Emp_Palpatine

I don't think Chinese design get Nato names.

Wasn't it Libya? (Funny, when you know how Qaffafi likes to loath "western" human rights and want to promote is own-written "Green Charter of Human rights" (whose efficiency, while living in Libya, I haven't found obvious ). Cuba also is or was in the HRC. So was China, etc...

May be not in Britain. But trust me, it was on this side of the Chanel: strength of the Communist party and movements and the hegemonic influence of Marxist-communist intelligentsia. Soljenistsine was one of the wake up call, but the way he was received here is sufficient enough to show how intelligentsia (apart from the few conservative intellectual) saw Soviet Union. In 1989, some said, in december: "Sovietism balance is positive".

I've always liked those strange reworked, two-engined Fishbed. Can't wait to have them in my gunsight!

The fact is newly freed countries in Europe had two main goals for their diplomacy: joining NATO and joining the EU. In this priority: - Nato is the only key to security, as behind Nato there are the United States might and will. They are not fools and do not -still today- count on western europe to help them against any threat (read Russia). - The EU was there as a symbol of being back into Europe, no longer be a soviet puppet, and as a mean to gain more prosperity. But it was the second priority, the first one being survival and security. Nato. All these countries always choose the Atlantic and NATO before the EU when confronted to conflicting options, and I do think they are very right. But you might be used to my ongoing "love" for the EU and my poor appreciation of my western european fellows (my own country men included). And another point: there are more people that want the US being stripped from their veto in UN than Russia. Don't play with that... Just wish a thing: get ride of the UN! That stuff isn't good to resolve political crisis. It might do good jobs on other issues (humanitarian or whatever), but just a new League of Nations on the political scene. Useless and most dangerous, as its General Assembly do have a majority of dictatorships and other radical countries in.

And don't forget the giving out of russian passports. Europe do import Gas. At least, in France, we still have our own civil nuclear network, so Gas does not count that much. Germany and others might soon understand the meaning of "energy independence". But speaking of resolve, remember our executive just cut out military spending here in France, arguing "Military role is now a security one, protecting from terrorists and do police forces over seas" "States against states confrontation are things of the past". Bulls**t... Resolve? I'm afraid Europe won't have any, even if there were Russian troops in Riga, Tallin and Vilnius or Warsaw (East-european -or close cousins, as Georgians- do understand what freedom is and would stand, but in Western europe... ).

Did I wrote I supported intervention in Kosovo?

US army is actually good (and improving) at COIN operations now. Things have been learned the hard way, but in research material, be sure american ways of doing such operations are now inspiring influences. The fact is COIN-based wars are just "more difficult" to win, as assymetrical (don't even now how to translate "assymétrie", don't even think about "Dissymétrie") warfare is by nature an hard job. Most armies are used to the classical way of fighting, but I don't doubt a second Russian forces would be quickly wiped out in open field.

In August, because of the initative weakness of Russia (lack of precious "HQ points") and the situation in Serbia, only the French front saw some actions. The gas-supported offensive must go one, before any counter-measures does cancel this avantage (hence the numbered limit of gas attacks: it does not mean gas are no longer used, it just simulate the small number of attacks with effective surprise one can make with new gas, before efficient counter-measures are found and used by the ennemy, cancelling the advantage). Of course, Metz and the Vosges are the goals of these offensives. But the targets are harder nuts to crush now. Metz forts are still holding, with Germans falling back from fortifications to fortifications. But the ennemy cohesion (readiness) and morale are sinking, and the french are advancing with hardly a few loses. In the Vosges mountains, it's thanks to the terrain that the French offensive is slowed down. But as in Metz, the ennemy morale and cohesion is sinking because of those dreadful gas... What seems to be setbacks are indeed quite interesting. Combat reports show that the ennemy readiness is just about to be zero, because of the gas, and that attrition had taken its toll. It won't recover enough by september to prevent success in future offensives. It's not a breakthrough, but it's quite promising

For the two summer months, a big french push in Lorraine, using Gas, is planned. The first weeks of July are used to store up corps, artillery battery and "special" ammo. In a very WW1 fashion, the show began with weeks long artillery barrages. Then, suddenly, the barrage does end, substituted by strange shells emitting enormous clouds of strange fumes from which emerge infantry men in horizon-blue, wearing strange and monstrous masks on their faces. In their trenches, German soldiers are choking, bleeding to death. Those able-bodied enough are just fleeing. The fellow couragous enough to stand are killed either by the gas or by the French soldiers. The German line between Metz and the Vosges had just collapsed. Further North, in the Metz aera, only the huge forts of the city did saved the German line for the time being. In Caucasus, Russian offensive resumes against Ottoman Empire into Turkish Armenia. The Turkish armies are defeated and pushed back to Erzurum forts. In Silesia, Russia does take the initiative back too. Two offensives are planned in order to limit Austrian push and to retake Dubno. Dubno is back into Russian hands. The northern part of the offensive is a failure... In Serbia, British expeditionnary forces efforts to expand their holds are quite mixed. On this front, things are not getting better.

July-August 1915. Strategic phase. Of course, as usual, diplomatic news and actions are flocking, with the same goals as usual. Driving Romania into the Entente would prove to be quite a bad surprise for Bulgaria, and would relieve Serbia of some of its burden. Breakthrough! But only in R&D: first researchs are now available for Assault (or "how to form stormtroopers the way Germany did in 1918 and make trench warfare obsolete") and tanks. Is WW2 already in sights?! Apart from technology, the Entente is gaining power on the terrain: more planes are coming on the front, thanks to production efforts made months ago. And other nasty and bad surprises are ready for the Central Powers... If the Central Powers do not have equal gas technology, it's going to be an important asset in the upcoming weeks.

Looks like it, indeed!

