My close friend from childhood - Gela, was a poet. He was an excellent person never had any aggressive ideas to any person, he was in love when became teenager and famous in our school with his soft character.
Gela never supported communist ideas, moreover, hated them.
In 1980, two years after we finished the high school, he was conscripted by soviet army. That period the Evil Empire was fighting in Afghanistan and propaganda was very strong of course, You can imagine what was happening in the army.
Gela came back after two years and we hardly recognized him. Yes, he changed little physically but mostly mentally – was like a mad robot. He was proving to everybody the war was important and necessary, that soviet union was a great country and the world capitalism will be defeated soon, etc.
This is how soviet/Russian propaganda works.
This was one of the first strikes in my life.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Some thoughts again.
I was again writing to my friend some thoughts.
I assume everybody agree that war is about politics – it is a creation politicians. Therefore somebody who tries to understand how it happened the war in Georgia they he/she needs to understand what kind of alternatives could have both sides of the conflict – Russians and Georgians (BTW: no matter who were leaders of both sides). We can talk much about on if we don’t like or like the current leaders of both countries but I assume they had very few alternatives in their hands.
1. NATO summit in April – it stated that MAP could be given to Georgia in December of 2008 if it continues working on some problems. Unofficially Georgia was told that it needed to deal first of all with the conflicts and then it could be easier. Georgian delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe tried to ask Chancellor of Germany about this – what could it mean but she denied to answer (nobody knows why – maybe she was correct but this was not understood like this by Georgian side.)
2. Politicians have certain function and role but mainly to do something for people and also KEEP the place in politics. This means when you’re close to such a moment of life of your country like Georgia was after NATO summit you need to do something or leave politics. The similar situation (maybe slightly less difficult) could be happening with the other side of the conflict of course - Russia.
3. If summarize the above mentioned any expert of politics could expect something could happen – no matter who would start this. I assume, I am not as good to know political theory so well but think many governments had good experts to understand this situation easier.
4. All arguments like it was not their task or business to be involved in this crisis I count as unacceptable because a. now many of them are involved after the blood; b. any attempts to hide behind of the humanism and I hate politics never brings peace unfortunately. This world is very much dependent on politics and Georgian people cannot start experimenting on itself of libertarian paradise –if we eliminate our state nobody will follow, unfortunately.
So now I would assume those who observed this situation, understood but did not do everything to prevent they are not less responsible in this war than Georgian or Russian leadership and putting whole burden on them is a shame.
I assume everybody agree that war is about politics – it is a creation politicians. Therefore somebody who tries to understand how it happened the war in Georgia they he/she needs to understand what kind of alternatives could have both sides of the conflict – Russians and Georgians (BTW: no matter who were leaders of both sides). We can talk much about on if we don’t like or like the current leaders of both countries but I assume they had very few alternatives in their hands.
1. NATO summit in April – it stated that MAP could be given to Georgia in December of 2008 if it continues working on some problems. Unofficially Georgia was told that it needed to deal first of all with the conflicts and then it could be easier. Georgian delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe tried to ask Chancellor of Germany about this – what could it mean but she denied to answer (nobody knows why – maybe she was correct but this was not understood like this by Georgian side.)
2. Politicians have certain function and role but mainly to do something for people and also KEEP the place in politics. This means when you’re close to such a moment of life of your country like Georgia was after NATO summit you need to do something or leave politics. The similar situation (maybe slightly less difficult) could be happening with the other side of the conflict of course - Russia.
3. If summarize the above mentioned any expert of politics could expect something could happen – no matter who would start this. I assume, I am not as good to know political theory so well but think many governments had good experts to understand this situation easier.
4. All arguments like it was not their task or business to be involved in this crisis I count as unacceptable because a. now many of them are involved after the blood; b. any attempts to hide behind of the humanism and I hate politics never brings peace unfortunately. This world is very much dependent on politics and Georgian people cannot start experimenting on itself of libertarian paradise –if we eliminate our state nobody will follow, unfortunately.
So now I would assume those who observed this situation, understood but did not do everything to prevent they are not less responsible in this war than Georgian or Russian leadership and putting whole burden on them is a shame.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Could We Avoid This Tragedy?
