Fighting in Georgia. Why Russia Wants Control.

When you think of Georgia most American think of that lovely Southern State. But Europeans and Asians think of that lovely nation that was a former Soviet State. A nation that has been continuously inhabited since the Stone Age, Georgia has been known to Europe for millennium. The city of Colchis was the site of the Golden Fleece in which Jason sought. Christianity was declared the state religion as early as AD 337 proving a great stimulus to literature, arts and the unification of the country. As a crossroad between Christian and Islamic traditions, Georgia experienced the dynamic exchange between these two worlds which culminated in a true renaissance around 12-13th centuries AD. Georgia was annexed into the Soviet Union in 1924 after a brutal revolt against them. On April 9, 1991, shortly before the collapse of the USSR, Georgia declared independence. It was a long struggle for them that year, but in the end they achieved their independence from Russia. For in the years since, Russia has been trying to gain control of Georgia first with the Rose Revolution of 2000, and now with the South Ossetian War. But why?

OIL

Although Georgia does have oil and natural gas which accounts for 10% of their exports and 18% of GDP, it will be sharing a part of the new Azeri oil pipeline. A pipeline that will not be going through Russia or Iran.

Analysis of the war in Georgia points to a fight over a major oil route as the main reason for hostilities, but also to an Israeli connection.

Channel 2's expert on the Muslim world, Ehud Ya'ari, told viewers of the central evening newscast that Russia and neighboring countries were vying for control of a strategic oil pipeline from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean. This relatively new pipeline passes through Azerbaijan and Georgia to Turkey and is the only pipeline between Asia and Europe that does not pass through Russia or Iran. Israel is expecting to receive oil and gas through the pipeline.

By using the ethnic Russian population in South Ossetia to destabilize Georgia, Russia was making a play for the pipeline, he said.

Any wonder why Russia would do this? Russia is furious that the Azeri pipeline was routed through Georgia and not Russia. So Russia has to find a way to control it. Thus the attacks on Georgia.

The Georgian move against South Ossetia was motivated by political considerations having to do with Israel and Iran, according to Nfc. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili decided to assert control over the breakaway region in order to force Israel to reconsider its decision to cut back its support for Georgia's military.

Russian and Georgian media reported several days ago that Israel decided to stop its support of Georgia after Moscow made it clear to Jerusalem and Washington that Russia would respond to continued aid for Georgia by selling advanced anti-aircraft systems to Syria and Iran.

Hundreds of Israeli defense experts are reportedly in Georgia and Israel's military industries have been upgrading Georgia's air force, training its infantry and selling the country unmanned aerial vehicles and advanced artillery systems.

Former minister Ronny Milo was reportedly among the leading Israeli middlemen in the arms deals with Georgia and Brig.-Gen. Gal Hirsch has been training army units through a company he owns.

Russia bombed a Georgian military plant in which Israeli experts are upgrading jet fighters for the Georgian military. According to Nfc, the bombing was a "sharp message" to Israel.

A Russian fighter jet bombed runways inside the plant, located near Tbilisi, where Israeli security firm Elbit is in charge of upgrading Georgian SU-25 jets.

I knew that somehow the Russians would blame Israel for this mess that they started. According to the United Nations, Israel is the blame for all the ills in the world. So it is natural that Russia would blame Israel for this aggression on their part.

Georgia has ordered its forces to cease fire, and offered to start talks with Russia over an end to hostilities in South Ossetia, Georgian officials said Sunday. However, Russia has reportedly rejected the offer. Earlier in the day, Georgia said its troops had pulled out of the breakaway region and that Russian forces were in control of its capital, Tskhinvali. Georgian President Saakashvili said Sunday that his country's sovereignty is in danger.

After conducting consultations regarding events in Georgia, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Sunday that Israel "recognizes Georgia's territorial integrity." Israel also called for a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Russia and Georgia.

I doubt that Russia will sit down to any table with Georgia until Russia controls most of the territory that it wants.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gregory Karasin said Sunday that international and western press coverage of events in Georgia were biased in favor of the Georgians.

"The West behaved strangely in the first hours of the attack on South Ossetia," Karasin said, and added that "the U.S.A.'s negative attitude" would be "taken into consideration in the future in contacts about other global questions." The US says it will ask the United Nations to condemn Russia's actions in Georgia.

Russia has a long history of aggression against Georgia going back to the beginnings of the Soviet Union and has continued this until today. The UN will not be condemning Russia any time soon. First of all, Russia has a veto on the Security Council, and second Russia is not Israel. And unless it is supposed aggression by Israel, the UN will never condemn a nation for doing what they want to.