The first thing you'll see on the Republic of Georgia's presidential Web site is a heartbreaking listing of medals awarded for courage in "defending the motherland." Little Georgia has far too few troops to defend itself from Russia's forces. Equally upsetting is the video of Russian planes dropping bombs within full view of international news crews' cameras. Nonetheless, we need to see it. It's important to know what's going on there. Visit
http://www.president.gov.ge and click on "Video Material" in the lower left corner.
And here, in case you have not read it, is Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili's address to his people and the world:
My dear fellow citizens,
I would like to brief you about the events that took place last night.
As you all know, we initiated military operations after separatist rebels in South Ossetia bombed Tamarasheni and other villages under our control. Most of the territory of South Ossetia has been liberated and is now under the control of Georgian law enforcement agencies.
Last night, Georgian law enforcement agencies liberated the Tsinagra region, the Znauri region, the village of Dmenisi (one of the biggest village in the region), Gormi, and Xetagurovo. They also have surrounded Tskhinvali, most of which has been liberated. As I speak, fighting is taking place in the city center.
The fighting was initiated by the separatist regime. Aircraft entered Georgian airspace from the territory of the Russian Federation and the attack was carried out from the North.
I also would like to address the international community.
A large-scale military aggression is taking place against Georgia. Over the past few minutes and hours, Russia has been bombing our territory and our urban areas. This can only be described as a classic international aggression.
I would like to address the Russian Federation.
Cease your bombardment of peaceful Georgian towns immediately.
Georgia did not seek confrontation, Georgia was not the aggressor, and Georgia will not give up its territories. Georgia will not renounce its freedom and sovereignty.
We have mobilized tens of thousands of reserve officers, and the mobilization process continues.
We all have to unite in this very important and difficult moment for our homeland, when our future and our freedom are under threat-when others are trying to hijack our future and our liberty. We all have to unite. We should not be afraid. We should not be afraid of their bombs, of their attacks, of their aggression-we are stronger than that.
This is our homeland. We are defending our country, our home, Georgia-and we are defending Georgia’s future.
We must unite. All of us, hundreds of thousands of Georgians here and abroad, should come together, unite, and fight to save Georgia. We are a freedom-loving people, and if our nation is united, no aggressor will be able to harm it.
We will not give up, and we will achieve victory. I call on everyone to mobilize. I declare, here and now, a universal mobilization of the nation and the Republic of Georgia. I hereby announce that reserve officers are called up-everyone must come to mobilization centres and fight to save our country.
We will prevail, because we are fighting for our homeland, our Georgia. If we stand together, there is no force that can defeat Georgia, defeat freedom, defeat a nation striving for freedom-no matter how many planes, tanks, and missiles they use against us.
Long live Georgia, and may God save her and all of us.