Could We Avoid This Tragedy?
Dear friends,
Everybody here are asking themselves if we could avoid the tragedy.
Here are some thoughts. To have more precise answer I need to divide it into two parts:
1. Time before April Summit of NATO in Bucharest
2. Time after April, 2008
Time before April Summit of NATO in Bucharest
Probably we could avoid such a big tragedy. Despite of the fact that all the conflicts in Georgia were designed and organized by KGB we had some chances to avoid it. This way could be very long and absolutely free of politics. It is about free trade and exchange we needed to have with our citizens in conflict regions. For instance: we needed not only to try to open the railway from our side to Abkhazia but also ask Russia to open from their side. Instead we blocked conflict region people and broken already established relationship of Georgians and Ossetians.
Unfortunately all other versions of solution were political and they would be wrong not only because they were political but because Russians (when I say Russians – I always mean politicians) don’t care about political decisions or agreements (this was once more proven today again).
Time after April, 2008
It is very doubtful if we could avoid the scenario.
Dear friends,
Everybody here are asking themselves if we could avoid the tragedy.
Here are some thoughts. To have more precise answer I need to divide it into two parts:
1. Time before April Summit of NATO in Bucharest
2. Time after April, 2008
Time before April Summit of NATO in Bucharest
Probably we could avoid such a big tragedy. Despite of the fact that all the conflicts in Georgia were designed and organized by KGB we had some chances to avoid it. This way could be very long and absolutely free of politics. It is about free trade and exchange we needed to have with our citizens in conflict regions. For instance: we needed not only to try to open the railway from our side to Abkhazia but also ask Russia to open from their side. Instead we blocked conflict region people and broken already established relationship of Georgians and Ossetians.
Unfortunately all other versions of solution were political and they would be wrong not only because they were political but because Russians (when I say Russians – I always mean politicians) don’t care about political decisions or agreements (this was once more proven today again).
Time after April, 2008
It is very doubtful if we could avoid the scenario.
- Oil – of course it is about domination of Russia in energy supply of Europe. Georgia for its headache is the only alternative route for Caspian oil and gas (the other ways are though Russia) – who is not aware of this please look at the map of the region
- Taking power over Georgia means automatically cutting Azerbaijan and whole Central Asia from other then Russian controlled access to the world. (I assume everybody is aware of Iran – Russia alliance.)
Kosovo – Russia wanted to play the same game in Georgia as in Serbia. No matter if this is absolutely different case. - Having in mind NATO’s failure in April Russians as it was expected by many in Georgia understood this as a step back of NATO and signal for actions for Russia. Having in mind long history of relationship with Russia we had these predictions and warned as many people as we could. That time we could believe in a new conflict but not as big as it really happened unfortunately.
- Could Georgia announce neutrality? Some Georgian politicians supported this idea. Discussions on this idea can be somewhat actual in future as some assume Georgia’s membership in NATO is less likely. Is it really possible? If you were in Georgia I would simply offer to look around. So many tense you can find in the region, and so many interests. Think – can we open the railway via Abkhazia? Beware of a quick answer – understand who is interested and who is against. I think here I need to stop counting of the problems. If you look in the realities of the region deeper only NATO membership of Georgia can establish a new situation which could stop everybody thinking about changing the status quo.
- Some people tend to address responsibility of the tragedy towards the government of Georgia. I clearly and openly declared several times that I never voted for Saakashvili and his government (although I didn’t vote for others). I have good opinion of many reforms done by them but not so good about political system and protection of citizens freedoms. Government policy of allowing any person of the world to come and start working in Georgia without restriction shows openness and willingness of Georgians to live in freedom.
- The provocation was planned very well. Everything shows this. This or any other government would be catch by this political trap. Look in this situation. You are the country leader - means politicians. This already implies you need to do something but keep your positions. If you want to keep your position in the situation like in Georgia, especially when you were told that conflicts are the obstacle to be in NATO (or have more security, have more investments, be a part of western society, etc) – you need to do something and before the next summit of NATO in December. You know that Russia has absolute opposite goal. You try to offer something to conflict regional leaders – Russians keep out them from negotiations. Georgians stay calm – they shoot. Georgians try to talk – they shoot and rob Georgian villages. Georgians ask for cease fire – they used this time for bringing more troops and continued shooting. Are there many politicians in the world who would be so brave to take back troops? I doubt.
