Stalemate Continues

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  • Posted By: wildlifeusa @ 08/16/2008 6:52:05 PM

    Bush does not belong in the white house, he belongs in a mental institution! DO NOT MESS UP OUR PEACE IN EUROPE!!

  • Posted By: wildlifeusa @ 08/16/2008 6:49:32 PM

    As long as we have sociopathes like Bush, Putin and the rest of them, we will never have peace! Wars should be a thing of the past!! THIS IS THE 21 CENTURY!! It is bad for our environement, it kills not only humans, but all other species. WARS MUST STOP!!!

  • Posted By: Verbatim128 @ 08/16/2008 6:46:54 PM

    There is no end to foolishness in the conduct of a foreign policy which meddles in other peoples' internal policy.

  • Posted By: wildlifeusa @ 08/16/2008 6:44:35 PM

    You warmongers, you want to fight the Russians, then invite them to fight on YOUR LAND!!!! Europe does not want any war! We want peace!! People in all countries want peace! It is those politicians who are the real criminals for destroying peoples lives with their evil weapons! All in the same bag, all criminals, and Bush is no exception!

  • Posted By: Katan-Ko @ 08/16/2008 5:44:39 PM

    Why isn't the war dog barking now.? The US was premature in the Afgan and Iraq invasion, we should have attempted a base in Georgia. Soviets want access to oil and to military action. Is anyone thinking other than the financial wizzards at the oil companies. How much more can we pay for gas? I like the guy from Texas
    the transfer of wealth will make us equal to the starving poor in India, soon we can line up for a bowl of rice per day if Walmart wants to continue our rations. Georgia had a democracy - War Dog Attack ? No, we are strong when our mlitary attacks weak countries, why don't we take on the Soviet Union. I guess that is too scary. War Dog, run and hide !

  • Posted By: tvrn @ 08/16/2008 12:34:31 AM

    I hope another world war is not started by another $#@#& Eastern European like WWI.

    • Posted By: Braes @ 08/16/2008 3:40:56 PM

      This guy is a 40 y/o sock-puppet of the CIA that won a rigged election in a color revolution, bought and paid for. There is Oil in this for Europe and the wests sole strategic lever against Russia for energy. Those pipelines are why Oilboy43 and Condi are in Crawford now praying Russia doesn't go full asymetrical on this and arm rebels in Nigeria, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Somalia, and gulf states and really focus on oil and transshipment locations. We would be on our knees in weeks and very cold this winter.
      He has all of our everything elsewhere camping his last Oil misadventure. (And not looking for the tallest palefaced Arab in Afghanistan.)

  • Posted By: Tan Boon Tee @ 08/15/2008 11:33:55 PM

    The Georgia crisis is but only the beginning of a gigantic plan of Russia to restore its former glory that was Soviet Union.

    Ever since Putin took over power from Yeltsin, he had been thinking hard on how to rejuvenate the eminence of the once mighty Soviet Union. As the country???s economy was near collapse then, his hands were tied, and he had to befriend the West. Russia has grown rich (indeed very rich), thanks to its huge abundance of oil and natural gas resources. With the heaven sent wealth, Putin made a bold move forward in confronting the West, while stealthily reviving his military forces so as to be prepared for any likelihood of military engagement.

    Having dealt a big blow to Chechnya, Moscow begins to coerce and dictate terms to the other neighboring states in the former Soviet Union. With the impending involvement and intervention of the US in Georgia, the whole geopolitical scenario may turn real ugly.

    The world might have forgotten the dirty Cold War, but Putin would want to remember. Do not be surprise if the Cold War returns with a vengeance.

    • Posted By: Braes @ 08/16/2008 3:31:42 PM

      I do not believe they will attempt to reassert the Hegemony of the Soviet State. I am sure that they will assist people in an alternative to our system. He also has millions of Russians all over in little Kosovos. Always kicking him might be stupid. I can not recall one statement by the United States in the terms of this President that didn't ridicule or belittle Russian concerns or interests.
      You can't bully all of the people all of the time.

    • Posted By: raddave @ 08/16/2008 5:13:17 AM

      While I do not agree with your assessment of Russia's plans, it might be true. Saying that, Chechnya was not a separate country from Russia, but is a territory of Russia. It would also be very difficult for Russia to gain back all of the countries that were part of the Soviet Union because Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia are now a part of NATO.

