Is ww3 starting?
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Sometimes art imitates life, but that may be because artists have been observing life ;-). During one of my recent forays into escapist fiction I read about a Russian attempt to provoke the Ukraine into war. When I heard about the actual Russian attack upon Georgia yesterday it had a certain familiarity to it. You can all read the story yourelves; just go to the library or book store and pick up a copy of The Moscow Vector, a so-called "Covert One" novel in the style of Robert Ludlum. Here is a review from Amazon.com Robert Ludlum The Moscow Vector Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly "One might think that time would have taken its toll on the crusty, disgruntled Soviet dinosaurs who want to return Russia to its Communist glory days, but evidently not. Larkin, helming Ludlum's Covert One series, has dreamed up a new bunch of hard-liners, armed with HYDRA, a designer poison that singles out and kills victims based on DNA. With HYDRA having dispatched numerous U.S. and allied intelligence agents, Russian President Viktor Dudarev is poised to launch Operation ZHUKOV, a takeover strike against Kazakhstan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and half of Ukraine. Leading a covert investigation of HYDRA is series regular Lt. Col. Jonathan Smith, U.S. Army molecular biologist and chief operative of supersecret spy agency Covert One. There's nothing particularly new—HYDRA is an unwieldy weapon (it must be tailor-made for each victim), and super-sleuth Jon spends far too much time ferreting out information that readers have known for hundreds of pages. The threat of a Russian takeover of lost territory may not raise the temperature high enough, and various subplots, such as an attempted assassination of the U.S. president, don't amount to much. There are plenty of excellent shoot-outs, but Larkin's last outing, The Lazarus Vendetta, was far more cutting edge. (On sale Aug. 1)" Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Paperback edition. Deborah 
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Interesting book heads-up. Thanks, Deb!
I really doubt this is world war 3 in action. As devastating as it is, it is a very specifically local conflict, and I expect it will stay this way. There are hundreds of conflicts happening all over the world today and other days, especially similar to this one where there is a land/nationality dispute, and none of them seem to be the beginning of world war 3, either. This fighting between Russia and Georgia is pretty important though, and an interesting reminder of post-soviet relations in the region. I hope they can manage to resolve it diplomatically before it escalates too much further, but again, I don''t think the violence is likely to leave the region. Last time I thought it was world war 3 was the fighting between Lebanon and Israel last year. That was pretty horrible, but still not world war 3. |
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I agree. I wonder if I will always agree with you on everything? Should we discuss politics, religion, and child-rearing to find out? ;-) (Those are the three things my mother told me to avoid discussing with others if I wanted to remain on civil terms with them!) Hugs, Deb |
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It''s very likely we will agree, Deb.  For the record, I discuss those things even though many deem them "socially unacceptable." I don''t play by those rules!  I always enjoy your posts.
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I agree w/this statement; I don't think it will be WW3 either. I think the media tends to sensationalize things and picks and chooses what they sensationalize and some things we should be hearing about and we don't. I get really frustrated with the media sometimes. eta: I don't think this is sensationalized; I guess I am just ranting about the media and how things are portrayed sometimes.  Maybe my rant should be in a different thread, sorry.
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Who's this guy Karl who signed your posting? I don't remember him around here. As to the substance of your posting, no one can ever be sure that a local war will not become a major conflagration, but I think that this one becoming a world war is unlikely. One aspect to the conflicts in the heart of the old Soviet Union that adds a certain piquancy is the possibility that nuclear weapons are stashed on the grounds of the former satellite. (We know, of course, that Russia has plenty of nuclear weapons.) I guess we are supposed to assume that Russia remembers where it hid its nuclear weapons back when it was the heart of the USSR and that it will refrain from attacking those republics. Any takers about where those old nukes are? I would have bet on the Ukraine (among other places). Deborah
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Karl is I :} http://www.pricescope.com/forum/journal-article-discussion-new/performance-and-the-p3-facets-a-discussion-about-step-cut-diamonds-t92237.html |
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For there to be another World War, there would have to be a bunch of countries who agreed with one side, and a bunch of countries who took the other side.