- Somebody was asking who started shooting – I think this is not clever question. Shooting Russians started earlier, for instance in 1921, when occupied independent Georgia, in 1924, when killed 30,000 Georgian rebels,1956 and 1989 when killed peaceful protesters in Tbilisi, in 1992 when supported criminals of separatist Abkhazia and their allies, during all the following years, everyday, almost every hour. There were many proofs of this, but somebody needed to see real blood now to be sure we were correct.
- Thinking about politics and its rules I think it is not for me. It is not for me - but another thing is to find the alternative. Best of worse. I remember the German Chancellor who was very harsh to us for our conflicts in Abkhazia and so called South Ossetia. That time I told to my friend Germans - this is we who blame German and other governments for doing nothing to participate in the process of peace and re-integration of those regions into Georgia. This is again about politics - we can't expect from politicians more than a show how they spend money for nothing - just a show.
Therefore it is for me very doubtful there were any other chances.
Here I stop and maybe try to add something later.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Abkhazia independent?
Russian president said at the press-conference today if Abkhazia and South Ossetia decide to be out of Georgia they should leave it – but you can ask: who can vote for that only the current population without refugees living everywhere else than in Abkhazia?
The mistake is that those who live there they are only 1/3 of the population lived there. But this is known. What is possibly unknown to many is that Abkhaz (those who called themselves so) population was only 1/6 of whole population of Abkhazia. So why not to give everybody chances to vote? But this is not what Abkhaz want. They even do not accept if voting supports simply independence – they need to keep there apartheid they had before the conflict and after (now they are 2/9 of the population or even less).
Their demand is to legalize apartheid by constitution whether they are the part of Georgia, independent or a part of Russia – this means no matter whi lives in Ankhazia – rulers must be Abkhaz. What Russia needs? To support the apartheid leader and control – this they already have currently.
But being part of Russia is too challenging – you may gain but can also fail – they also know well Russians. You may understand the problem of Abkhaz and may sympathize them also like me – they are really in a trouble. In more real sense most of Abkhaz don’t care about their ethnic, cultural and educational problems – because most of them are more Russians than Abkhaz. They don’t speak their language and almost forgot their tradition.
Please look in the letters of my friends:
http://www.t-i.org.uk/russiamoretogain.php
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121850039382131705.html
The mistake is that those who live there they are only 1/3 of the population lived there. But this is known. What is possibly unknown to many is that Abkhaz (those who called themselves so) population was only 1/6 of whole population of Abkhazia. So why not to give everybody chances to vote? But this is not what Abkhaz want. They even do not accept if voting supports simply independence – they need to keep there apartheid they had before the conflict and after (now they are 2/9 of the population or even less).
Their demand is to legalize apartheid by constitution whether they are the part of Georgia, independent or a part of Russia – this means no matter whi lives in Ankhazia – rulers must be Abkhaz. What Russia needs? To support the apartheid leader and control – this they already have currently.
But being part of Russia is too challenging – you may gain but can also fail – they also know well Russians. You may understand the problem of Abkhaz and may sympathize them also like me – they are really in a trouble. In more real sense most of Abkhaz don’t care about their ethnic, cultural and educational problems – because most of them are more Russians than Abkhaz. They don’t speak their language and almost forgot their tradition.
Please look in the letters of my friends:
http://www.t-i.org.uk/
http://online.wsj.com/article/
Guess who
A story of a spare wheel
Dear friends, if you decide once to go for the very important negotiations which can prevent a war – please don’t forget to check a spare wheel in your car because it is really important part of the negotiations. Why?
There is such an experience: Georgian Minister went to Tskhinvali (administrative center of so called South Ossetia) to meet there their leader and a mediator Mr. Popov from Russia sent especially to organize this negotiations. The Minister arrived at the place waited more than two hours calmly and then started asking others where they were. Ossetian said he would not talk to him without Popov.But Popov reported a wheel of the car he was travelling to the place had damaged and he could not continue his way because had no what? A spare wheel of course.