  • Posted By: texas1969 @ 08/16/2008 1:51:26 AM

    I odn't understand our Cold War position on this: the georgeian Government broke the 1991 peace agreement by shelling a peaceful city, killing more than 1,500 civilians and making over 30,000 people flee for no apparent reason and basically took on a highly unadvisable military adventure against South Ossetia that historically was always quite autonomous even under the Tzars and where there were 2,000 Russian peacekeepers as agreed by the Georgian Government; only several hours before their sneaky attack on a civilian city/target the President of Georgia announced that the Georgian's will abide by the peace treaty in place and will not look towards resolving the issue of South Ossetia's autonomy by military means; and then they attacked and ravished a city with civilian population with a brutal attack that left, according to BBC, over 1,500 civilains dead only in one day; when the Russian's responded, as ther are supposed to by the agreed peace treaty between Georgia and South Ossetia and "spanked" the volatile President of Georgia for his ill-advised and unnecessary military adventure - by the way the U.S. State Department told him repeatedely not to escalate the situation and never to use military force which he blatantly disregarded - we revert to a Cold War scenario and jump to defend him as a democrat - although just a year or so ago, he brutally quashed teh opposition demonstration against his undemocratic ruling style and closed all the TV and newspaper media, so much so that we had to tell him to stop acting as a dictator as we would stop our support for him - and turn on Russia as a knee-jerk reaction turning us to a new Cold war, although Russia has been extremely useful to us in working with us on teh War on terror supplying us with invaluable information on Al-Quaida and other Muslim terorist organizations, is the second leading supplier of oil to the U.S., has been working with us in attempting to contain Iran, and on resolving the North Korea problem; what has the President of Georgia ever done for us except not listen and create problems for us and indulge in a brutal and genocidal attack on a peaceful civilan target i.e. the capital of South Ossetia. Where are the videos and photos of the capital after the Georgian sneak attack? Where are the interviews and tapes of the refugee stream from South Ossetia? Why are we reporting the view of only one -side of the conflict, the side that staretd it, while immediately and knee-jerkily accusing the other side? Not to defend the Russians, but imagine a pro-Russian leader on our border, who repeatedely attempts to join a Russian defense allaince by provoking conflict with teb U.S. and who bombs and shatters a city with civilains who are pro-USA and hold a U.S. paasport and want indepedenecs from the pro-Russian government. What would we do if they attacked and killed our citizens on our borders?

    • Posted By: Braes @ 08/16/2008 3:16:32 PM

      Hypocrisy layer cakes suck for a foreign policy. We have not demanded equal branches of government to check a reckless executive. Courts need to handle contempt and perjury, and the congress needs facts.
      Private wars engineered for marginal political gain and superpower confrontation are completely stupid. This is our generations bay of pigs. (Only Kennedy was smart enough to not have US troops in the middle of his misadventure, which was planned under Nixon anyhow.) This is just another needless war from a war party. Since 1960, they have used National Security as a wedge issue to divide and defeat national Democrats. They will keep throwing this pitch until it gets hit.

  • Posted By: Braes @ 08/16/2008 2:38:40 PM

    We have been throwing away treaties and international law since this President was sworn in. I wonder of Ivan still has a bunch of those old peace-loving Intermediate systems he can stick all over Cuba and Venezuela, and Nicaragua...
    Equal and opposite paybacks with a "see it and raise ya one redneck" is not going to make me safer. These things are what is going to have to be stopped with this humiliation.
    I have never in my life seen Putin angrier. It is really hard to see any upside to any of this at all, other than a current political agenda.

  • Posted By: Omaar @ 08/16/2008 1:49:31 AM

    Saashaskavilli Started it and this is what he gets.....

    He wanted to Involve NATO, The United Nations & United States States and he now Suffers for his Misjudgements.

    He should've waited until Oct 31, to Sneak Attack and Kill Thousands, because he thought, this would Help Himself, Georgia and John McCain, but as you all can SEE, it is actually Helping Obama, because The Bush Administration is actually using Direct Diplomacy, You see Condoleeza Rice In France and Georgia.

    Russia has one of the Largest Stockpile Nuclear Weapons on the Planet, Our Military is Spread paper Thin and Russia Supplies the World with Oil and Gas and that Includes the USA. We are in debt with the Chinese and after the Olympics, China is going to make it's presence felt on the Georgia_Russia Crisis and it will Not be with US....

    especially after the One Sided Media Stance of America.

    You guys had better Visit Sites like...

