Russian Soldiers Take Prisoners in Georgia Port
August 19th, 2008Via: AP:
Russian soldiers took 20 Georgian troops prisoner at a key port in western Georgia on Tuesday and commandeered American Humvees awaiting shipment back to the United States after taking part in earlier U.S.-Georgian military exercises.
The move came as a small column of Russian tanks and armored vehicles left the strategic Georgian city of Gori in the first sign of a Russian pullback of troops from Georgia after a cease-fire intended to end fighting that reignited Cold War tensions. The two countries on Tuesday also exchanged prisoners captured during their brief war.
However, Russian soldiers took Georgian servicemen prisoner at a key port and commandeered U.S. Humvees. An Associated Press photographer saw Russian trucks and armored personnel carriers leaving the port with about 20 blindfolded and handcuffed men riding on them.
Port spokesman Eduard Mashevoriani said the men were Georgian soldiers.
The deputy head of Russia’s general staff, Col.-Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn, said Russian forces plan to remain in Poti until a local administration is formed, but did not give further details. He also justified previous seizures of Georgian soldiers as necessary to crack down on soldiers who were “out of any kind of control … acting without command.”
My growing sense is the west was effectively checkmated here by Russia. Russia has drawn it’s line in the sand and will defend it’s borders,likely at all costs. All the west can do is offer their spin and file hollow complaints of, “how dare they!” (Rice should stick to playing piano). I think this effectively shelves Iran too, as we are now seeing first reports of the US refusing specific military aid to Israel. Could even mean a further drop in oil prices too as war as the idea of no iran war hits the markets.. As always, I could be wrong!
Be interesting what happens to those humvees though..