but rather allow for the involvement of other countries. He noted that he saw a new multi-polar world order rising from the ashes of the conflict in the Caucasus.... the conflict showed that the US can no longer continue to shape global policies on its own, but should share power with other countries...A new world order is emerging."

We have President Bush to thank for this development, and of course his able assistants and mentor-in-residence. As to the feeble Ms. Rice, well, what can one say?

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/yazarDetay.do?haberno=150583

[MagisterLudi]

Ф БАБРУ�"СК, Ж�"ВОТ�"АЕ!

[darthdarcy]

Here's some info from Counterpunch.org

http://www.counterpunch.org/whitney08162008.html

There's a lot more there on this as well...

[GrainOSand]

Thanks for posting the Whitney article for I was going to post it. I came away from reading it not sure of who or what to believe. Mr. Obama is not looked upon favorably in the article (cardboard reference).

I can buy the premise espoused in the article and I can buy that Russia may have larger goals in Central Asia than they are leading the world to believe. The reason I find the article credible is that this country seems like it is being run by criminal zealots and I keep thinking about "a thousand points of light", and the "New World Order" proclamations of Bush I.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0900156.html

One thing is certain, the situation has all the components of a coming major conflict and the western media is doing a poor job (per usual) in presenting all sides. I continue to reserve my opinion because I cannot know all the details from here, but the U.S. looks guilty in this matter and Georgia looks like a pawn.

[katok]

They have an opportunity to demonstrate how impotent the West is, and set an example for other breakaway former Soviet Block countries in one fell swoop. Why would they stop?

[cardineau]

The US is hell bent on manipulating world opinion with all of the lies and BS about the Georgia conflict. But from the posts on this and many other websites, the netizens are not being fooled. Thank goodness for the internet.

[Heyman]

It seems many readers haven't been reading the REAL news on who started this war. GEORGIA started the war. Russia came in to end it.
READ THE REAL NEWS.
Quit believing the lies on television and newspapers.
For God's sake! Grow up!

[nanotubz]

And Attila the Hun was just restoring order to the Roman Empire after the Germanic intrusions.

[edisoncarter]

Exactly. There was tension, it broke into fighting. Thats how it started. Whether it was dmitri or vladammeer who pulled the first trigger doesn't really matter. As we saw with the Israel/Lebanon conflict, there is plenty of cheap tricks to claim that the other side started it. And clearly a lot of people want to blame Russia just because of animosity left over from the cold war. There is a lot if ideological reasons that boil down to, the same old domino excuses, which means that because we are afraid of Russia we need to find any reason we can to blame them.

[bluesnot]

Just the way this skirmish materialized out of thin air and became a big story raised all kinds of red flags. it was obvious that somebody wanted the American people to get really, really excited about it. After Iraq, maybe people aren't falling for the BS as easily. Or maybe they are just sick of how Bush/Republicans/neocons/McCain like to go to war.

[instagladiator]

Will they? Won't they? Why should they?