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Q u o t e:

By Antarres

Ossetians are an ethnic group. They aren't Russian people.

The Ossetians in South Ossetia are part of the Republic of Georgia. Georgia has offered a lot of autonomy to the South Ossetians. The South Ossetian Seperatists declined this offer and wanted full independence from Georgia or reunification with North Ossetia (both options would practicly annex it into the Russian Federation).

Becuase the seperatists refuse to accept a lot of autonomy from Georgia this conflict has dragged on becuase Georgia is unwilling to lose territory to Russia. Meanewhile Russia, already in possesion of North Ossetia and stationed in South Ossetia as "neutral" peacekeeping officers, has been backing up and supplying the seperatist movement in South Ossetia while "keeping peace".

One of the policies of the Kremlin is to "Russificate" the ethnicies under it's rule. Installing Russian ethnics in leader positions in areas that are/were inhabited by non-russian ethnics. Making Russian the language in government buildings, tv-channels, newspapers in the areas., etc and making Russian a prime part of the education in the areas under their rule.

The reason the Ossetians in North Ossetia aren't at war for independence from the Kremlin is that they have for all intents and purposes become Russian becuase of those policies (which have been there for decades).

In the meantime while keeping the peace Russia has been "russificating" the Ossetian people of South Ossetia. Granting them Russian pasports and citizinship in the process while peacekeeping and backing up the seperatist movement. Preventing the region from becoming a part of the republic of Georgia and becoming more and more Russian.

This while it has been established as a part of Georgia. Georgia, becoming desperate and seeing where it's going to lead in South Ossetia with the seperatist movement unwilling to negotiate resorted to millitary actions in South Ossetia as a last resort to quell the rebel millitant seperatists who are being armed by Russia.

Russia proceeded to attack the whole republic of Georgia on the pretext of protecting it's own citizens.

So I still think and am of the opinion that the Kremlin is largely to blame for the current situation.

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