http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/KHII-7HH4ER?OpenDocument

The U.S. humanitarian aid airlift to Georgia is a brilliant policy, much like the Berlin Airlift, although much smaller in scope – so far, at least. The act itself is uncontroversial, nonconfrontational, but a strong statement of support and resolve to the civilians effected by the current crisis. Stalin was caught off guard by the Berlin Airlift, an act which simultaneous demonstrated the humanitarian concern of the United States for the innocent citizens of West Berlin and the capacity of even the then limited USAF air transport fleet – while demonstrating to Congress the need to fund a new generation of transport aircraft. The Berlin Airlift was a real and tangible victory, won without blood being shed.

Hopefully, the delivery of humanitarian aid to Georgia will demonstrate the positive, supportive and universally beneficial nature of U.S. involvement in the Caucasus, while placing current Russian actions within the correct context.

From the aviation standpoint, it serves as another demonstration of the value of keeping the C-17 production line open. Humanitarian aid delivered by a strategic ranged, but tactical field capable C-17 shows national resolve, and represents an attainable but substantial capability that can be used to aid civilians against violence and coercion.

Nobody right in this conflict. Georgia started a military operation after 15 years of Russian “peacekeeping” in the area – both in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. All 15 years Russia took side of separatists and encouraged anti-Georgian hysteria at home. An independence referendum in South Ossetia took place after killing thousands Georgians and after tens of thousands of Georgians refugees flew from there. It is right that Soviets divided the Ossetian nation, but the reason was not political, but economical – there is a mountain ridge between North and South Ossetia, and nobody was against it till Georgia declared its independence. The declaration that South Ossetia region is historically Ossetian also wrong – in 1878 there was no Ossetians in Tshinvali, in 1920 – about 6% of the population. I’d like to avoid “genocide” terminology, but both Ossetians and Georgians killed enough people to hate each other. The only difference between them that Saakashvili was first and only politician that tried to reach peace, unfortunately Mr Putin personally don’t like him at all and peace had no chance there.

Thank you for offering a fair and balanced synopsis of the background of the current conflict. I think that you summarized the conflict best with your first sentence:

Nobody right in this conflict.

BAMSE and Aster would be an interesting solution if they could afford it. Either one will kill an aircraft just as well as an S-400. (an S-400 ain’t gonna make it deader 😉 ) Other than that, like you pointed out, a cheap 2nd-hand jet with decent performance and some good AAMs.

I think that degree of ABM capability might be useful consider that 15 SS-21 missiles were fired at Georgia – enough to be a threat but not enough to saturate a couple of PAC-2/3 batteries.

Taking into consideration the current situation, it’s hard to see any nation willing to provide Georgia any jet fighters for many years to come, even if funds were available.

Why? I think that only Russia has been eliminated as a potential supplier?

Georgia claims Russians have cut country in half

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D92G8QE81&show_article=1

Does anybody have any information about the airlift from Iraq?

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jsG34CupjldAADG5IyIjZKHfoxZQ

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jiafUbbRzef5Bap4RvqbtLjfj_vgD92FC68O0

Ukraine may block return of Russian warships in operations off the coast of Georgia from returning to the Crimea.

What Russian naval aviation remains in Crimea?

Heads up – Footage of SU-25 attack on BBC TV Crew – now!!!

Here’s the link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7552958.stm

The Su-25 is Russian, the location is Gori, Georgia, outside South Ossettia, and the incident has happened after the Georgians had withdrawn from South Ossettia. It appears that the BBC crew was in a civilian SUV.