Ground Report from Georgia
"Georgia's population is over 5 million. Compared to that South Ossetia (SO) is tiny, before the conflict began it had maximum only about 40 thousand people living mainly in Tskhinvali city. Rest of SO territory is hardly populated at all - mountains, alpine steppe and deep forests. Actually it was a popular tourist destination in times of Soviet Union. Georgia wants this territory, they are not interested in integration of local people who were historically and culturally always a trouble for them - they are from different ethnic groups and don't mix with each other.
Georgia almost achieved it's plan of driving Ossetians from their land within 24 hours period on the day of Olympics opening ceremony. Geographically and strategically they could easily have done it. Once the city of Tskhinvali is destroyed 2 months before the winter hits hard in that mountanious area then Georgians could have upper hand of controlling the whole of that deserted area. The SO frozen conflict would be solved in one day and President Saakashvili would fulfil his election promise, emerging as a strong leader to deal next with Abkhazia which is a much tougher case for Georgians.
Russians are now set to rebuild Tskhinvali in almost frantic efforts because otherwise Ossetian civilian population will not and could not return to destroyed infrastructure. Winter season is harsh in SO and locals switch on their heating systems already in October. The number of Ossetian refugees in Russia is estimated to be 32 thousand by now. Russians have a choice in spending their money - to build winter refugee shelters on their own territory in order to feed and take care for this sudden influx of demoralized people OR to try to rebuild at least sections of Tskhvinvali city so that Ossetians can go home.
Georgians effectively cut Tskhinvali water supplies already 3 weeks before the conflict began (residents had to ship water from nearby village wells) and now everything is gone - gas, electricity, water, heating system, harvest, trading, banking, schools, hospitals...
We had repaired and rehabilitated dozens of medical points in all major towns and villages in SO over the period of 8 years, we helped virtually every hospital in Tskhinvali..... The clinic in large Khetagurov town which became a hub for qualified medical assistance for whole area (even Georgians would travel from far distances to be treated in that clinic) was repaired and equipped with our help. Everything is gone now, Khetagurov resisted the night attack and was virtually leveled with ground by morning of Aug 8. Please note that Tskhinvali city itself had no strategic military facilities to justify the all-night and then whole day attacks by Georgians."
I got this from an email from a trusted source.
Georgia almost achieved it's plan of driving Ossetians from their land within 24 hours period on the day of Olympics opening ceremony. Geographically and strategically they could easily have done it. Once the city of Tskhinvali is destroyed 2 months before the winter hits hard in that mountanious area then Georgians could have upper hand of controlling the whole of that deserted area. The SO frozen conflict would be solved in one day and President Saakashvili would fulfil his election promise, emerging as a strong leader to deal next with Abkhazia which is a much tougher case for Georgians.
Russians are now set to rebuild Tskhinvali in almost frantic efforts because otherwise Ossetian civilian population will not and could not return to destroyed infrastructure. Winter season is harsh in SO and locals switch on their heating systems already in October. The number of Ossetian refugees in Russia is estimated to be 32 thousand by now. Russians have a choice in spending their money - to build winter refugee shelters on their own territory in order to feed and take care for this sudden influx of demoralized people OR to try to rebuild at least sections of Tskhvinvali city so that Ossetians can go home.
Georgians effectively cut Tskhinvali water supplies already 3 weeks before the conflict began (residents had to ship water from nearby village wells) and now everything is gone - gas, electricity, water, heating system, harvest, trading, banking, schools, hospitals...
We had repaired and rehabilitated dozens of medical points in all major towns and villages in SO over the period of 8 years, we helped virtually every hospital in Tskhinvali..... The clinic in large Khetagurov town which became a hub for qualified medical assistance for whole area (even Georgians would travel from far distances to be treated in that clinic) was repaired and equipped with our help. Everything is gone now, Khetagurov resisted the night attack and was virtually leveled with ground by morning of Aug 8. Please note that Tskhinvali city itself had no strategic military facilities to justify the all-night and then whole day attacks by Georgians."
I got this from an email from a trusted source.
posted by Dody G. at 6:48 PM
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