Saakashvili "planned S. Ossetia invasion" : ex-minister

Started by sullivan, September 14, 2008, 01:18:23 PM

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sullivan

September 14, 2008, 01:18:23 PM
By Brian Rohan (Reuters)

PARIS - Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili had long planned a military strike to seize back the breakaway region of South Ossetia but executed it poorly, making it easy for Russia to retaliate, Saakashvili's former defence minister said.

Irakly Okruashvili, Georgia's leading political exile, said in a weekend interview in Paris that the United States was partly to blame for the war, having failed to check the ambitions of what he called a man with democratic failings.

Saakashvili's days as president were now numbered, he said.

The former defence minister's remarks are significant because Saakashvili has always maintained Russia started the war by invading his country. The Georgian president said he handed EU leaders last week "very strong proof" that Moscow was to blame, though he did not give details.

But Okruashvili, a close Saakashvili ally who served as defence minister from 2004 to 2006, said he and the president worked together on military plans to invade South Ossetia and a second breakaway region on the Black Sea coast, Abkhazia.

"Abkhazia was our strategic priority, but we drew up military plans in 2005 for taking both Abkhazia and South Ossetia as well," Okruashvili said.

There was no immediate reaction from Saakashvili's officials to his remarks.

While in office, Okruashvili was an outspoken hawk, overseeing a military buildup and calling for Georgia to take back South Ossetia -- his birthplace -- by force.
"The real menace of our Republic is the invisible government which like a giant octopus sprawls its slimy legs over our cities, states and nation. At the head is a small group of banking houses generally referred to as \'international bankers.\' This little coterie... run our government for their own selfish ends. It operates under cover of a self-created screen, seizes our executive officers, legislative bodies, schools, courts, newspapers and every agency created for the public protection."
John F. Hylan (1868-1936) - Former Mayor of New York City

Ognir

#1
September 14, 2008, 01:46:52 PM
And no mention of the chosen people being involved
Most zionists don't believe that God exists, but they do believe he promised them Palestine

- Ilan Pappe

sullivan

#2
September 14, 2008, 02:40:32 PM
Quote from: "Ognir"And no mention of the chosen people being involved
Of course not. We couldn't have news like that tarnishing their lily-white image, now could we?
"The real menace of our Republic is the invisible government which like a giant octopus sprawls its slimy legs over our cities, states and nation. At the head is a small group of banking houses generally referred to as \'international bankers.\' This little coterie... run our government for their own selfish ends. It operates under cover of a self-created screen, seizes our executive officers, legislative bodies, schools, courts, newspapers and every agency created for the public protection."
John F. Hylan (1868-1936) - Former Mayor of New York City
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