=46rom Times Online
August 12, 2008
Jenny Booth
Russian warplanes bombed the Georgian city of Gori overnight, hitting
a media centre and killing a Dutch television journalist who was in
the city to cover the invasion.
The Dutch television news station RTL re****ted that its cameraman Stan
Storimans, 39, was killed and correspondent Jeroen Akkermans was
wounded in the leg in the attack. RTL said that, in total, five people
died in the Gori bombing. The assault took place as the Georgian army
and most of the city's remaining inhabitants fled in disarray
believing that Russian troops were about to take the town.
Meanwhile, Georgian authorities said that Russian fighter jets had
once again attempted to bomb a strategic oil pipeline, Baku-Tbilisi-
Ceyhan, which carries fuel from the Caspian Sea to Europe via Georgia.
Amid Georgian fears that the Russian army was preparing to march on
the Georgian capital Tbilisi and topple the government of President
Mikhail Saakashvili, Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian President, appeared
to have ordered a halt to military operations this morning.
In a statement, Mr Medvedev said that Russia's military had punished
Georgia enough for its attack last week on South Ossetia.
=93The security of our peacekeepers and civilians has been restored,=94 he
said. =93The aggressor has been punished and suffered very significant
losses. Its military has been disorganised.=94
[NOTE the flabbergasting Russian lies: The Russian "peacekeepers" are
nothing more than an invasion force, and the reference to "our
civilians" is breathtakingly deceitful, even by Russian standards.
They are referring to the Russian pass****ts they gave away like sample
bags at a trade fair to people living in Ossetia, an integral part of
Georgia.]
The Russian President said that he had, however, ordered the Russian
military to continue to defend itself, and to quell any signs of
Georgian resistance.
[NOTE the flabbergasting Russian lies: "Georgian resistance" =97 as if
the Georgians are the bad guys and troublemakers. Breathtakingly
deceitful, even by Russian standards. They are referring to the
Georgians trying to boot the Russian invaders out of Ossetia, an
integral part of Georgia.]
=93If there are any emerging hotbeds of resistance or any aggressive
actions, you should take steps to destroy them,=94 he told his defence
minister at a Kremlin meeting screened on national television.
[Chechen war rhetoric dusted off. Well, Ossetia is not a Russian
territory. If the lily-livered jelly-spined EU and NATO do nothing
about this, then {intemperate language withheld}...]
He spoke as Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, arrived in Moscow
to head international efforts to negotiate a ceasefire - a trip seen
as the biggest test of his diplomatic skills since he won office in
May last year.
Forging a common EU position has proved difficult because of the wide
gulf between two camps of member states. Poland and the former Soviet
republics from the Baltic wanted an aggressive condemnation of Russian
military action while Italy and, to a lesser extent, Germany have been
unwilling to raise tension with the Kremlin. {lily-livered jelly-
spined misfits}
The Georgian government is now facing a new battle front, as
separatist rebels in the western breakaway province of Abkhazia today
launched their own military action to drive Georgian forces out of
their territory. Rebel fighters mounted an attack in the Kodori gorge
- the last remaining toehold that the Georgian army has in Abkhazia.
Meanwhile, university and post office buildings are burning in Gori,
the town that has seen the worst of the artillery battles since
Russian troops drove the Georgian army out of South Ossetia last
weekend.
President Bush has strongly condemned the Russian military action in
Georgia, warning that any escalation would serious damage Russia's
relations with the West. "Russia has invaded a sovereign neighbouring
state and threatens a democratic government elected by its people.
Such an action is unacceptable in the 21st century," said Mr Bush. He
urged Moscow to accept the Europe-backed peace plan which Mr Sarkozy
intends to negotiate.
Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, told a press conference
in Moscow this morning that Georgia must withdraw its troops not just
from South Ossetia but also from a buffer zone around the province,
including the military installations around Gori. He rejected claims
that Russia wanted to topple Mr Saakashvili, but said that it would be
better if the Georgian president resigned.
[OH yes, Georgia should withdraw troops from its own territory, but
Russian troops should stay there.
Wake up, Western Europe, and realise what you are dealing with.]
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