Russia repositions border taking over more of Georgia overnight
 

Putin is getting power mad as the west stands by watching it happen.

Viewpoint: What's behind Russia's actions in Georgia? - BBC News

So where is the West's 'line in the sand'? Russia just keeps nibbling away at territories on their borders, and all we seem do is send a strong Note which they ignore.

To what extent can we/should we impose even stronger sanctions on Russia?

There is no line, we are to spineless.
Its simple really, Russia is gone, there is no huggy fluffy ending for it, the sooner we accept that, and dig in for the long term the better.

Sign mutual defense pacts with both Georgia and Ukraine, and drop troops along the demarcation lines, and it will be all over. Fences go up, the people on our side go on and progress.

At the moment we are pouring aid money down the toilet in the Ukraine fiasco, the sooner we can lance that boil the sooner they can move on. The same goes with Georgia.

Who really cares if Vlad wants the Ukraine, Crimea, etc? Let them fight their own battles and keep out of it. Do you really think Putin has eyes on 'world domination'?

Yeah, lets just escalate it into a global conflict. Just what the world needs :rolleyes:

Some people just can't let go of the old Commie USSR Cold War, can they?

Then again, your words are easily said for someone who knows that they'll never be called upon to pick up a rifle to defend them... :yuk:

I would agree with hempy. They can take back the lot of their former States, they are mostly all corrupt failed states in their own rights, and why would we want anything to do with them? (Other than energy-but we should be looking to reduce our dependence on Russian has anyways)

So, if I've understood you correctly, you're saying that the only reason that we 'need' the-former-Soviet-but-now-independent states is for their energy reserves? So if we let Russia 'take back the lot of [its] former states', we'd be more dependent on Russian energy, rather than less. Genius!

I'm pretty sure the 'Wests' efforts in supplying energy resources over the last 20 years have satisfied the objective. Perhaps you are after 'world domination', no?

Surely that should be 'we' rather than 'you' Hempy, no?

More or less agree with this. Not sure how "the West" is invested in Georgia unless it is the state where Atlanta is the major city. ;)

This has a very familiar ring to it. Does no one see the similarity with Putin's actions today and Adolf's actions in the 1930s? Will Finland be next? The Baltics? I'm not saying military action is required, but certainly economic action against Russia needs to be stepped up. And military preparedness needs to be stepped up as well. A perception of military weakness appears to be all Putin needs to justify his actions.

Nah mate, as quoted, I'm pretty sure your comments belong to you and you alone..

I don't see Georgia being Poland, nor Czechoslovakia. Not even close, as an analogy, in terms of being important to the West.

Ah, my mistake. When you said I assumed you were talking figuratively about the West in general (though failing to include your own country of Australia - hence my retort of 'we').

I didn't realise your comment about world domination was aimed specifically at me :ooh:

KenV:-
Indeed, KenV, it is almost as if he were following in his master's footsteps. Start with 'liberating' the Russian speaking populations and go on from there. I expect that the mandarins are even now redrafting the 'final note', to be delivered to the Kremlin rather than the Reich Chancellery, "that unless we hear from them by 11 o'clock that they were prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland a state of war will exist... I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received and that consequently...", what?

No I don't think we should be buying Russian gas at all.

Agreed highflyer, but we will be buying Russian gas if all of these currently independent nations fall under her domination again.

Georgia and Ukraine certainly are NOT Poland nor Czechoslovokia. But Adolf didn't start with Poland nor Czechoslovokia either, did he? It was only after Adolf got away with his "lesser" expansionist crimes of militarizing the Rhineland and taking the Saar Basin, and then Austria and then Sudentenland that he was emboldened to take all of Czechoslovokia. And it was only after he took Czechoslovokia with no consequence that he set his sights on and took Poland.

And while Georgia and Ukraine are not "important to the West", I believe this is about a LOT more than just economic or political importance. It is about legal principle. If "the West" condones these violations of legal principle, they are inviting Putin to take further expansionist action, just as Europe invited Adolf to take further expansionist action after he "liberated" the German speaking peoples around Germany.

His sales job on this is "restoring" rather than expansion, but I understand your point. We've had a few thread discussions on Ukraine, about which I have very mixed feelings. I won't pretend to have an answer, but I don't think the situation is that similar. (Did a small bit of work with some Ukraine Navy folks back when partnership for peace exercises were on my plate: mid 90's.)

That was exactly Adolf's sales job as well. Adolf "restored" the German speaking people in Austria and the Sudentanland (southern Czechoslovakia) to the "mother Germany". It didn't take long before he "restored" ALL of Czechoslovakia. And got away with it. Which led to invading Poland. And got away with it. Which led to WW2.

Adolf's real job was to invade and plunder the treasuries and economies of other countries before his own economy imploded, whereas Putin's real...oh, wait...