Just like S.O is part of Georgia, gentleman. Just give a look at internationaly recognized borders. Justifications are right when it's Russia/Red China; Wrong when Georgia? Dishonesty is sure a marvellous thing.

Legaly speaking, Georgia is not an agressor but had been attacked: S.O is part of its territory, she has the right to do whatever military operation she wants there. On the contrary, Russia is attacking a foreign country. Had Georgia been in NATO, the defense treaty would have been in effect, and no doubt russians wouldn't have move a toe.

The fact is that such confrontation isn't an option for Russia, too. Their military is still recovering from the post-soviet chaos, among the reasons. Nato and the West should have bet on this: cooling russian staff heads with some show of muscles (planes in Turkey, for instance). Thus, a cease fire on some status-quo would have been easier.

Yeah, ( It's strange you're defending Russia, whereas they are just involving themselves into a separatist conflict for a region that had been part of Georgia for long. It remind me of something... some mountain area called Tibet): Ukraine can do that, and Russia won't be able to get back its loaned port without military action. And Ukraine is by far more able to defend herself. And this time Nato would not stand idle. I do think it's quite a clever move for Kiev. And the little is not always defeated. You may remember your country got licked in a few days by Vietnam in 1979, don't you?

I've read that the infamous G-word, the key to casus belli, has been used by some people here to justify Russian agression... Hell, basing such accusations on 1000-2000 combat-linked casualties and 20 000 refugees (what's more common in war?) is pure brainless propaganda. And it's not surprising coming from Moscow. Mr "we saved S.O from Genocide" should have a look into his own country's deeds in Chechenya. So, separatism is right when in Georgia, wrong when in Russia? Mass killing of civilian are well known in Chechenya, but they seem to be propaganda in the ongoing conflict. The truth is post-soviet Russia is still ashamed by the way she lost her Empire in 1991 and never accepted the independance of former "brother states". It's Georgia turn now, who will be the next? Ukraine? Baltic States? It's a dramatic mistake not to have a firm reaction against Russia. My fear is we'll pay for this. We did not rise to defend Georgia's rights to protect her sovereignty, how shall we when it will be Baltic states?

Pardon me, but legaly speaking, you are not right. Unless all I've learned not so long away about international law has drasticaly changed. Whatever the ethnic majority of a territory is, it does not gave any right to a foreign country to intervene in its neighbour affairs. States are independent and total sovereign over their territories (up, that means kossovo war was totaly illegal) Eraser is right ( By jingo! Am I typing this?! ): Russia's just acting like UK or France would have if they had join the CSA against the Union... Or just like India did in Eastern Pakistan. I want things to be clear: I just want to set who is wrong according to International Law, and IIRC, Russia is. Moral, ethical and such issues are of course another matters. But even if Georgia's hands are not the most clean, I don't believe Russia's the best country in the world regarding minorities wanting to secede (Checheny not that far from Georgia indeed). And of all CIS States, Georgia is indeed one of the most democratic and respectable. Side note... Allowing Russia to act on some ethnic claims might be very dangerous. Remember that the Ukraine, most Baltic States and Central-asian ones all have seizable Russian minorities (quite prone to snivel to the Rodina). We don't want the same thing happening in a few months/years in Estonia or Latvia (both in EU and NATO...) or in the Ukraine and face military/energy blackmailing, don't we?

Come on! Communist party's show is broken?! How saaaaad! This is disgusting to read. You seem to care only about your Munich 1936 reenactement... By the way, regarding current events. It's a nonsense to call Georgia "agressor". Let's go back to basics: Internationaly recognized borders of Georgia do include the South Ossetia region. Is this an agression for a sovereign state to claim sovereignty on its territory? According to international Law, it isn't. Georgia is perfectly right to do what she is doing. Otherwise, South Ossetia would have been part of the UNe The real violation here is Russian: they do mix in a thing that is not their business. Georgia is not a perfect democracy, but it's by far better than most of its neighbours.

I do not like what I'm hearing. Rumors of air raids against Tbilissi, heavy fightings in whatever-the-city's-name, capital of Ossetia, Russian President Medvedev saber rattling and sending his tanks. I wonder how it will evolve...

I do watch profile there quite rarely.

Mirages (and offsprings) here. I'm also quite fond of the F-4. Some ride in F-14/F-16/F-15 are always welcome, by the way.

Things are quite eventful in June too. British Expeditionnary forces in Serbia try some attacks on Central Powers forces in Serbia. The offensive toward Dalmatian coast is a failure because of Austrian entrenchments in the rough terrain. Inland, british soldiers were more successful. But it is still quite light to face up Central Powers onslaught. On the Eastern Front, German armies are launching new offensives in Prussia. They bog down, stopped by Russians entrenchment along the Oder. Unfortunately, Austria-Hungary still have the initiative on the Galician Front (which is not any more in Galicia since a couple of months), despite Russian reinforcement. Whatever, it's high time to remind Ottoman Empire of the war! The Caucasus front is very successful. It should be exploited! And, of course, what about the Western front? Entente high command tries an ad-lib counter-attack in the Ardennes. Once again... Sadly, German forces do stand still, and the defeat here is twofolded by German success in its counter-offensive in Rhineland. Fortunately, a new German attack is defeated in Lorraine. That closes the spring offensive era, Entente armies are back to their starting positions... The war is obviously far from being over...

Looks quite serious... http://www.lemonde.fr/web/video/0,47-0@2-3...-1036786,0.html

It's unbelievable here, all media are showing Red China damn propaganda -oh, I wanted to say "olympic games"- but I came accross this: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hV2N6fV...IdaZ4QD92E0AI00 What's worrying is that those separatists entities are closely supported by Russia since they broke away from Georgia in the early 1990's. And you sure have heard about the numerous military incidents. I hope it won't go too far...