News and Opinion from the Bug!
Nodar Kumaritashvili was killed today in horrifying luge accident. Nodar lost control of his sled in a curve and was thrown out of the track and into a steel beam. I assume he was killed instantly. This accident is so horrible, so terrible. We offer our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends, and to [...]
A 6.2 magnitude earthquake has rocked Northern Georgia. The earthquake was centered at 42.712°N, 43.483°E which is about 4 miles from Gebi, Georgia. The hypocentral depth of the earthquake was set at 6.2 miles by program. An aftershock measuring magnitude 5 has rocked the area again. No word on damage or injuries.
AP reports that Russia is vowing a “military” response to the missile shield in Europe. Reuters is reporting that the US is scrapping a planned port call in Poti to deliver humanitarian aid. Tensions between the United States and Russia may be getting out-of-control. Scrapping the port call may be an effort by the US [...]
Russia says it has information that Georgia is planning to attack Abkhazia, an autonomous republic of Georgia.
This video purports to show Georgian propaganda and a certain gentleman in various roles. Green helmet guy? Watch and decide for yourself. One note, I believe it was the Jawa Report that coined the phrase “Green Helmet Guy” after a Lebanese man that was caught faking some carnage and mourning during a conflict with Israel.
Georgian TV reporter Tamara Urushadze was shot by a sniper during a report about humanitarian aid: Tamara, you are one brave lady. If that had been me, I would have been screaming like Chris Tucker in Rush Hour. Ahhh, just kidding, well…… Commenters on various sites are saying this video is fake. I haven’t read [...]
Missile Defense Advocacy said today that Russia has launched over two dozen SS-21 short-range ballistic missiles into Georgian territory.
David A. Fulghum at Aviation Week says U.S. analysts are wondering why the “Israeli Air Force was able to penetrate Syria’s Russian-made air defenses, while the Russian Air Force was not able to finesse Georgia’s Russian-made air defenses.” I’m sure that’s a point Moscow is already pondering.
Russia has apparently prepared a tactical nuclear response option should the United States and Nato intervene in Georgia. In an interview with Amy Goodman at Democracy Now, Col. Sam Gardiner, USAF(Ret.) noted that Russia had moved two SS-21 medium-range ballistic missile launchers into South Ossetia. The SS-21 can be both conventional and nuclear he said. [...]
From Black Flag at the Jawa Report: “True to form there’s appears to have been a cooperative effort between the cyber attacks and the military attacks on the ground in Georgia. Whether the attacks are the work of the Russian government or that of those sympathetic to their cause remains to be seen. Estonia recently [...]