Unfortunately the negotiations failed and that night war started. Who believes in this story of a wheel? Not You? Guess who.
Dear friends, if you decide once to go for the very important negotiations which can prevent a war – please don’t forget to check a spare wheel in your car because it is really important part of the negotiations. Why?
There is such an experience: Georgian Minister went to Tskhinvali (administrative center of so called South Ossetia) to meet there their leader and a mediator Mr. Popov from Russia sent especially to organize this negotiations. The Minister arrived at the place waited more than two hours calmly and then started asking others where they were. Ossetian said he would not talk to him without Popov.But Popov reported a wheel of the car he was travelling to the place had damaged and he could not continue his way because had no what? A spare wheel of course.
Unfortunately the negotiations failed and that night war started. Who believes in this story of a wheel? Not You? Guess who.
Still very dangerous
The situation remains still very dangerous in Georgia. Last night was no problem if not counting Russian attack to Kodori. Now they control Kodori.
The also control the road from West Georgia to Tbilisi.
Last hours Russian jets bombed again Gori - municipality, university, hospital, they bombed villages near Gori. Few minutes ago they also bombed places near to Tbilisi. Now it was announced about another bombing of Baku-Ceihan pipeline. There is at least one victim (in Gori) - a Dutch journalist. This everything happens on the eyes of several international high officials like Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
We still work at our office... Tbilisi is not the same as it was two-three days ago but there is traffic on the street, shops are mostly working even banks decided to close because of lack of security of cash movement.
The also control the road from West Georgia to Tbilisi.
Last hours Russian jets bombed again Gori - municipality, university, hospital, they bombed villages near Gori. Few minutes ago they also bombed places near to Tbilisi. Now it was announced about another bombing of Baku-Ceihan pipeline. There is at least one victim (in Gori) - a Dutch journalist. This everything happens on the eyes of several international high officials like Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
We still work at our office... Tbilisi is not the same as it was two-three days ago but there is traffic on the street, shops are mostly working even banks decided to close because of lack of security of cash movement.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
What we gain
We are both safe and having no problems with our families so far (Paata and Gia).
As for the declaration of "martial law" - it is for two weeks and we hope it will end in this period or even before. Many things are very much dependent on the international society... We expect that this time the world society will not give Russia chances to re-occupy Georgia what they dream very much about (everything shows only this).
Now everything is also dependent if all the true will reach the western societies to understand at last how dangerous is playing games with such an untrustworthy "partner" as Russia. Russia is a terrorist state and no hopes that it will change soon. I am sure you understand that if not Russian stupid support to separatism nobody would die in here this or previous times. If not Russian open promises to Kokoiti - he or any other leader would sit at the table for negotiations.
We can blame Saakashvili's government for mistakes but if anybody looked carefully into the real opportunities he/she would find out that:
- any government could have only this kind of political choice: Russia or the West - there would be some different details of politics but no different direction, because Russians are not changing and because we, having long experience with them, don't trust them
- region of 40 thousands didn't need 80 tanks- no Ossetian ethnic person has had any problems in Georgia before and after the conflict - this was a stupid Georgian president who invented it - guess who instructed him on this
- if Georgia is wrong in something so called South Ossetia is also the same - if we have wrong politicians I would insist that S.Ossetians have much worse
- this conflict is not about Ossetians and Georgians - somebody is playing with both - it is of course about two superpowers - Russia and the US. But I assume many people understand on which side we are and why. We have the best experience living with Russia - we recommend everybody not have the same.
- when thinking about Georgians and remember our sins I hope everybody can also remember how much we already contributed to the world peace and freedom
- when thinking about our wrong and sometimes stupid actions I hope everybody can remember that we never exchanged highest values into materialistic ones
- rejecting Georgia in NATO directly resulted in these consequences, Russians understood it as a signal to continue aggression.
