Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: busy

Heartbreak: War in Georgia

Russia has attacked Georgia; Georgia has declared war. They're fighting over a bitty little place that allegedly wants to break away from Georgia, most probably due to Russian machinations.

Fighting with Russia spreads to cities across Georgia
TBLISI, Georgia
Bombs rocked Tbilisi early Saturday morning as the fight between Georgia and Russia over a breakaway region intensified and moved into the Georgian capital. Government buildings, including the Parliament, were evacuated when the bombs fell. Heavy casualties have reported on both sides since Russian forces moved Friday into South Ossetia, a pro-Russian autonomous region of Georgia.


*mourn* Of the places my world travel has taken me, two of them live in my heart for all time: Cuernavaca, Mexico and Tblisi, Georgia. I remember the tree-clad mountains and the little stone monasteries. I remember the fey, beautiful language twining across the buildings like vines, a ripple of sound impossible to catch in Cyrillic or English lettering. Gods know I tried. I've seen dictionaries with English transliterations but they ... lose a bit, putting it on paper. The Georgians fell in love with a half-asleep hobby-linguist who wandered downstairs one morning and mumbled an echo of what was presumably "Good morning" in Georgian; and the hobby-linguist fell in love back.

Now I have to wonder if the people and places I remember are still there. The chain running between two monasteries: is that still there? The little room I slept in above the stone courtyard? Even the creepy staring-Jesus painting? The so-soft pine trees I petted, how many of them are splinters now? These things that stood through so much history, I thought they'd outlive me ... what's left? I'll never know.

And in the back of my mind, in the normally quiet place inhabited by the parts of me that speak other languages, the shy half-tongued Georgian has picked a squalling catfight with Russian-speaking Sonja, while the rest of my speaker-selves stand back going, " ...shit! Now what do we do?"

War is such a waste. I wish humanity would learn this wretched lesson so we could TURN THE PAGE.
Tags: personal, politics
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  • 12 comments
elfinecstasy

elfinecstasy

August 9 2008, 22:23:23 UTC 12 years ago

*sending up a prayer*
seticat

seticat

August 9 2008, 22:46:20 UTC 12 years ago

That was one of the bizarre dichotomies of yesterday while I was watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. Watching the Russian team walk in tall and proud under the flag of their nation and knowing that they most probably didn’t know that their Motherland was now at war.

Images of peace from one side of the world on one TV channel and footage of bombs and tanks just a wrist flip away on another. Bizarre.
haikujaguar

haikujaguar

August 9 2008, 23:18:38 UTC 12 years ago

I'm so sorry, arii.
ysabetwordsmith

...

ysabetwordsmith

August 9 2008, 23:36:26 UTC 12 years ago

*lean*
themaskmaker

themaskmaker

August 10 2008, 01:53:08 UTC 12 years ago

Oooooohhhhhh.....

*silently standing with you*

Deleted comment

Don't think that all russian same.

Anonymous

August 11 2008, 06:00:48 UTC 12 years ago

I'm russian, and I saw many people, who don't like Sakashwilli, but have nothing against georgians. Problem in georgia politics, not in georgians or russians.

Line.blog.ru
ysabetwordsmith

Re: Don't think that all russian same.

ysabetwordsmith

August 11 2008, 06:11:01 UTC 12 years ago

Well, not all the people of any country are the same. I met plenty of Russians and Georgians when I visited; those are the impressions I'm going on. I'm very glad to hear that some Russians are okay about Georgians. Our Russian tour guide threw an absolute fit over me learning a half-dozen words of Georgian, so that stuck in my mind.

"Problem in georgia politics, not in georgians or russians."

I think that is the most sensible and reliable thing I've heard on this topic thus far. *sigh* But if there's a way to pry politics out of human interactions, short of dismantling civilization, I haven't found it yet.

Re: Don't think that all russian same.

Anonymous

August 13 2008, 06:02:41 UTC 12 years ago

In Russia, we going to start project of free information site. We want make place, where people from different countries can see, what show on TV, write in newspapers in other countries. Place of truth, where all can see both sides of every conflict.

If people will know true, they will able to stop wrong and help right. Not only in Russia, not only in USA, not only in China - but everywhere.

I'll give link, when it will be done, if you want.

Line (line.blog.ru)
browngirl

browngirl

August 10 2008, 14:29:16 UTC 12 years ago

Oh, no. This is awful.

Thank you for telling us about Tbilisi and Georgia. You've given me a mental image, not just a name anymore.

did You really belive it?

Anonymous

August 11 2008, 05:48:06 UTC 12 years ago

Russian peacemakers was attacked by georgian. But now I see, that all saying "Russia begin war". It's very bad, that USA and Euro haven't good information about Osetia.

From Russia,
line.blog.ru
ysabetwordsmith

Re: did You really belive it?

ysabetwordsmith

August 11 2008, 05:59:52 UTC 12 years ago

Believe ... well, I'm not there. I didn't see the fight start. But I know you don't live next door to Russia without being damn stubborn, which the Georgians are; and I know the Russians are extremely good at starting things and making it look like someone else's fault. My best guess is that nobody's hands are perfectly clean, but it's the Russians bombing the crap out of Georgia. I'm not happy about that.

I'm also not sure how to stop it. It's not like I have a competent government handy that I can pester to go over there and tell them to sit in their own corners and play nice. If America went over there, it would just make things worse. *ponder* Though if Obama weren't so busy, he'd be worth a try. He's good at bridgework.

Re: did You really belive it?

Anonymous

August 13 2008, 06:04:33 UTC 12 years ago

You right, there are many bloodied hands. But now looks like conflict is going to end. Georgian forces pushed out from Osetia, Russian army returns home, in South Osetia now only peacemakers.

Not many peoples returning to their homes, because a lot of buildings was damaged. No electric, no water...
It will be hard winter for the people.

I don't think, Obama can help. There nobody believe Saakashwili, so there need other Georgia leader, who really can promise and keep peace.

Line. (line.blog.ru)