...during the invasion of Georgia by Russia. Written by a student at the University of Missouri - Columbia. David is Georgian himself, as he notes in his note, reprinted here with permission.
Here at Castle Argghhh!, we found ourselves in the midst of the Russian InfoOps campaign almost immediately, with the email that prompted this post apparently from a retired russian Lieutenant Colonel, named Vadim.
Today, let's hear from the other side. On Aug 18, 2008, at 8:38 PM, Javakhadze, David wrote:
Regardless of the truth of the matter - one thing remains clear... it sucks to be in the middle of a battle, especially if you are a non-combatant. Bad enough if you're fighting - but the sense of helplessness as a sheep amongst the wolves and sheepdogs is profound.
Though some sheep will transform. The question is into what? Sheepdog? Or wolf?
Here at Castle Argghhh!, we found ourselves in the midst of the Russian InfoOps campaign almost immediately, with the email that prompted this post apparently from a retired russian Lieutenant Colonel, named Vadim.
Today, let's hear from the other side. On Aug 18, 2008, at 8:38 PM, Javakhadze, David wrote:
As Vadim pointed out, there are at least two sides to every story, and this little war is being fought as much an info-op as it is with bombs and bullets.Here is my story how I was travelling from Georgia to Columbia... I was eyewitness of terrible things committed by Russian troops..
I came back to Columbia from Georgia on August 11. Situation there was terrible and I was really lucky to leave Georgia alive. I'm originally from West Georgia, from Kutaisi, and began my travel on August 9th, when Russian troops begin to attack our forces and completely invaded Gori.
I left my home city Kutaisi (West Georgia) on Saturday morning by my brother's car together with him. Once leaving Kutaisi, we got information that near Gori was tank battle, but highway still was not closed. So we decided to hurry and after two hours reached suburbs of Gori. The only way from west Georgia to east goes through Gori.
Once we were there, city still was defended by Georgian army and Russian forces were terrible bombarding it by jet bombers and artillery. I by my own eyes saw a lot of civilian casualties, destroyed civilian facilities, houses, schools. We stopped and asked Georgian solders whether road to Tbilisi (our capital ) was open or not.
Suddenly, we heard some terrible voice in the air and half of 5-floor building near us was destroyed by Russian artillery bomb and completely huge fire blasted everything. Soldiers began to calm us down, we terrible scared jumped in our car and they pointed out how to get out of city.
As we know now, on Sunday Gori was fall, our troops left it and major part of the civilian population was evacuated. We have more than one hundred thousand refugees from this region. Russian militaries gain control over the city and begin to destroy everything left from bombarding. We reached Tbilisi on Saturday night and were completely shocked by what we saw... My flight from Tbilisi international airport was scheduled on late Sunday night. During my boarding, airport was twice evacuated because of bombarding, flight was delayed more than 5 hours and once finally we took off, we saw how Russian jet bombers begin to attack airport and as I know they completely destroy navigation and radar systems.
Russian troops completely invaded all major cities of West and East Georgia and circled our capital. Once I reached Columbia, I contacted my family in Georgia, even though fire officially seized [he means cease fire], still there are some fights and Russian attack still continues. Even though whole civilized world is on our side, Russian militaries and there dictator leaders does not care and continue to commit there evil deeds and crimes against humanity. As they officially say Georgia is punished because we want to build civilized and democratic society, we are punished because we want freedom. These values are unknown and unacceptable for Russian tyrannical leaders. I hope that together whole civilized world with the leadership of USA will be able somehow to stop Russian aggression.
David
Regardless of the truth of the matter - one thing remains clear... it sucks to be in the middle of a battle, especially if you are a non-combatant. Bad enough if you're fighting - but the sense of helplessness as a sheep amongst the wolves and sheepdogs is profound.
Though some sheep will transform. The question is into what? Sheepdog? Or wolf?
(btw: Hello Boris!)
(i really do miss having to answer phones that way!)
As I said before and I have not changed, I have seen no evidence of any change. I believe there are no innocent parties. Very few things happen in a vacuum.
@ Mike, John appears to be feeling better, just about enough to be a "royal rectal discomfort". Somebody's got to get him into trouble! This would keep him occupied. Your comment about us "returning to our 'Cold War Roots", just what we need. "NAH!"
As I said over to Murdoc's place, I would venture that those T-62's are part of the Chechnyan contingent that tagged along for the fun. They are a rough bunch, much like the folks who followed Zhkov into Berlin, and I have no doubt that their actions regarding Georgians are cut from the same pattern. It explains why Putin could look the reporter square in the eye and claim that no Russian troops were involved in any criminal actions.
The bear has just come out of his cave and is looking for a good meal. He's rather famished, it seems.