- now everybody are sure that Russia cannot be a peacekeeper here - we were obliged to prove this - nobody wanted to listen to us before - the war is a price of this discovery-
- and all probably are aware about our chances to fight Russian troops (this shows we never wanted a war)
ARMED FORCES COMPARED
GEORGIA
Total personnel: 26,900
Main battle tanks (T-72): 82
Armoured personnel carriers: 139
Combat aircraft (Su-25): Seven
Heavy artillery pieces (including Grad rocket launchers): 95
RUSSIA
Total personnel: 641,000
Main battle tanks (various): 6,717
Armoured personnel carriers: 6,388
Combat aircraft (various): 1,206
Heavy artillery pieces (various): 7,550
Source: Jane's Sentinel Country Risk Assessments
As for the declaration of "martial law" - it is for two weeks and we hope it will end in this period or even before. Many things are very much dependent on the international society... We expect that this time the world society will not give Russia chances to re-occupy Georgia what they dream very much about (everything shows only this).
Now everything is also dependent if all the true will reach the western societies to understand at last how dangerous is playing games with such an untrustworthy "partner" as Russia. Russia is a terrorist state and no hopes that it will change soon. I am sure you understand that if not Russian stupid support to separatism nobody would die in here this or previous times. If not Russian open promises to Kokoiti - he or any other leader would sit at the table for negotiations.
We can blame Saakashvili's government for mistakes but if anybody looked carefully into the real opportunities he/she would find out that:
- any government could have only this kind of political choice: Russia or the West - there would be some different details of politics but no different direction, because Russians are not changing and because we, having long experience with them, don't trust them
- region of 40 thousands didn't need 80 tanks- no Ossetian ethnic person has had any problems in Georgia before and after the conflict - this was a stupid Georgian president who invented it - guess who instructed him on this
- if Georgia is wrong in something so called South Ossetia is also the same - if we have wrong politicians I would insist that S.Ossetians have much worse
- this conflict is not about Ossetians and Georgians - somebody is playing with both - it is of course about two superpowers - Russia and the US. But I assume many people understand on which side we are and why. We have the best experience living with Russia - we recommend everybody not have the same.
- when thinking about Georgians and remember our sins I hope everybody can also remember how much we already contributed to the world peace and freedom
- when thinking about our wrong and sometimes stupid actions I hope everybody can remember that we never exchanged highest values into materialistic ones
- rejecting Georgia in NATO directly resulted in these consequences, Russians understood it as a signal to continue aggression.
- now everybody are sure that Russia cannot be a peacekeeper here - we were obliged to prove this - nobody wanted to listen to us before - the war is a price of this discovery-
- and all probably are aware about our chances to fight Russian troops (this shows we never wanted a war)
ARMED FORCES COMPARED
GEORGIA
Total personnel: 26,900
Main battle tanks (T-72): 82
Armoured personnel carriers: 139
Combat aircraft (Su-25): Seven
Heavy artillery pieces (including Grad rocket launchers): 95
RUSSIA
Total personnel: 641,000
Main battle tanks (various): 6,717
Armoured personnel carriers: 6,388
Combat aircraft (various): 1,206
Heavy artillery pieces (various): 7,550
Source: Jane's Sentinel Country Risk Assessments
freedom is worth to fight (to Johnny Munkhammar)
Hi Johnny.
This is an aggression act from Russia. They supported separatism in Georgia during soviet times and after, were feeding separatist regimes (giving for instance this so called South Ossetian government at least $800m a year - the population was 40 thousands!) Now they wanted to organize even bigger provocation and our government understood this and tryied to prevent them - asked several times to continue negotiations. Ossetian government - which is a part of KGB - denied all the attempts of Georgian government for negotiations.
After this our side had no other chances then to fight - because if not them Russian troops would take rule in whole region there and maybe even out of it.Russians wanted to have this war - actually it never stopped after soviet times - they tried several times to punish us for dissolution of their greatest empire. Now after we announced about our plans to join NATO (it is now better visible why) - they became mad. This whole provocation was planned just for this reason - they wanted to show NATO members how bad we are... I assume most of them understood this up-side-down. at least Americans, British and Eastern Europeans.