Since Europe, England, Canada, US, etc. can rarely ever agree on anything these days, I think that''s pretty unlikely. Besides, the US would only get involved if they had something that was useful to us. We don''t worry about human rights abuses, just politics and oil 
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Well, to paraphrase Billie in, "Born Yesterday", "It's the best article I ever read; I didn't understand a single word." ;-) No, really, congratulations on writing a professional article and using your real name...at least part of it. I have to second Garry in saying it will be a relief not to slip up and accidentally address you by a name you do not use on-line! Are you following in the footsteps of John Pollard? You appear to be a man of similar cut (no pun intended), a consumer with such fire in the belly that you have to know more. It seems to be the stuff of which a great gemologist might be made. I would say I am sorry to hijack this thread, but I do not really think it is going anywhere. If anyone wants to get back on topic, be my guest. Or you can even start a new thread on the war between Georgia and Russia. I'll respect whatever everyone else wishes :-). Deborah |
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and it is about the oil: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nathan-gardels/brzezinski-russias-invasi_b_118029.html and: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amb-marc-ginsberg/georgia-on-my-mind_b_118069.html movie zombie |
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I don''t have a horse in this race, R/A, but I seriously doubt it. I think it is clear that Russia has been unhappy with the huge loss of power and money it underwent with the dissolution of the USSR. I see this as part of an ongoing pattern (see Chechnya). Clearly this is the view of most European powers and NATO countries, too. I am providing a link to an article in, "The New York Times" in which President Bush calls Russia''s actions unacceptable in the 21st century. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/world/europe/12diplo.html Deborah |
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Here is an excerpt from the article in, "The New York Times" mentioned above: August 12, 2008 Russia Steps Up Its Push; West Faces Tough Choices WASHINGTON—Russian troops stepped up their advance into Georgian territory on Monday, attempting to turn back the clock to the days when Moscow held uncontested sway over what it considers its “near abroad,” and arousing increasing alarm among Western leaders. Even as they prepared to convene an emergency meeting of NATO on Tuesday and President Bush denounced the Russian actions in the strongest terms to date, the United States and its European allies faced tough choices over how to push back. They seemed uncertain how to adjust to a new geopolitical game that threatened to undermine two decades of democratic gains in countries that once were part of the Soviet sphere. Russian troops briefly seized a Georgian military base and took up positions close to the Georgian city of Gori on Monday, raising Georgian fears of a full-scale invasion or an attempt to oust the country’s pro-Western president, Mikheil Saakashvili. President Bush, little more than an hour after returning to Washington from the Olympic Games in Beijing, bluntly warned Russia that its military operations were damaging its reputation and were “unacceptable in the 21st century.” Deborah
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Vegas - I agree whole heartedly. Unfortunately, I don''t think it''s all Americans that need the message. Just some. The other thing that bothers me at this point is that It''s not just about the conflict with Russia and Georgia, though that is a major issue right now. What we DON"T see is that other countries are going to form opinions and take sides. Our president has already proven that in the past few weeks. And there is also the problem of multiple locations of serious conflict, just like in the world wars. We currently have problems in the ME, Africa is having issues, Russia is now on the table, and sooner or later, countries are going to be forced to take sides in the different conflicts. I''m not sure what is going to happen, and no I don''t think World War 3 is starting today, but it seems like there is ever growing conflict in this world, and something IS going to happen...
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Well, of course not all Americans.
 but we will have be attacked again it''s not a matter of if, it''s when. It is important for us to care about relations between countries. I dont know if I should be surprised or not at what Russia has started, especially the timing. Russia is one of several countries we need to watch in regards to nuclear weapons. Look at who Georgia is blaming for not doing/saying enough? Everything comes back to us or falls on our shoulders. America''s views are not liked/or well received in other countries, that is nothing new. Sorry, lots of random rambling from me. |
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I have to admit that I am surprised at how much the situation has escalated, although I do not believe we are anywhere near World War III. We now see élite Russian troops in the heart of Georgia and and hear suddenly that American advisers have been in Georgia all along! Well! Who woulda thunk it!? And we are guarding the supply lines for the medical and other humanitarian supplies we are providing to Georgia. We are guarding some of the supply lines with ships, although these ships have no military purpose. It is really getting interesting. I am starting to think that Storm was quite prescient. Deborah
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The US has been supplying and training Georgia troops for a while now both in the Middle East and at home. Some have been to the US for training also as well as NATO training centers. I know someone who worked with them in Iraq. On a side note and not related to the present mess... My ancestors on my moms side are from Georgia then moved to Germany in the 1800s then to the US in the early 1900s. |
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Maybe it is about keeping the Great Russian Motherland from encapsulating by force the many republics spun off from the dissolution of the USSR. When you occupy a country your people more there. When you finally leave, those who remain don''t get treated too well by the natives. Needless to say, it''s a difficult situation. |
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perhaps the understatement of the year? movie zombie |
