World War 3, 08/08/08 Is it starting today?

[Norton]

Putin should join the UFC league.

[sonicsamurai]

so america sending navy and military aircraft to georgia now *delivering aid and providing continuing humanitarian support*. In other words they're setting up a front now too. Sounds like we might get another 40 year stand off on our hands...

[nor]

+1, Brilliant post.

+2

[CharvelRocker]

so america sending navy and military aircraft to georgia now *delivering aid and providing continuing humanitarian support*. In other words they're setting up a front now too. Sounds like we might get another 40 year stand off on our hands...

I've only heard of aircraft. And Military Aircraft is a broad term. I'm sure F-15s and F-22s are not firing supplies down at Georgia, but more likely than not, the C-5 Galaxy or C-130/130J Hercules/Super Hercules gets the call. Despite being Transporters, they are still operated by the US Army/USAF, making them military planes.

[Jayster]

CharvelRocker ,

Right on. I believe it's a c-17 , as well as naval support .Also in the middle east it's been reported that Israel was denied US weapons for an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities .

[nor]

Just gives me another excuse to drink and party all I can!

Obsolete as it may seem, Nato still exists. He wouldn't dare touch 'real' Europe with a ten-foot pole. Not in the least because modern Russia lacks all of the strength the post-WW II Sovjet Empire had.

NATO exists in name only. The US (and to a lesser degree the UK) are the only members capable of projecting any power, with the US the only one willing to do so. Doesn't really matter, as the Russian military is a hollow shell of what it once was. India could kick their ass in a shooting war, China has colonized nearly the entire eastern half of the country, the mighty Russian navy has rusted away, their space program dependant on other nations to launch anything.

Europe has allowed themselves to become dependant on Russian controlled pipelines, just like the US allowed themselves to become dependant on Middle East dictators.

We need to ween ourselves off thier shit - all of us. We can drill our own wells, build our own pipelines, and use the cash currently used for bribes, military actions, and 'developmental aid' to develop and deploy non-carbon based fuel sources.

Or we can continue to enrich the most evil and dispicable assholes on the planet.

[sonicsamurai]

I've only heard of aircraft. And Military Aircraft is a broad term. I'm sure F-15s and F-22s are not firing supplies down at Georgia, but more likely than not, the C-5 Galaxy or C-130/130J Hercules/Super Hercules gets the call. Despite being Transporters, they are still operated by the US Army/USAF, making them military planes.

Bbc states that bush is instructing defence secretary gates (is it?) To begin a *vigourous and ongoing* mission to georgia spearheaded by the us military. Thats sounds like more than a few planes...

[CharvelRocker]

Bbc states that bush is instructing defence secretary gates (is it?) To begin a *vigourous and ongoing* mission to georgia spearheaded by the us military. Thats sounds like more than a few planes...

"He said he would direct US Defence Secretary Robert Gates to begin a "vigorous and ongoing" humanitarian mission to Georgia, headed by the US military."

Are we reading the same BBC Articles?

[sonicsamurai]

yep that's the one, i'm no expert on humanitarian crises, but a vigourous and ongoing mission implies more than just a few planes dropping bags of rice, that to me implies ground troops as well helping to rebuild the towns and clear all the crap and dispense supplies on the ground. It also, taking other comments into account, implies that the us plan on ensuring georgia's territorial integrity.

[Endrik]

US support could help a lot because Russian "peacekeepers" will not let anyone near the places which are seriously damaged... they will not let red cross etc. help any injured person... that's their way of playing the game

Europe is pussy-like at the moments because it heavily depends of Russia's energy sources. But everyone knows that can't last forever. Tons of pipelines which don't depends of Russia will be built but it takes a lot of time and money... it all has planned out. But every leader knows that it's not good to be dependable of Russia.

[Endrik]

US support could help a lot because Russian "peacekeepers" will not let anyone near the places which are seriously damaged... they will not let red cross etc. help any injured person... that's their way of playing the game

Europe is pussy-like at the moments because it heavily depends of Russia's energy sources. But everyone knows that can't last forever. Tons of pipelines which don't depends of Russia will be built but it takes a lot of time and money... it all has planned out. But every leader knows that it's not good to be dependable of Russia.

[lerxstcat]

You know, after Katrina they used C-130s to bring in food and medical supplies for the victims. That's probably all we're doing here too. But it also helps the Georgians in that the Russians really don't want to shoot down a U.S. military plane on a humanitarian mission, so they will ease off on the offensive.

Trying to make that into actual military offensive action is kind of ridiculous.

[GodOfRhythm]

Russia was majorly pissed off at the US because the US Airforce was airlifting georgian troops stationed in Iraq back to Georgia, to fight the Russians.

[sonicsamurai]

You know, after Katrina they used C-130s to bring in food and medical supplies for the victims. That's probably all we're doing here too. But it also helps the Georgians in that the Russians really don't want to shoot down a U.S. military plane on a humanitarian mission, so they will ease off on the offensive.

Trying to make that into actual military offensive action is kind of ridiculous.

Noone is suggesting us military action, because i don't think the us needs any more than some kind of military presence on russia's doorstep to get it's point across. Russia will know washington is keeping a close eye on the kremlin.

[lerxstcat]

Russia was majorly pissed off at the US because the US Airforce was airlifting georgian troops stationed in Iraq back to Georgia, to fight the Russians.

Well they came to Iraq on our behalf in the first place. If they're needed at home, it's the least we can do to give them a lift. It was probably in the terms of them agreeing to go to Iraq in the first place.

So if Russia doesn't like that, too fucking bad. They shouldn't have invaded if they didn't want us bringing the troops back.