Anybody notice the lack of googlemaps info in this region? Unlike every other country on the planet there's no road maps and no marked major cities or capitols.

>>3
The only Mongolian city's that are marked on Google maps is Ulaanbaatar.

>>4
Mongolia has its capital city marked on googlemaps, despite the fact it has half the population of, say, Azerbaijan's capital Baku. Baku, Tblisi, and Yerevan aren't marked on Googlemaps.

Mongolia also has its (minimal) major roadways marked despite having about an eigth of the distance of paved roads that Armenia does and a tenth that of Azerbaijan's. Again, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia don't have their roadways marked despite having much more extensive highways than Mongolia.

So what exactly are you trying to say by pointing out that a country like Mongolia is mapped by Google while these three are the only ones that aren't?

>>5
I need a better memory. I thought ONLY the capitol was marked in Mongolia.
Well that is kinda weird those aren't marked at all.

>>1

From what I've been reading over the past few days, it seems this is merely the great Russian Bear flexing her muscles. If anything came of this, it showed just how easily Russia can march in and basically take control of the vast majority of Europe's (imported) energy supply. Russia to the USA (and the rest of the world): DON'T FUCK WITH US.

Not to mention the fact that Georgia is a land bridge to Iran, so if the United States chooses to do anything stupid, the Russian Army could be down there in a second to back up the Iranians. Russia and Iran recently made a rather extensive oil/energy agreement, and I have no doubt Russia would assist Iran if they are attacked (especially unprovoked).

Also, The US Navy now has a HUGE armada of aircraft carriers/destroyers/gunships in the area. I fear that this will not end well...

When the USA and Russia enter into armed conflict of any kind, the world trembles in fear. The combined nuclear arsenals are enough to annihilate every living thing on the planet at least 5 times over.

I hope to hell Bush & Darth Cheney understand the severity of provoking Russia..

>>7 annihilate every living thing on the planet at least 5 times over

Nah, don't worry, it's cool now. It's down to 4.

>>7

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=9799

Fucking hell, that is a LOT of firepower. Seems the Royal Navy has some of their destroyers & frigates there too...

lol. i'm right next door and people worry about me .. everyone in my country laughs it off.

it's getting to the point where watching the russian news (read: propaganda) is just what you do to have something to roll your eyes at.

SOMEBODY THINK OF THE LOLIS

SERIOUS THREAD IS SERIOUS.

>>7 Medvedev is legitimizing himself as President. Russia has provided training and logistical support to south ossetian separatists for years, this is well documented.. Remember, the Soviets purposively split borders through troublesome ethnic groups in an aim to curb any attempt to unify against Moscow; this war is a continuation of the longstanding policy of provoking instability and undermining territorial integrity within nations of strategic importance to Russian defense. Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, etc are all of critical importance to the old Russian concept of maintaining a territorial buffer zone against Western corridors, and through provoking continued political instability in these regions they continue to block succession to NATO or any similar Western defense bloc. Western powers can't afford a liability such as Georgia, it's just not worth WWIII.

Caspian pipelines are important, but certainly not to the point of conflict. Putin has exercised complete control over the sphere by proxy and has used it to project influence for years; this won't change anytime soon. The Bush Administration naturally answered with counterforce in the Middle East in 2003. Think of it as geopolitical chess. If Kennan were alive today, containment would still be on the tip of his tounge; and rightfully so.

The major fuckup has actually been committed by the Bush Administration. Through the mid 90's, the Clinton Administration had an assistant secretary of state shuffle back and forth between Moscow and Tbilisi. In the past week, the State Department sent a low ranking token diplomat, who hasn't yet left the embassy. Credit really must go to Sarkozy for his efforts.

>>9 NATO has always maintained an active presence in the Black Sea (beyond observer status), and a heavy deployment at this time promotes continued stability- especially if Ukraine closes her naval base in Sevastopol.

>>it seems this is merely the great Russian Bear flexing her muscles

That's about right. Everyone will make a big fuss, but in the end will do nothing.

<--- fuck Google

Wow, it coincided with the distractions of the Olympics! That sort of thing is usually the hallmark of nation states experienced with propaganda...

This is a very real invasion, rather than a US-backed psy-op. We can tell that because of how little coverage it is getting in the West. If we were in on it directly, it'd be wall-to-wall, carefully staged, rolling coverage.

Certainly, US Special Forces have been aiding the Georgians of late, but this is a bold, direct move by Russia.

If we're lucky, it's a tit-for-tat, "we get Georgia, you get Iran", but history has a horrible way of repeating itself, and so this may be "we're going to to invade from the other side when you guys do..."

Fun brandname facts, pic related.

>>7
>>8
That was always a rather exaggerated scenario. Amongst other things it was based on somehow getting the population of the world to stand in compact circular crowds then airbursting a 1Mt nuke over each. The initial blast wave / radiation / firestorm is surprisingly survivable if you're in a good shelter and not right at ground zero (see Hiroshima) and if it's airburst then there's not that much fallout either.

That said, survivors of a full-blown nuclear lolocaust would of course envy the dead.

Spotted earlier today.

Georgia what? They produce wine and provide an escape opportunity when you are fed up with the disgusting nouveaux riches in Sochi.

>>12
You and Cracky have so much in common.

>>18 How is that relevant?

I could easily be just another token richfag layabout but choose not to; I actually find Polsci/IR papers interesting, so fuck you fratboy.

War is the shit.

Also, I fail at trips.

>>19
I don't see how that's so offensive... it obviously struck a nerve with you but it what you replied to didn't sound like an insult at all.

At first I was the king of Spain; I use semi-colons at the most improper times

you should come on AIM more Merovin; I generally enjoy when we talk.

>>16

Face-Fucking-Palm >_<

That's it. Suede, I'm applying for political asylum in the UK.

>>21
Calling someone a cracky is very fucking offensive

>>19
It was meant in a sarcastic way, it just struck me when I read your post. When you are not on drugs or in some kind of mania you come over as a well versed and intelligent guy - someone who can most likely not be entertained by 'politicslol' and WoW for more than one or two weeks.

>>19
Although, constant references to parents money are quite a character weakness.