Tag Archives: war

Against Galt

Synova wrote a little post that gets halfway to where I would come down on this perennial parlor game of  the John Galt general strike. Sy recognized that to be successful, such a revolt would realistically be a miserable experience … Continue reading

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The New Russian Diplomacy of Profanity

Russian FM Sergei Lavrov reportedly went berserk on David Miliband in phone discussions over the Georgia war. Apparently he was raving, shouting obscenities, and ridiculing Miliband’s knowledge of history. There’s something incredibly deranged about that government. They’ve taken the traditional … Continue reading

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So Very LP

What’s this? Bob Barr wanted Ronpaul as his veep? Take your eyes off the Libertarian Party for a minute and you miss a lot of foolishness. Our old friend Steve Newton fills us in on the amusing drama that ensued … Continue reading

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A Clear Blue Sky

(NASA) Today is the 11th. The unwelcome anniversary. Everyone remembers where they were when they heard. I was awoken by a phone call on the day. “The country’s under attack!” the phone said. You wake up rather fast when that’s … Continue reading

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Declinism as Exceptionalism

Francis Fukuyama argues in the Financial Times that the United States should have traded European missile defense and/or Kosovar independence in order to pacify a resurgent Russia. This strange proposal of strategic charity work for the Kremlin, is animated by … Continue reading

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[Insert] War

Thomas Barnett takes a look at Gates and the different schools of thought on Pentagon spending priorities. Apparently it comes down to the Next War vs. the Long War vs. the This War vs. the Big War vs. Proxy War. … Continue reading

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Anti-Palin Hysteria Expands, Degenerates

I’m beginning to sense that anti-Palin hysteria is building toward a collective psychological meltdown of truly epic proportions on the Democratic side of our political divide. Today, Democratic consultant Dan Conley angrily pushed us a little further to the brink … Continue reading

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Logistically Untenable?

Belmont ClubWe could be forced to entirely revamp our strategy in Afghanistan if the situation in Pakistan continues to deteriorate and the Russians intend to be uncooperative. There are in fact serious concerns that troops in Afghanistan can be cut … Continue reading

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Air Defense Retrospective

In From the Cold wonders why Russian tactical aircraft proved so vulnerable to an air defense system they knew intimately. I’d merely say that low-and-slow Russian tactics are going to get you shot eventually, whatever the SAM is on the … Continue reading

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Russian Imperialism and the Election

(photo: Chris Dunn) John Bolton argues that the future of Russian imperialism in Eurasia rides on the outcome of the US presidential election. Unsurprisingly, he pitches McCain: “First reactions, before the campaigns’ pollsters and consultants get involved are always the … Continue reading

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NATO Protection only for Perfection?

Alex Harrowell reminds us that NATO wasn’t always so timorous about conflict risk exposure: [I]f we assume that Georgia, and specifically Mikhail Saakashvili’s version of it, wasn’t sufficiently responsible (adult, civilised, possibly even white?) to play, how do we explain … Continue reading

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A Unity of Black Hearts

Russian Major General Vyacheslav Nikolaevich Borisov, in command of occupied Gori, has finally received orders to do something about the Russian allied irregulars who are rampaging in Georgia committing atrocities: “Ossetians are killing poor Georgians, this is a problem and … Continue reading

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The Pirate Army

CCTV video capture of Russian soldiers robbing a Gori bank at gunpoint. While plunder has a bit of an enduring tradition in the Russian army even in modern times, this is pretty extreme. I’d be abusing the event as metaphor, … Continue reading

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Estonia: Get Georgia and Ukraine in NATO Now

Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves says the West must act fast: “They should take Ukraine immediately into NATO, and what is left of Georgia,” he told Reuters by telephone, adding that a decision this year not to give the two … Continue reading

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Deny, Deny, Legitimize.

It seems Russia is increasingly leaning toward dismembering the Republic of Georgia, something previously denied, now legitimized. The predominant characteristic of Russian policy in Georgia up to this point actually. In the same vein, Russia is finally admitting to being … Continue reading

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Photos from the Front

89 amateur snapshots from the war in Georgia. Some are rather gruesome, so avoid this link if you’ve a weak stomach. It was good to see some US munitions and equipment in Georgian hands too.