    BBC.Co.Uk

    NPR.org

    Reuters.com

    PBS.Org

    • Posted By: Jill from Florida @ 08/16/2008 9:48:35 AM

      Actually, the tactics you are trying to tie to McCain, are more closely tied to the tactics of Brzezinski, Obama's #1 adviser. Brzezinski HATES the USSR (and now Russia). His hatred led to arming Osama bin Liden and the Taliban to fight in Afghanistan. Brzensinki ARMED the al Queda (9/11 ring a bell?). Brzezinski's foreign policies under Jimmy Carter lead to the Iranian hostage takeover of our embassy. Brzezinski's foreign policies have been credited for the Islamic Movement and our new age of terror. Brzezinski is the co-founder of the Trilateral Commission (with David Rockefeller) who intend to have 3 governments of the world, all under the leadership of chosen (not elected) members of the CFR (Council of Foreign Relations). What did you think GLOBALIZATION means?

      And, Brzezinski will bring that same hatred and continued war to an Obama administration, in order to affect the "New World Order" within his lifetime.

      • Posted By: Omaar @ 08/16/2008 10:31:54 AM

        You have got to be kidding Me !!!

        1. McCain's Foreign Policy Advisor an Very Recently is a Former Lobbyist for (Georgia) is right there in the Thick of Things.

        2. John McCain's Campaign stated that if a War Conflict were to Occur, it would Help Mccain..it will Not Now.

        3. George W. Bush & John McCain made a Very Bad Choice in Choosing Hot Headed Saashkavilli as their (War Instigator-Tool) Because Bush's Administration are in fact using Direct Diplomacy and Not Force and have said, Military Force is Not in the Equation...Sorry

        4. Joe Lie-berman has said that "John McCain would be the Best in a War Crisis based on his Experience" Not True, John McCain would have Started (Nuclear World War 1) and Noone Will ...WIN !!

        Everybody in this (Conflict-Crisis) has Used Direct Diplomacy and as Obama has said, when asked, regarding this conflict, he said "We Only have One President at a Time"

        Opposed to Hot Head Semi-Senile -John McCain !!

        • Posted By: Jill from Florida @ 08/16/2008 1:45:15 PM

          Get your facts straight, or leave the US Presidential race out of this.
          1. McCain has 1 foreign policy adviser who lobbies for Georgia.
          Obama has over 300 foreign policy advisers, most are members of CFR, some are lobbyists for other countries, and his number 1 adviser is directly linked to arming Osama bin Liden and the Taliban in Afghanistan to fight against the USSR - that is Zbigniew Brzezinski- co-founder of the Trilateral Commission.

          2. Western media pundents stated that McCain is hands-down stronger in foreign affairs than Obama. NOT that a war conflict was needed. We don't need to be reminded about terrorism anymore.

          3. John McCain had little to do with choosing Saakashvili. He does not work for the State Department. That would be more inline with Collin Powell and Condoleeza Rice's job.

          4. Since Obama has ZERO experience in any crisis other than damage-control within his campaign, Saakashvili HAS more experience than Obama. No one in their right mind would think of going to war directly with Russia. Even as bad as another Georgian - Joseph Stalin was, we joined with the USSR in WWII to fight against Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and Imperialist Japan. The loser of a war with Russia would result in that leader releasing the nuclear weapons and ALL life on earth will be destroyed.

          5. John McCain immediately stated that we needed diplomatic solutions. (Not that Obama has a trademark on diplomacy.) Obama has no problems to act Presidential when it comes to Iraq timetables, directly meeting with Iran and North Korea his first year, not drilling offshore, promising tax breaks to the elitists etc. He was silent on the Georgian conflict because he is ignorant on the issue; he couldn't understand why Russia would attack US Soil and the State of Georgia and the city of South Ossetia, and if the Atlanta Falcons will be playing football elsewhere.

          This is an international conflict. NOT a sounding board for either US candidate. The world has more important issues going like genocide in South Ossetia - breakaway of the Country of Georgia.

          • Posted By: Braes @ 08/16/2008 2:18:59 PM

            There is a high GOP guy who stated (Black was his lastname) that McCain's chances would improve if a war broke out. The top foreign policy guy is a registered Georgian lobbyist and was instrumental in starting the Iraq war, war is what he sells...
            McCain hates Russians. Obama doesn't want the hatred of Russians to hurt him. One guy you do have a chance to sway, the other guy just wants to beat you down. Zbig isn't 12' tall anymore than Kissinger is.
            As far as what is political fodder in the United States, war sure is. International just means we Americans are going to learn new Geography and Customs playing an away game that might get us all obliterated. A famous brit once said of us Americans, we can always be counted on to do the right thing, once we'd exhaused all other options.
            Condi, Bush, Cheney, and all of them need a 3rd term for economic reasons. They want Oil to roll. They want Oil to rule. Georgia was a part of that.
            Business really runs things in America, and business gets very angry when mere politicians start misadventures near their properties that harm revenue streams.

