Georgian Invasion an American Plot: Who Knew?

America ordered Georgia to start the conflict that forced Russia to roll tanks into Georgia, sink or steal much of the Georgian navy, and set up checkpoints where only Russian papers allowed passage.

It must be true: Putin said so:

• "...in the Black Sea city of Sochi Thursday, Putin said the U.S. had encouraged Georgia to attack the autonomous region of South Ossetia.
• "Putin told CNN his defense officials had told him it was done to benefit a presidential candidate -- Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama are competing to succeed George W. Bush -- although he presented no evidence to back it up.
• " 'U.S. citizens were indeed in the area in conflict,' Putin said. 'They were acting in implementing those orders doing as they were ordered, and the only one who can give such orders is their leader.'..."
  (CNN (August 28, 2008)) [emphasis mine]

Hats off to CNN for mentioning that "he presented no evidence to back it up."

There's been quite a bit of Monday morning quarterbacking, about what set off the Russian invasion of Georgia. (" 'Quagmire's' Back: Georgia, Russia, Nato, Bush, and the Blame Game" (August 24, 2008)). I think Putin deserves credit for imagination and chutzpah.

I don't buy the implied 'Bush did this to get McCain elected' argument: but my guess is that quite a few people will.

If they don't believe it already.

Interestingly, Putin didn't blame America for blowing that Georgian fuel train (CNN (August 24, 2008)). It's 'obvious' that it America made that train hit a land mine: An Ameican warship arrived in the southern Georgian port of Batumi at about the same time. The American military claims that the ship carried humanitarian supplies - but who knows what dark secrets were hidden below decks?
(This space used to display a photo of spectacularly burning tank cars in Georgia. The train just happened to blow up when it set off a land mine. The article, from August 24, 2008, is still there, CNN isn't displaying the photo any more.)

(That's the great thing about conspiracy theories: a little innuendo will go a long way.)

More odd assertions at

• "Who Knew?
  Assertions and Assumptions from All Over"

In the news:

• "Putin accuses U.S. of orchestrating Georgian war"
  CNN (August 28, 2008)
  • "SOCHI, Russia (CNN) -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has accused the United States of orchestrating the conflict in Georgia to benefit one of its presidential election candidates....
  • " Putin told CNN his defense officials had told him it was done to benefit a presidential candidate -- Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama are competing to succeed George W. Bush -- although he presented no evidence to back it up.
  • " 'U.S. citizens were indeed in the area in conflict,' Putin said. 'They were acting in implementing those orders doing as they were ordered, and the only one who can give such orders is their leader.'..."
  • "...When told that many diplomats in the United States and Europe blame Russia for provoking the conflict and for invading Georgia, Putin said Russia had no choice but to invade Georgia after dozens of its peacekeepers in South Ossetia were killed. He told Chance it was to avert a human calamity...."
• "Vladimir Putin accuses Bush of provoking Georgia conflict to help John McCain"
  TimesOnline (August 28, 2008)
  • "Vladimir Putin accused President Bush tonight of orchestrating the war in Georgia in a plot to get John McCain elected to the White House.
  • "In his most explosive allegation since the South Ossetia crisis erupted, the Russian Prime Minister said that the United States had provoked the conflict to aid the Republican candidate, who is an outspoken critic of the Kremlin.
  • " 'It is not just that the American side could not restrain the Georgian leadership from this criminal act. The American side in effect armed and trained the Georgian army,' Mr Putin said.
  • " 'Why spend years holding difficult negotiations and looking for complicated compromises in ethnic conflicts? It's easier to arm one of the parties and push it to kill the other party, and the job is done.' ..."
• "Huge fire as Georgian train hits landmine"
  CNN (August 24, 2008)
  • "TBILISI, Georgia (CNN) -- A train carrying fuel hit a mine and burst into flames near the Georgian city of Gori Sunday morning, according to an Interior Ministry spokesman.
  • "The explosion, which happened on the railway tracks in the village of Skra, caused a huge fire, the spokesman said. A television report said 10 tanker cards were on fire, according to The Associated Press.
  • "There were no immediate reports casualties, but reports said two houses were damaged and windows were blown out, AP reported. Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili blamed Russia for the blast.
  • "In another development Sunday, a U.S. Navy warship carrying humanitarian aid anchored in the southern Georgian port of Batumi on Sunday, AP reported....

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