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Russia as Rogue

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says “the world can forget about” Georgia’s territorial integrity. Quite a remarkable statement from the former permanent representative to the United Nations. As a statement of purpose or justification in his country’s war, it is … Continue reading

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Going to Tbilisi?

Russian units are on the move again in Georgian territory, apparently in violation of the truce agreement. One Russian soldier in a large convoy shouted an ominous flirtation to a press photographer outside Gori, hopefully in jest or lust: “Come … Continue reading

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Hey, Remember that One Time Some of You Made Fun of Me for Saying that Georgia Wouldn’t Be Occupied?

Exactly. Now, as for Lee’s latest… Let’s just say I’ll be shocked if Saakashvili lasts the year.

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Saakashvili has a Future

Last night Joshua argued that Saakashvili, having quite obviously failed to recapture his renegade territories, is certain to be finished one way or the other. Either overthrown by the Russian army, or by the Georgian people at the ballot box. … Continue reading

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Recent History – Republic of Georgia

I’m doing this for my own benefit, as I’ve not followed the goings on in the Republic of Georgia, except to note when it’s in the news, not our Georgia. April 18, 2008 Georgia sought the backing of NATO and … Continue reading

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Russia Cuts Central Georgian Highway

The country is officially, largely cut in two.

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When There’s Nothing Left to Burn You Have to Set Yourself on Fire

Sorry for my absenteeism on this, guys, but I’ve barely had the time to write on Registan.net about the war in Georgia (seriously, go there for some really in-depth discussions about what is going on), and have simply neglected copying … Continue reading

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Western Georgia Falling

Russian West-Georgia attack expands. UN meets to fret again.

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Gori Falls

It’s looking increasingly as if the alarmists were right and Russia intends to drop all pretense. Georgian troops are pulling back to Mtskheta to defend the approach to the capital, if Russia pushes to conquer and subjugate the entire country. … Continue reading

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Russian Hacker Mob Takes Over Georgian Web During Invasion

As if the physical invasion of territory isn’t enough, it looks like it was preceded by a cyber-attack.

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The Invasion of Western Georgia

Russia has invaded Western Georgia (proper) and captured Senaki, far from Abkhazia. It’s being billed by a Russian official as a preventive move against Georgian troop concentration. This being yet another new rationale invented on the fly to justify further … Continue reading

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Arms for Georgia

Evidently immune to the historical irony, Israel halted arms shipments to Georgia months ago due to fears of a Russian attack. As an IDF veteran interprets that: “When we found ourselves in a similar situation, we expected the world to … Continue reading

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Found Him

Joshua hasn’t disappeared, he just isn’t gracing us with his opinions on the conflict in the Caucasus, but you can find them at Registan.net, here and here. Heh, Insty links to him, but describes it as peevish (Josh? Peevish? Also, … Continue reading

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QandO Podcast

McQ, Dale and I discuss the Russian campaign against Georgia over South Ossetia. Generally I feel that our support should belong to Georgia. However, Georgia has severely miscalculated in this matter, and frankly our options are limited. At best, we … Continue reading

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Glimpse of a Better Outcome for Georgia

When it seemed like escalation was the modal reality, outcomes looked bleak for Georgia. Dynamics change. Thus Georgia’s ceasefire in South Ossetia cannot be a bad thing under the circumstances. By putting up an initial fight, they drew the attention … Continue reading

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Testy Times in the Bird’s Nest

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd witnessed a heated discussion between Bush and Putin over Georgia.

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The Edwards Stratagem

Tom Tildrum, commenting on Ilya Somin‘s notice that the press favors the Edwards affair over the Russo-Georgian War: “The Russians may have launched their offensive after learning of the Edwards news, in order to minimize world attention.”