  • Posted By: Jill from Florida @ 08/16/2008 12:26:06 PM

    The Western World does not want Russia to follow their own lead. The Kosovo Factor is only for the Western World - it is not an acceptable excuse for Russia to use to stop the attempted genocide of ethnic South Ossetians by Georgian troops.

    While this is not 1968, Russia cannot attempt to invade another country and demand a regime change. However, Russia should not remind the Western World about the most recent and ongoing invasion in Iraq. The Western World, along with former USSR countries, had their own justification for first WMD's, and now DEMOCRACY, for why the US & UK were sanctioned in 2003 to invade Iraq. Russia does not control the CFR owned Western World media. Hence, invading Iraq and overthrowing their government is better for the Western World and is good for the GLOBALIZATION WORLD - New World Order. Russia cannot compare their actions in Georgia to Iraq in 2003. Even though it is similar - it is different. The Western World is without fault. Russia always has other intentions. OR SO WE ARE TOLD.

    If the CFR controlled Western World nation leaders choose to punish Russia, it would serve them right for Russia to stop the flow of oil, natural gas, and wheat going to Europe for even a couple weeks. Then watch how quickly the Western World citizens will demand that Russia be treated with the same international respect. Europe would come to a standstill and the leaders would all risk revolting citizens overtaking their government demanding better relations with Russia.

    Russia needs to continue to be a Super Power to GET the Western World countries to be honest and keep them in check.

    • Posted By: Braes @ 08/16/2008 1:55:52 PM

      The current Administration has destroyed their own credibility thoroughly. What brings me to tears is the damage they have done to my nation's credibility.
      I want to try and say something charming, something to just get this past and change the subject. That would let them get away with it though. Some jerk killed a couple thousand people with Russian passports and that Jerk is a buddy somehow. That jerk is camped on top of a bunch of Oil pipelines that has these people ready to do horrible things.
      Punish Russia? We would be stupid to do anything at all like that. That would be playing redneck too far. It would be bad for business, bad for peace, bad for markets, bad for us, bad for Russia, bad for the world. All of this talk about punishing is because all they can do now is talk. Bush started the insults by calling the G8 the G-7 right away. The rest of the G-8 should ask Mr. Bush if the United States is withdrawing. I am sick of seeing him imply power over other sovereign states with only his mouth, leaving others to fight and die for his words. The guy calling people a bully is usually getting his asskicked in the fight.
      I do not believe human progress is possible without great power cooperation, and Russia is a great power. Bush is eating that for breakfast in Texas with Condi today. I'm glad they can do working vacations together, running an Empire sure seems tough.

  • Posted By: Trooper101st @ 08/16/2008 11:17:15 AM

    The Georgian President clearly misjudged the response from the US and NATO. If he was smart, all he had to do was look at NATO's effort in Afghanistan. It is failing, GERMANY, ITALY, SPAIN, BELGIUM, and to a lesser degree FRANCE will not send troops into combat zones. NATO has no credibility, and the US/UK are stretched by deployments in 2 theatres. So, wat was he thinking? He should make peace quick and stay out of NATO. Wat good is an alliance that reneges on thier commitments? GUTLESS, COWARDS. NATO is a JOKE.

    • Posted By: Braes @ 08/16/2008 1:31:36 PM

      In the day when I lived in Germany, our joke concerning NATO was No Action, Talk Only. 5Th Corps and 7th Corps were very US Heavy, Canadian Heavy, and Brit Heavy. Same lifters in Afghanistan. The Aussies have always stood by us no matter our folly...
      As for the Georgian Sock Puppet, this guy isn't stable. He almost got WWIII started, and blasted civilians in their sleep. How badly did Bush need a battlion for his war of choice? He went shopping deep into Ivan's great lakes, not smart, not smart at all.
      Gates Rice and most of the Cold War people have Archie Bunkered their way with relations toward Russia. They are a slight improvement from the first administrations full on neo-con whack job alignment, but still not reflective of our best interests, at all.
      No we just handed Ivan the reason to stop being a friend, then upped the bet jamming missiles into Poland. Naked belligerence.

