For the record, I'm not anti-Russia or pro-Russia. I'm 18, and I just find this whole situation interesting. Obviously what both Russia and Georgia are doing right now is wrong, but as a young adult who grew up right after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it feels like everything I have learned in History class is repeating itself. Just look at what the current situation is as of today:
-Russia has said that it will begin withdrawing it's troops out of Georgia beginning Monday, but reports are saying that instead of preparing to leave, more ground troops are showing up and consolidating their power, setting up bases in strategic locations in Georgia and occupying certain important roads and cities. Some troops are appearing to withdraw, but are massing in South Ossatia and Abkhazia instead of returning all the way to Russia.
-Georgia reports that after destroying Georgian radio and television transmitters, Russian troops had now installed their own, meaning Gori residents can now only tune in to channels from Moscow.
-In addition, Russian troops were seen bolstering their positions in the hills which surround Gori, including creating improved machine gun posts. Troops continue to surround Gori with tanks, armoured personnel carriers and security forces. All Georgian police and law enforcement were said to still be banned by Russia from operating there.
-Russia, as of last night, as declared that it is considering arming its Baltic fleet with nuclear warheads for the first time since the cold war. Under the Russian plans, nuclear warheads could be supplied to submarines, cruisers and fighter bombers of the Baltic fleet based in Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave between the European Union countries of Poland and Lithuania. A senior military source in Moscow said the fleet had suffered from underfunding since the collapse of communism.
-The Russian military also said it would ignore attempts to restrict the movement of its Black Sea fleet in and out of Sebastopol, in Ukraine. The Crimean port is emerging as a potential flashpoint in Russia’s efforts to prevent former Soviet countries on its borders from joining Nato.
-This weekend Ukraine further angered Russian officials by offering to create a joint missile defence network with western countries.
-The Russians have already indicated that they may point nuclear missiles at western Europe from bases in Kaliningrad and Belarus. They are also said to be thinking of reviving a military presence in Cuba.
-In Georgia, Russian forces extended their reach across the west of the country yesterday, occupying several towns, seizing control of a main road and blowing up a railway bridge. Working with Abkhazian fighters they seized several Georgian villages and the Enguri power station.
-Poland has agreed to have America install an anti-missile defense system in its country, an act, a Russian general says, will open up a military conflict with Poland 100 percent.
Just from reading that information, and there is more, do you think this could be the beginning of the new Cold War? It really sounds like it to me. Thoughts? What's your opinion on the matter? For people who lived through the Cold War, does the current events sound like history is repeating itself? Peace.
Tags: