Russian Forces Begin to Shut Georgia Checkpoints

The Soviets refuse to give up their conquests from the violent and dangerous Georgian barbarians. Why should they? Can anyone stand up to them?

Russian Forces Begin to Shut Georgia Checkpoints - NYTimes.com: "Russian peacekeeping forces dismantled one checkpoint and were at work removing several others on Sunday, five days before a deadline for Russian troops to withdraw from buffer zones outside the separatist enclaves of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

The activity came two days after an explosion in Tskhinvali, the South Ossetian capital, killed eight Russian soldiers and three Ossetian civilians, threatening to disrupt the schedule for withdrawal.

Georgian authorities said the moves were signs that Russia would meet the deadline.

“They have probably decided to continue with the withdrawal,” said Shota Utiashvili, a senior official for Georgia’s Interior Ministry. “We expect by the 10th, it will be over.”

A peace deal brokered by President Nicolas Sarkozy of France set Oct. 10, this Friday, as the deadline for Russian troops to yield the buffer zones to Georgia. European Union monitors have been carrying out patrols in the buffer zones since last Wednesday in preparation for the transfer."