Hm.  They say the tactical nukes are small compared to the bombs already used on georiga.

Didn't know nukes came that small and I know a guy who worked on the damn things.  Though obviously he never talks about it.

Regardless seems to show this was infact just a "fuck you" land grab.

Listening to the news this morning they were talking about there being video of the attacks continuing. I wasn't really watching the screen but they also did an interview with a field reporter who was saying they watched the bombings continue this morning.

I'm highly suspicious of that claim. Why would they move tactical nukes there? According to wikipedia, that SS-21 missile can carry different types of warheads, not just nuclear.

I can't find the original interview, so I remain very doubtful of that.

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/8/11/up_to_2_000_killed_as

They assume it's nuclear because their would be no stratigical use of moving a pair of conventional launchers in.

I"t appears to me as if the Russians were preparing themselves to do that in this case. First of all, I think they believe the United States was going to intervene. At a news conference on Sunday, the deputy national security adviser said we have noted that the Russians have introduced two SS-21 medium-range ballistic missile launchers into South Ossetia. Now, let me say a little footnote about those. They’re both conventional and nuclear. They have a relatively small conventional warhead, however. So, the military significance, if they were to be conventional, was almost trivial compared to what the Russians could deliver with the aircraft that they were using to strike the Georgians."

Thanks for the link!

Well, if true that's pretty crazy. No offense but I think my sanity is left better if I don't believe that claim.

It's not like it matters. I mean in recent speaches i believe they've called the south ossetian's "Russian People."

They are there to stay.  The tactical nukes are just likely a good ole show of force to tell georiga "you better agree to cede South Ossetia to us."

They'll probably go for both seperatist nations, but Nato should be able to ATLEAST get Russia to be satisfied with Ossetia.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7557457.stm

"In a joint news conference, they said a six-point peace plan had been agreed by Russia.

The deal included a pledge to begin international discussions about the future status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

If Georgia agrees to the plan, Mr Medvedev said the "path to a gradual normalisation" in South Ossetia was open. "

We'll see if Georgia agrees. Should be interesting. I'm not sure the international community would be very giving to russia after this however.

Some Numbers from the Conflict

LENGTH OF WAR: Six days of fighting in Georgia and two separatist regions, South Ossetia and Abhkazia, from Aug. 7 through Aug. 12 before a cease-fire was declared by Russia.

MILITARY: Russia has 1.1 million soldiers, Georgia has 37,000. The Russian armed forces have about 6,000 tanks and some 1,700 combat aircraft. Georgia has 230 tanks and 12 combat aircraft.

• Russia sent 20,000 troops and 500 tanks into Georgia, according to the Georgian president. In Abhkazia alone, Russia estimated it had at least 9,000 troops and 350 armored vehicles.

• The U.S. helped Georgia bring about 2,000 Georgian troops from Iraq during the fighting.

DEATH TOLL: About 2,000 people, most of them with Russian passports, were killed in South Ossetia as of Aug. 12, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Georgia's Reintegration Minister Temur Yakobashvili said more than 100 Georgians died, including civilians and soldiers.

DISPLACED: The U.N. Refugee Agency estimates almost 100,000 people were displaced, according to figures provided by both governments. Georgian officials say a few thousand fled south into Georgia proper from South Ossetia, and up to 12,000 were estimated to be displaced within South Ossetia. Russian officials in North Ossetia suggest 30,000 people from South Ossetia remain in Russia.

OIL: Two pipelines were shut down. British energy group BP said Aug. 12 that it closed a pipeline in Georgia carrying "a limited amount" of gas and oil because of the conflict. Another pipeline operated by the London-based oil company in Georgia was out of action after a fire last week in Turkey.

MILITARY BASES: Russia seized a Georgian military base in the town of Senaki. At least four other Georgian air bases were bombed, including a base on the outskirts of Gori, the Vaziani military base on the outskirts of Tbilisi, the Marneuli air base, and another base in Bolnisi.

TOWNS HIT: Tskhinvali, Zugdidi, Senaki.

AMERICANS EVACUATED: More than 170 American citizens evacuated from Georgia to Armenia by the U.S. State Department.

JOURNALISTS KILLED: Three. Dutch TV correspondent Stan Storimans, and photojournalists Alexander Klimchuk and Grigol Chikhladze of Caucasus Images, according to The Committee to Protect Journalists. The group reported at least eight journalists were injured and two were missing.

WAR PRISONERS: The International Committee of the Red Cross said they visited two wounded Russian pilots detained by Georgian authorities.

Not sure how accurate this is, but according to a guy on NeoGAF:

Putin really annoys me. President Bush >>>> Emperor Putin