Moscow Began Preparing for Georgian War Four Years Ago

24 stundu laikā Jūs tā arī neesat izteicis savu viedokli. Interesanti- tas nozīmē, ka sava viedokļa Jums nav, vai Jūs ar kaut kādiem suņu valodā runājošajiem vienkārši neuzskatāt par vajadzīgu sazināties? Vaišu ir vēl kāds trešais variants?

Russia could seemingly get away with invading just Latvia, but not all 3 Baltic states at once. consider the fovorable demographics and transit infrastructure. A Russian invasion of Lithuania will not be so easy compared to Latvia Look at russias piecemeal approch to the caucuses. What did the many years long conflict in Chechnia accomplish? exactly

Sorry for having misspelled 'ally" :)

Anyone still in doubt as to who did what and for what purpose? I don't think it is possible to discern among the seemingly different courses of Kremlin policy towards their smaller neighbours; essentially it's all the same. Look at their relationship with Belorussia, for example. Even so close an allie is not good enough. As for waging a war, did you ever think that producing so much weapons would mean anything else but also the preparedness to use them whenever possible? It is interesting to note that they have money to spare on hostilities but have no idea or resources regarding keeping their distant cities such as Vladivostok alive in harsh winters.

I too believe Russia is planning an eventual invasion of Latvia. They have done preparations including propaganda so that they have in hand "plausible deniability" that this is NOT an aggressive act, but instead self defense of their nationals in Latvia. They are all too prepared

Nu, labi- Jūsuprāt, šeit savas domas jāizsaka "in English". Lai tā būtu. Bet kā, Jūsuprāt, jāizsaka savas domas pie krievu valodā uzrakstītajiem V.Čepurova tekstiem? Es nepiesienos pie detaļām- mani vienkārši interesē Jūsu viedoklis.

This is not a forum. And no one is ever "established" it. This is a place for comments. Everybody is free to use a language he/she prefers. Why Latvians are from different planet then ? And how this your opinion relates to the article ?

i BELIEVE THIS FORUM IS ESTABLISHED TO EXCHANGE THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS IN ENGLISH. FOR THE MOST PART I BELIEVE LATVIANS TO BE FROM A DIFFERENT PLANET COMPARED TO ENGLISH SPEAKING PEOPLE.

Nu- laikam tikai tiem, kas nemaz neseko notikumiem, varētu izlikties, ka krievijas galvgalis neko nav darījis konflikta veicināšanai. Bet man piedevām ir cits jautājums. Proti- kad V.Čepurova teksts tiek publicēts krievu valodā, komentāros viņš un arī Diena nereti saņem pārmetumus. Šeit Pola Goubla teksts ir publicēts angļu valodā (nu- normāli; kurš mācēs- izlasīs). Bet kādēļ visi iepriekšējie komentāri par šo rakstu arī ir angļu valodā?

Neither panic nor total unconcern should be endorsed. Between the two views - “Russia will occupy us in any case” and “It will never happen as we are in NATO” there should be the third way of reasoned but cautious behaviour. By this is not meant neutrality as it was practiced in the interwar period. Also, danger may not come with Russian tanks but with the next elections in which even many Latvians could vote for pro-Moscow forces just to topple the present elite. One of such parties already leads opinion polls which is a clear warning.

I fully support Sargon of Akkad 01.10.2008 20:40 comment. What makes me really sceptic in comments like Zix 11:24 - it's in my view absurd attempt to refer to the history . Yes, we know the history , but comon - world has changed either ... And many priorities changes across the world, including Russia. So, yes - take the hat off in front of historical lessons, but don't take the head too ...

It is absolutely clear that in these discussions whether someone will depend Baltics or not if Russia attacks, and this more seems to be only the matter of when, not if at all, those living here are the last to be asked. And praying is useless. God either does not exist or is deaf and blind and cares only about him/herself - look at the casualties of all previous century's wars! Maybe we can survive so long as to get enough money to emigrate safely. If Russia is not the only country to remain because of climate change...

Could you please explain in what way US "abandoned" Georgia. On the contrary, the US and the international community stopped Putin-Medvedev when Russia started occupation of the whole Georgia, not just the self-proclaimed separatist regions. You can also prepare a couple of examples when the US occupied countries in the 20th century in order to expand territorially. Not looking at 18th-19th cent. when war was normal practice and even annexations were ok. Such examples do not exist. And we do not have any hostilities with the US today, so I fail to understand the phrase "not worry too much..." US is our strategic partner, it does not fight psychological warfare against Latvia, does not talk rubbish about "Latvian nazism" (when and where did that exist?) and they do not demonstrate near the Latvian embassy in the US yelling "our planes will land in Riga". And if they do land, we are in the same military alliance and there is no reason to fear "US occupation". There is a familiar argument from some folks who want to imitate "objective approach". They say US and Russia are the same. And then they start criticising the US regularly and actively, while Russia is just formally criticised. Something like "yes and I do not like the Russian policy either". It is the same from the Russian side - will Putin-Medvedev risk WW3 with NATO, a risk which the Soviets did not take, in order to occupy a country, no matter which one? They even stopped invasion in Georgia, which is not a NATO member state, and not even a candidate. Will they go for a war with NATO member states, which automatically turns into a war with the whole NATO? As a friend of mine, an ex-USAF serviceman says, "communists are pragmatic. They need Berlin, not a radio-active hole in the place that once was Berlin." Yes and show me one army in history, any time and nation, that has run away from praying skeptics.

Yes, those Soviets are shrewd and calculating. No doubt about that. I believe they ar preparing for an eventual re-occupation of Latvia, only Latvia, because the Soviet program of RUSSIFICATION was most successful in Latvia. The obvious provocations of a few years ago, specifically the "hands off Russian school" campaign are a lot more subtle, but still obviously exists. One just needs to open ones eyes. It is much easier for a western educated person to spot these overt/covert soviet provications since the locals who grew up here are somewhat sensitized, or numb. As history has taught us, countries like Russia or USA can contrive any excuse as a basis of occupation, so we shouldn't worry too much about pissing them off, they will invade with or without a valid excuse. A year ago USA and Georgia seemed to be the closest of allies. Look how US abandoned them. I doubt USA or NATO will risk WW III defending Latvia from Russia (All 3 Baltic states probably, but not Latvia alone). so lets all pray...