Article

2008-08-11 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

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Posted by john frum 2008-08-11 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views ] Top

#1 I find this surprising, are they beholden to Moscow for energy or something?

Posted by Lonzo Unolump2106 2008-08-11 07:51|| 2008-08-11 07:51|| Front Page Top

#2 Quid pro quo for the Russians slow rolling Teheran on nuke equipment I suspect. But that's just an uneducated guess.

Posted by lotp 2008-08-11 08:32|| 2008-08-11 08:32|| Front Page Top

#3 are they beholden to Moscow for energy or something?

Israel's Energy Ambitions

As is the case with Turkey, Israel is another Mediterranean country seeking to capitalize on geopolitics with regard to the B.T.C. pipeline. Israel imports nearly all of its needed oil -- about 300,000 barrels per day -- with 20 percent coming from Azerbaijan. In recent weeks, Azerbaijan announced that it would be increasing its exports to Israel via the B.T.C. Israel currently imports much of its oil and gas via the Tipline, which extends from Ashkelon on the Mediterranean coast to Eilat on the Gulf of Aqaba and leads into the Red Sea. Tel Aviv and Ankara recently announced in April plans to carry water, electricity, natural gas and oil to Israel by way of a proposed Ceyhan-Ashkelon-Eilat passage. Such a corridor would be controlled by Israel, which many consider a favorable prospect for Western interests, and would allow for the shipment of Caspian and Central Asian gas and oil to Asian markets including India, Japan and South Korea, thereby bypassing Russia entirely.

Posted by john frum 2008-08-11 09:11|| 2008-08-11 09:11|| Front Page Top

#4 The pipeline project linking Turkey to Israel originally proposed by Israel at the time was an underwater pipeline from the Turkish terminal of Ceyhan to the port of Haifa.

Indian Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar said in the first week of June that India was considering a proposal from Israel for the supply of oil from the BTC pipeline. Israel has told the Indian government that a pipeline between Turkey and Israel will deliver oil to the Israeli port of Eilat, from where it could be shipped to India. All the proWestern states in the region seem keen to cash in on the black gold that promises to start flowing soon from Baku.

Posted by john frum 2008-08-11 09:16|| 2008-08-11 09:16|| Front Page Top

#5 why the need for elaborate explanations when the Russian blackmail is stated right there in the article? Do you think the Russians WOULDNT increase arms to Syria and Iran in response? Do you think thats NOT a concern to Israel?

Posted by superstitiousGalitizianer 2008-08-11 09:22|| 2008-08-11 09:22|| Front Page Top

#6 Well, Russia's already sending lots of arms to Syria and Iran atm _anyway_; most of the artillery park Hezbollah has lined up for the Next War comes from Russia to begin with.

None of it came from Georgia, AFAIK.

Posted by Abdominal Snowman 2008-08-11 09:56|| 2008-08-11 09:56|| Front Page Top

#7 Also, since Georgia is not going to exists as an independent country, who's going to pay for it?

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2008-08-11 10:30|| 2008-08-11 10:30|| Front Page Top

#8 I doubt the Russians want to annex Georgia. This is about punishment, a brutal mauling by the bear, to serve as an example. They'll withdraw in a few days.

In a few months time, all the support for Saakashvili will have evaporated as the loss of territory sinks in and normal political activity resumes.

Posted by john frum 2008-08-11 10:38|| 2008-08-11 10:38|| Front Page Top

#9 They never annexed Poland, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary etc.
Anyway, I'm thinking the Soviet-Finish model.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2008-08-11 13:23|| 2008-08-11 13:23|| Front Page Top

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