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Policy Recommendations for the Demented

One can always count on the New York Times for publishing pernicious editorial advice on foreign policy. To duty, Helene Cooper is eager for the US to seize the opportunity of the South Ossetia invasion to…throw Georgia under the bus … Continue reading

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Who Owns Tskhinvali?

So who is in control of Tskhinvali right now? Russia says Russia, Georgia says Georgia, and the separatists? Take your pick: Eduard Kokoity, self-styled president of the separatist region, said a “second attempt” by Georgian forces to retake the town … Continue reading

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US Begins to Align with Georgia

Slowly the gears turn, but Washington and Tbilisi’s positions inch further into concord by the minute. The infamous “unnamed senior US official,” behind all important news events of the last century has spoken: A senior U.S. official says Russia has … Continue reading

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Driving Around Tbilisi

Doug Merrill reports things looked pretty normal, only they weren’t.

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Russian Strategic Objectives Changing?

Wu Wei believes Russia is now targeting the Nabucco gas pipeline in Georgia…while the Russian NATO envoy argues that strategic objectives are restricted to a South Ossetia protection and warns NATO to stay out. And now Iran gets into the … Continue reading

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Some Anonymous South Ossetia Endgame Analysis

Daniel Nexon gets an email from an anonymous Russia hand speculating on the grim possible outcomes for Georgia: This is not going to end well for Georgia. Russia has expanded its targets beyond the vicinity of South Ossetia, hitting not … Continue reading

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The Conquest of Georgia?

In an unnerving development, the New York Times is reporting that Russia may be preparing for an amphibious assault on Georgia’s Black Sea coastline. Alexander Lomaya, Secretary of Georgia’s National Security Council: “Russia has clearly decided to redraw the borders … Continue reading

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160,000 Deaths

At least 160,000 deaths in the suppression of Chechen independence by Russia. Just a reminder for when someone tries to set Russia up as the great defender of South Ossetia’s right of national self-determination. There’s a diplomatic argument for that, … Continue reading

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McCain’s Turks vs. Obama’s Armenians?

Tsitsernakaberd (photo: Adam Lederer) Just when bewilderment at the spectacle of Steve Cohen going absolutely berserk on an Armenian film crew had started to subside (they were trailing him over his opposition to recognition of the 1915 Armenian genocide), I … Continue reading

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Appetites of the Empire

(image: Marcelus G. Zalotti)

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A New Libertarianism of Paranoid Revolt

Jordan Page (who is a kind of Ronpaulist Joan Baez) reflects on the “Revolution March,” a July 12th Ron Paul protest rally in Washington DC, in part organized by Adam Kokesh (who of late believes the Washington police are involved … Continue reading

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The Tidal Empires of War

(photo: Charles Roffey – Charles & Fred) Someone once said that in Damascus you truly can get a little bit pregnant. It’s a good aphorism, because if you asked the foreign minister of almost any state in the Middle East … Continue reading

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“Setbacks”

We see this kind of thing in the press all the time: U.S. and Afghan troops have abandoned a remote outpost in eastern Afghanistan where militants killed nine American soldiers earlier this week, officials said Wednesday. Compounding the military setback, … Continue reading

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Boumediene — The Great Sandbagging

UPDATE: Welcome QandO readers. Please look around after you’ve finished with this post, but McQ says you have to go back over to QandO when you’re done … but I won’t tell if you won’t. _____________________________________________________________ The recent Supreme Court … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Law, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

(Relatively) Measuring Success

This is the most recent of a series of posts on Registan.net where I explore some of the fundamentals of conflict within the tribal areas of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. At the end of this post is a link to the … Continue reading

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A Retreating Periphery

(photo: Mani Babbar) After 9/11 widened Al Qaeda’s ambitious war against most of the world, Osama bin Laden described his own axis-o-evil as being composed of “Crusaders, Zionists and Hindus.” But at some point, without anyone much noticing, that seems … Continue reading

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The Initial Command

(photo: Department of Defense) The Obama campaign has categorically rejected John McCain’s proposal for a joint trip to Iraq, calling it a “publicity stunt.” Publicity stunt it most certainly is, but why is it automatically assumed that the publicity would … Continue reading

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