Peace Corps in Georgia Redux
The blog of two Peace Corps members in Georgia.
Well, today is 17th, and this all started on the 7th/8th. I’m writing from Armenia, where C and I have been evacuated along with the rest of the volunteers in Peace Corps Georgia. The situation has stopped being violent, but continues to deteriorate.
Russian forces control the major east/west highway, including the towns of Poti, Senaki, Zestaponi, Zugdidi, Gori, Khashuri, and several villages within 30 miles of Tbilisi. There are unconfirmed reports that a railway bridge in Borjomi, about 45 minutes from our site, was destroyed, which would indicate Russian presence. The Georgian/Russian ceasefire seems to be holding, with the caveat that Russian troops are expanding, not contracting, their presence in Georgia. This is somewhat in violation of the written document, but contradiction is one thing that the Russians do so love to embrace.
Watching Russian TV is quite an experience. My favorite move so far is showing NATO patches on the bodies of Georgian troops, and claims that Georgians had executed entire villages of South Ossetians. Russian media manipulation is a real sight to behold when it’s running at full steam. There are just flat out lies being told to the Russian people, mainly to encourage anti-Georgian sentiment and further justify the presence of Russian troops. It makes me so angry to see this kind of blatant lying.
On the Khashuri front, there are confirmed reports of Russian troops engaging in looting. It absolutely breaks me to see the occupation of Georgia continuing, and even getting more intense as time goes on.
Table of contents for War in Georgia
- Russia Invades Georgia
- The United States and Georgia
- Georgian Brigade Urgently Recalled From Iraq?
- Russian Bombing Georgian Port and Military Bases
- Report from Georgia
- State Dept Demands Russia Pullback
- Latest From Georgia Fighting
- Cossacks Move to Attack Georgia
- Heavy Fighting, Bombings in Georgia
- Russian Invasion Expands Targets in Georgia
- Update on Peace Corps in Georgia
- We Are Putin Fanatics
- Russia’s Attack on Georgia
- Joint statement on Georgia-Russia War
- Russians Preplanned Georgia Invasion
- Russian Navy Blockades Georgia, Ukraine Concerned
- Pipeline Attacks Confirmed in Georgia
- Invasion of Georgia Continues
- Summary of Recent Air Attacks in Georgia
- U.S. Completes Georgian Troop Redeployment
- Bush Send Military to Aid Georgia
- Air Force Lands in Georgia
- I want to fight fiercely alongside the U.S. Army
- Peace Corps in Georgia Redux
- I am Tamari from Rustavi, Georgia
- Navy Aid Flies in to Georgia
- U.S. Ships Enter Black Sea to Aid Georgia
- US Navy Arrives at Georgian Port
- 500 Tons of Aid to Georgia
- New Pictures of Navy Relief Efforts in Georgia
- Update on US Assistance to Georgia
- The Rubble of Georgian Lives
- Fact Sheet: U.S. Support for Georgia
- USS Mount Whitney Brings Aid to Georgia
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