UPDATED WITH PRESIDENT’S RESPONSE…What Should We Do In The Russia v Georgia Conflict?
UPDATE: It was terse and to the point:
In a Rose Garden statement Monday, Bush said there appeared to be an attempt by Russia to unseat Georgia’s pro-Western president, Mikhail Saakashvili.
He demanded an immediate cease-fire, the withdrawal of Russian troops from the conflict zone and a return to the status quo as of Aug. 6.
On the same subject, Obama calls for Security Council resolution on Georgia ” even though, er, Russia has veto power
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Fresh from the headlines, you can read;
Russian expands blitz, deploys ships
RUSSIAN NAVY SINKS GEORGIAN BOAT CARRYING MISSILE LAUNCHERS...
WAR: Russian jets targeted major oil pipeline...
So what does the United States Of America do in this situation?
Unless I’m mistaken, we’ve signed no security guarantees with Georgia. But we are discussing bringing them into NATO, we’re training and supplying their soldiers, and they’ve been fighting in Iraq on our side.
So we’re not bound to do anything to help Georgia–except by our commitment to supporting freedom and opposing tyranny around the world. We’ve staked much of our identity as a nation on exactly that commitment, and as Georgian President Saakashvili notes, our reputation is under scrutiny
Jimmie has a good take on the situation that led to the fighting. One glaringly obvious goal? The removal of a democratically elected government that is too friendly with the west and not nearly servile enough to Russia.
(U.S. UN Ambassador Zalmay) Khalilzad disclosed during a U.N. Security Council session that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had told U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Sunday morning “that a democratically elected president of Georgia ” and I quote ” must go.”
“I’d like to say straightaway that regime change is an American expression,” (Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly) Churkin said. “We do not use such an expression. But sometimes there are occasions, and we know from history, that there are different leaders who come to power, either democratically or semi-democratically, and they become an obstacle.”
(Russian Foreign Minister Sergei) Lavrov later told reporters in Moscow that Rice had misinterpreted his remarks. Referring to Georgia’s president, Lavrov said Russia can no longer view “a man who issued orders to commit war crimes” as a negotiating partner and therefore “without the departure of Saakashvili it is impossible to stop the conflict in South Ossetia.”
Meanwhile, Georgians are wondering, where is the U.S.?
As a Russian jet bombed fields around his village, Djimali Avago, a Georgian farmer, asked me: “Why won’t America and Nato help us? If they won’t help us now, why did we help them in Iraq?”
Where are we and what can we realistically do for them?
August 11, 2008 - 10:23 AM on August 11th, 2008
Paging Charlie Wilson…
Russia still has nukes, and I doubt the US will risk WWIII over Georgia. Any help we offer will be covert and minimal. This truly a tragedy for the free world, but I fear Putin will seize the entire country.
August 11, 2008 - 03:06 PM on August 11th, 2008
This is outrageous and totally unacceptable! Foreign troops attacking Georgia! This is yet another failure of GWB and the Neocons! We cannot put up with them any longer! We can’t wait until November! Remove Bush immediately and bring in Obama, NOW!!!
What’s next after Georgia? South Carolina? Tennessee? WE NEED Obama NOW!!!
August 11, 2008 - 09:28 PM on August 11th, 2008
Lenny, you moved to Zimbabwe yet?
August 11, 2008 - 10:52 PM on August 11th, 2008
Hey Lenny,
I believe that you missed your opportunity to join up with the mothership behind the “Hale-Bopp” coment. As they say some many fools, not enough comets.
August 11, 2008 - 11:32 PM on August 11th, 2008
Bwaaa ha ha ha ha!!! Lenny would move to Zimbabwe, but the Oabama campaign needs him badly. Now more than ever since the Messiah is steadily sinking in the polls.
August 12, 2008 - 05:40 PM on August 12th, 2008
I guess should proof read my own comments before submission. I was just so heated over liberal “Lennys” comments that I lost all sense of grammatical direction. I turned at least three shades of blood pressure red. I have this mental picture of what I believe Lenny looks like. A tall skinny red haired Woody Allen look alike with crooked teeth and bad breath. My guess is that he is probably a “Sci-Fi” nut who collects plastic monster figurines and eats “Mac and Cheese at least three times a week. The only women that he’s probably been intimate with is laying in the corner of his closet and requires an auto compresser to get her going.
August 12, 2008 - 06:13 PM on August 12th, 2008
Lou,
You gave me the best laugh of the day!
Thank you sir!
August 12, 2008 - 08:40 PM on August 12th, 2008
Thank You Pam,
I’m just stating what I believe to be the truth. I see these clowns every day, and believe me it does not get any easier. Sometimes I want to pull these liberals through the wing window of their left wing sticker embellished volvo; but hey, I’m not a violent guy at all. It just feels good to get it out sometimes. Tell Lenny to have a slice of pumpernickle on me. No hard feelings.
August 12, 2008 - 08:55 PM on August 12th, 2008
Laugh if you like you bigots but you won’t be laughing if the attack on Georgia widens. I only worry about between now and when President Obama takes office and cleans up the republican mess once and for all.
And what’s wrong with macaroni and cheese? Those of us working for change we can believe in are often very busy and don’t have time for anything other than fast foods. Mac and cheese is a great fast meal.
And that remark about women? More sexism, no doubt. Actually it turns out Liberal Democratic women are wonderful. And they appreciate progressive metrosexuals like me. So theres another of your bubbles burst.
You neocons just don’t get it do you? Progressives are changing this country fast, closer to an ideological and political image more like the advanced societies of Europe. You people don’t understand it so you are predictably afraid of it (and anything you don’t understand). Give up your tired old mores and hangups! Let go of your guns and religion and vote for Obama!
August 13, 2008 - 09:09 PM on August 13th, 2008
NAh, I think I’ll keep my guns. Might need them to fix the country should the Dems get any more power in the election. My oath was to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. With the Dems supporting:
1. Censorship (a violation of the 1st amendment) in the form of political correctness.
2. Censorship (a violation of the 1st amendment) in the form of the (un)fairness doctrine
3. Gun Control (a violation of the 2nd amendment)
It’s not too hard to see them as enemies of the Constitution. Their anti American/ anti capitalist policies combined with their horrid records on corruption doesn’t exactly make them the beacon of ethics in government either.
August 13, 2008 - 11:24 PM on August 13th, 2008
The sad reality is that any military response is off the table at this point. We are spread out rather thin and since we decided to go to war instead of forcing Sadam out, we lack street cred to push a decision our way.
Anyone know the address of where Bin Laden is locked up? Just checking…
NY-David
August 14, 2008 - 01:10 AM on August 14th, 2008
It doesn’t matter with regard to our military status. No way in hell would we engage in a military confrontation with Russia over Georgia. Lots of posturing and face-saving going on but that’s all.
Like China and Taiwan. No way in hell we confront China and risk conventional war or worse over Taiwan.
August 14, 2008 - 05:27 AM on August 14th, 2008
Not sure why we went to war over Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait (once their former territory) and we don’t invade over Georgia. Perhaps not exactly the same because I think the Georgian’s did some things to provoke it, but the similarity is too real.
NY-David
August 14, 2008 - 04:43 PM on August 14th, 2008
hey plain and simple we should go kick butt.suit me up ill go