This is very shortly. Other things are: they bombed today an apartment building in Gori - they bombed several cities and villages, killed 37 peaceful people; 10 Russian aircrafts are destroyed and several tanks of them. Could you imagine that this 40 thousands of population region has 87 tanks? From where?
Don't ask where is more information, nowhere - "somebody" blocked all the web-sites - guess who. I am ready to provide with more.So, it is war - we know who is our enemy. But we encourage everybody in the world - freedom is worth to fight.
Best,
Gia (August 9, 2008)
P.S. Paata is in West Georgia can't come to Tbilisi so far. I evacuated my children from city to a village.
This is an aggression act from Russia. They supported separatism in Georgia during soviet times and after, were feeding separatist regimes (giving for instance this so called South Ossetian government at least $800m a year - the population was 40 thousands!) Now they wanted to organize even bigger provocation and our government understood this and tryied to prevent them - asked several times to continue negotiations. Ossetian government - which is a part of KGB - denied all the attempts of Georgian government for negotiations.
After this our side had no other chances then to fight - because if not them Russian troops would take rule in whole region there and maybe even out of it.Russians wanted to have this war - actually it never stopped after soviet times - they tried several times to punish us for dissolution of their greatest empire. Now after we announced about our plans to join NATO (it is now better visible why) - they became mad. This whole provocation was planned just for this reason - they wanted to show NATO members how bad we are... I assume most of them understood this up-side-down. at least Americans, British and Eastern Europeans.
This is very shortly. Other things are: they bombed today an apartment building in Gori - they bombed several cities and villages, killed 37 peaceful people; 10 Russian aircrafts are destroyed and several tanks of them. Could you imagine that this 40 thousands of population region has 87 tanks? From where?
Don't ask where is more information, nowhere - "somebody" blocked all the web-sites - guess who. I am ready to provide with more.So, it is war - we know who is our enemy. But we encourage everybody in the world - freedom is worth to fight.
Best,
Gia (August 9, 2008)
P.S. Paata is in West Georgia can't come to Tbilisi so far. I evacuated my children from city to a village.
To my friends - what it is going on here? A war!
Here is some info about the situation. (August 8, 2008)
First of all it is an aggression of Russia towards Georgia. As libertarian I can't accept any violence no matter who is the initiator. But the situation about Georgia is not usual to say there is a chance to survive without defense efforts, unfortunately.
Yes, we probably made several mistakes past times and my position is not changing - free trade is the best solution for this kind of conflicts if... If you have civilized neighbors, not like Russia. After today's statement of Russian party of Yabloko - supposed to be opposition, which stated that only solution is to send more Russian military troops to Georgia, I tend to suspect there is no chance to find any reason in Russia nearest time.
There is high tense in here but absolutely no panic so far. From the window of my office the picture is similar as it was a week or two ago. But the news coming are discouraging - Russians increase their support to their marionettes, sending more troops (official and inofficial), military equipment and tanks, bombing Georgian territory by military aircrafts, etc.
But, please don't worry, we are still absolutely calm, simply thinking we are not as weak, and the international society is not as same, as in 1921, when bolsheviks occupied Georgia.This is very shortly...
First of all it is an aggression of Russia towards Georgia. As libertarian I can't accept any violence no matter who is the initiator. But the situation about Georgia is not usual to say there is a chance to survive without defense efforts, unfortunately.
Yes, we probably made several mistakes past times and my position is not changing - free trade is the best solution for this kind of conflicts if... If you have civilized neighbors, not like Russia. After today's statement of Russian party of Yabloko - supposed to be opposition, which stated that only solution is to send more Russian military troops to Georgia, I tend to suspect there is no chance to find any reason in Russia nearest time.
There is high tense in here but absolutely no panic so far. From the window of my office the picture is similar as it was a week or two ago. But the news coming are discouraging - Russians increase their support to their marionettes, sending more troops (official and inofficial), military equipment and tanks, bombing Georgian territory by military aircrafts, etc.
But, please don't worry, we are still absolutely calm, simply thinking we are not as weak, and the international society is not as same, as in 1921, when bolsheviks occupied Georgia.This is very shortly...
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