    • Posted By: Omaar @ 08/16/2008 12:05:09 PM

      Are You kidding Me and the Free World !!!

      That Low Life Coward Deserves No Support or Respect !!!

      Saashkavilli: Attacking and Killing Civilians in S. Osettia, knowing that Russia had Peace Keeping Troops in S.Osettia and gets his ASS Kicked Royally for Attacking Civilians in the Middle of the Night a (Cowardly Act)

      NATO, The European Union and America know that regardless of the Wars in the Middle East, They will not start Nuclear, (World War 1) for this Maniac Georgian, who was WARNEd by Both Bush and Rice to Not use Force...

      He did and it FAILED MISERABLY

      You Enlist in the Georgian Military or Volunteer for Duty in the Georgian Force...

      Volunteer your Legal Of Age Children and march Over to E. Europe, these people are Not USA Citizens.

      PS: Its President Bush and his Administration who REFUSED to SEND MILITARY MIGHT to Georgia and NATO or the European Union should not....Georgia started this Chaos and he is Responsible.

      Deal with that... REALITY

  • Posted By: Omaar @ 08/16/2008 11:03:40 AM

    NPR.org, August 13, 2008

    Saashkavilli Made a Serous Blunder, If he were going to Attack and help Semi-Senile John Mccain, he would've been WISE to doit on Oct.31st just before the ELECTIOn...

    But Hot Headed Oppourtunist SaashakaVilli Spoiled that Badly Laid Plan and Oh by the Way....

    NATO membership is O-U-T OF THE QUESTION !!!
    Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili's leadership in the war with Russia has sparked both Praise and Scorn.

    His supporters describe his actions as courageous while detractors say he used catastrophically bad judgment. The American-trained lawyer has enjoyed strong U.S. support but may have ignored Bush administration warnings when he tried to recapture the separatist enclave of South Ossetia.

    Saakashvili, now 40, won the presidency of Georgia in 2004 on a platform that stressed regaining control of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two regions that have been under the control of ethnic separatists since the early 1990s. The separatists had the support of Russia, which has provided them with aid and troops who were part of a peacekeeping mission.

    Condoleeza Rice Provided Warnings......

    Saakashvili had American support, reinforced by a visit to Tbilisi in July from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The visit came at a time of rising tension between Georgia and Russia, and Rice took a tough stand, saying Russia had to be part of resolving the problem "and not contributing to it." Bush administration officials recently told The Washington Post that Rice privately counseled Saakashvili not to use force in his efforts to regain the separatist areas.

  • Posted By: Omaar @ 08/16/2008 10:48:38 AM

    Source:www.bbc.co.uk and www.reuters.com

    Despite Western governments' public statements of support for Saakashvili, some Western diplomats now privately say that the Georgian leadership or military made a serious and possibly criminal mistake last week by launching a massive barrage against the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali, which inevitably led to major civilian deaths and casualties.


    Big Note: Russian officials have said 2,000 people were killed in the Georgian offensive, a figure that has not been confirmed independently. But it is indisputable that large numbers of civilians were killed in and around Tskhinvali.(Reuters)
    We're Americans.

    We like to divide up opponents in any conflict into Good Guys and Bad Guys. Since reality tends to be more complicated than that, we can easily be misled by politicians and media pundits whose personal agendas are served by telling us which are the Good Guys and which the Bad Guys.

    Russia has agreed to "stand down" (NYT); and Georgia has apparently filed a lawsuit against Russia in in the International Court of Justice for ethnic cleansing. (Newsmeat; Examiner.com) But Russia made similar claims against Georgia when it went into South Ossetia. Is either side telling the truth? Are both?

    Both sides have traded accusations of genocide and ethnic cleansing.

    Russia has accused Georgia of killing more than 2,000 people, mostly civilians??? The claim couldn't be independently confirmed, but witnesses who fled the area over the weekend said hundreds had died. (Examiner.com)

    During the course of trying to fit together the pieces of the media jig-saw (speaking of trust, lack of), a number of quotes snagged my attention.

    Yesterday, Vladimir Putin said:

    "The Ferocity in which the actions of the Georgian side were carried out cannot be called anything else but genocide, because they acquired a mass character and were directed against individuals, the civilian population, peacekeepers who carried out their functions of maintaining peace." (BBC News Key Statements)

  • Posted By: PCGenieLA @ 08/16/2008 9:12:16 AM

    What the Russians have done is no different that what the U.S. did in Panama or Iraq: protect a vital political principle. The" Monroe-sky" doctrine. They even have failed just like the Ameicans in Iraq to provide security for the civilians, which I find unexcusable. This was a tiny operation for them,100 tanks? No even a division. They could not deploy a regiment of MP's??!! However, the Russians have also taken a real risk: the risk of being bloodied in another "Afganistan", especially if they stay in place. Let's hope for everyone's sake they have learned that lesson.

