Georgia accuses Russia of "ethnic cleansing"

[FVZA_Colonel]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061006/wl_nm/georgia_russia_dc_13;_ylt=AtastAiX_U6.be4AK2mBhph_5GIA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl



Georgia accuses Russia of "ethnic cleansing"
By Margarita Antidze

TBILISI (Reuters) - Russia on Friday deported a planeload of Georgians it said were in the country illegally but Tbilisi said the Kremlin had now added a soft form of "ethnic cleansing" to its sanctions against its pro-Western neighbor.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, under international pressure to lift sanctions imposed on Georgia, hit back by saying the West should concentrate instead on persuading Tbilisi to change its "irresponsible" policies.

Russia has severed all transport and postal links with Georgia, stopped issuing entry visas to Georgians, and raided Georgian-owned businesses in Moscow in a row over Tbilisi's arrest last month of four Russian soldiers on spying charges.

The soldiers were released but their arrest ignited smoldering tensions between the two nations, at odds for years over Georgia's wish to move closer to the West and Tbilisi's hostility to the Russian leadership.

[Igel]

1. Russia's really giving Georgia a rough time.

Has, for years.

Not quite like when they staged a little quasi-revolution as justification for an invasion in the 1920s--sort of like they did in Afghanistan in the late '70s. But I'm sure if they could find an safe way of doing the same again, they would.

Any Caucasians (can't help the word) out of the Russian fold seems to be a bad thing.

[mc jazz]

2. another reason for this.. iran?

Putin's move doesn't make sense unless it's part of a bigger move
I think he has found out Bush's plans for Iran and decided to make a point
The US is ignoring him so he's going to lean on Gorgia till they do

If he thinks it's too late to stop Bush then he's making clear his intentions of what he will do if anything happens to the middle east. If his premise is that America will lose if it attacks Iran then what he is doing now is logical

mazz