http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0809/S000...

... peace keeping forces in South Ossetia, a breakaway province of Georgia near the Russian border. That region experienced a major war in 1991 and varying tensions since.

Russian personnel were in Georgia as part of a multi-national peace keeping regime created by the United Nations and endorsed by the European Union in 2006. Snip

Those who insist that Russia started the military phase of this conflict need only check in with the government of Georgia. On Aug. 8, 2008, at 12:35, a Georgia news agency reported that "A senior official from the Georgian Ministry of Defense said Georgia had 'decided to restore constitutional order in the entire region' of South Ossetia." The release went on to say that Georgia took the military action after the South Ossetia refused to accept a cease fire. Snip

(The president of Georgia) skipped over some important events (like his troops attacking South Ossetia) and lashed out at the United States and Europe with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice next to him: "So who invited the trouble here? Who invited this arrogance here? Who invited these innocent deaths here? Who is – not only those people who perpetrate them are responsible, but also those people who failed to stop it." CNN, Aug. 15, 2008 (3:41) and U.S. Dept. of State, Aug. 15, 2008.

In a clear contradiction to his claimed knowledge of an imminent threat of invasion, the president of Georgia indicated that he had no idea that a Russian military action was about to take place: "When the thing started, I had to rush back, cut my holiday short when the tensions started to raise." (4:41). Snip

Giving Georgia a billion dollars may simply recycle those funds to U.S. firms that are doing business there. In addition, this financial reward will reinforce the tactically challenged president of Georgia for his grandiosity and lack of restraint.



Link: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0809/S000...