  • Posted By: binderdundat @ 08/16/2008 8:46:05 AM

    This adventure by Putin was just a test of the waters to see how far they can go and get away with it. Make no mistake of their (Putin's Russia) goal and that is to recapture all that was lost during the democrazation of the Soviet Union. America's intention of putting missles in Poland will be a much bigger challenge and will really test the resolve of the entire area. These break away countries are going to have to stand up and fight the mighty bear or succomb to being under the communists again. Ask the Ukrainians about their freedom under mother Russias influence.

  • Posted By: Ivan_Russian @ 08/16/2008 5:20:41 AM

    http://ru.youtube.com/watch?v=yrmSgErH5WU
    Look at truth by yourself !
    Russians are now defending even Georgians from georgian marauders... The government and police of Gori run away as they heared about Russians near Gori. So there was an anarchy several days in Gori...

  • Posted By: non social @ 08/16/2008 1:33:54 AM

    Russa needs to be told stright foward that : they need to pull out now. They also need to be told they caused this conflict by pushing a wedge between the people of georgia .Yes the us can still kick russas azz.I would like to be friends of the russians , we have a lot in commin. I feel they need to be told that they need to stop arming third word dictators and pressing countrys like iran to get nukes. Lets face it without russa the rest of the world would be peaceful. Because its hard to fight wars without aid and wepons. Most of the world is filed with russas wepons.We americans dont want a war , we would rather be fighting with our own government on there policys and stealing our money.. And the greed in our company leaders.

    • Posted By: raddave @ 08/16/2008 5:03:10 AM

      With what exactly can we still kick Russia's azz? 1/3 of our active Army is in either Iraq or Afghanistan and another 1/3 is eithe preparing to go to these two countries of have recently returned.

  • Posted By: Omaar @ 08/16/2008 1:51:13 AM

    The Los Angeles Times said Bush Shares Blame for South Ossetia Bloodshed

    Published August 14, 2008


    ???Oh, it???s got to be somewhere on this paper!??? A Russian caricature by Sergei Elkin.

    One of America???s leading newspapers said that President George W. Bush is one of those who must answer for the disastrous consequences of Georgia???s invasion of South Ossetia. The Los Angeles Times says the Georgian leadership was so stupid that they believed that the USA would give them aid if they got involved in a war with Russia in South Ossetia. First of all, America is busy handling crises in Afghanistan and Iraq, and, secondly, the US cannot engage in conflict with Russia, as it is the world???s second-largest nuclear power.

    The newspaper puts part of the blame also on Republican presidential candidate John McCain, as he has been actively lobbying for Georgian interests in Washington. However, the main blame is on President Bush, whose anti-Russian record includes support for the so-called ???colour revolutions??? in the Russian backyard, condemnation of so-called anti-democratic crackdowns in Russia, whilst ignoring crimes committed by America???s authoritarian friends, and also Washington???s support for Georgia???s bid to join NATO and its planned deployment of missile defence elements in Poland and the Czech Republic, right on the doorstep of Russia.

    14 August 2008

  • Posted By: Omaar @ 08/16/2008 1:41:13 AM

    NPR.org, August 13, 2008

    Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili's leadership in the war with Russia has sparked both Praise and Scorn.

    His supporters describe his actions as courageous while detractors say he used catastrophically bad judgment. The American-trained lawyer has enjoyed strong U.S. support but may have ignored Bush administration warnings when he tried to recapture the separatist enclave of South Ossetia.

    Saakashvili, now 40, won the presidency of Georgia in 2004 on a platform that stressed regaining control of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two regions that have been under the control of ethnic separatists since the early 1990s. The separatists had the support of Russia, which has provided them with aid and troops who were part of a peacekeeping mission.

    Condoleeza Rice Provided Warnings......

    Saakashvili had American support, reinforced by a visit to Tbilisi in July from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The visit came at a time of rising tension between Georgia and Russia, and Rice took a tough stand, saying Russia had to be part of resolving the problem "and not contributing to it." Bush administration officials recently told The Washington Post that Rice privately counseled Saakashvili not to use force in his efforts to regain the separatist areas.

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