I realize this isn’t a sexy topic, but…
Does anyone care about what’s going on between Russia and Georgia?
I realize this is a little harder to understand than the Edwards’ sex scandal, but I think it might be worth your time.
TBILISI, Georgia — Russia battled Georgian forces on land and sea, reports said late Sunday, despite a Georgian cease-fire offer and its claim to be withdrawing from South Ossetia, the separatist Georgian province battered by days of intense fighting.
Russia claimed to have sunk a Georgian boat that was trying to attack Russian vessels in the Black Sea, and Georgian officials said Russia sent tanks from South Ossetia into Georgia proper, heading toward a strategic city before being turned back.
Yawn…
This is tricky one – we need to buddy up to Russia but at the same time we can’t appear weak to the Eastern European countries that depend on us as an ally (and to the Russians who want to dominate them)
We need to pressure Russia into accepting the proposed Georgian cease-fire – it would cover most of our essential diplomatic bases and probably save a few lives. In return, we need to be prepared to give the Russians something, maybe Abkhazia.
Thank you, Tom. This strikes me as a bit more important than who had sex with who.
And you’re right… this is delicate situation that must not be allowed to escalate. A President skilled in diplomacy would be a huge asset right now.
And if you look at the journalists who are now celebrating McCain as “prescient” because he rushed to condemn Russia and attack it with tough words right off the bat while Obama issued a cautious diplomatically balanced statement (that now has been toughened as Russia goes much beyond South Ossetia) I am afraid we are not going to be able to get that point across one more time Pandora.
Talking tough (even when it is clearly counterproductive like when mcCain promises to boot Russia out of the G8 which he cannot do and therefore only serves to fuel Russia’s paranoia and resentment) is going to be celebrated by the media as McCain being Presidential while being cautious and balanced (to preserve future effectiveness when trying to draw this war down) is going to be deemed a failure (read Ben Smith to see the seeds of that).
It is just pathetic. I am at the point where I would rather hear TV idiots say stupid things about a stupid story like Edwards than hear them say stupid things about a majorly grave story like this one.
http://www.meritboundalley.net/2008/08/08/conflict-in-south-ossetia/
http://www.meritboundalley.net/2008/08/09/update-on-family-in-georgia/
Yes, I care very much.
“A President skilled in diplomacy would be a huge asset right now.”
Not to worry, Pandora, GWB is already working his magic.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/beijing_olympics/story/0,27313,24156469-5014197,00.html
And we have 1,600-2,000 American troops in Georgia on various missions…
Georgia is on track to become part of NATO and 77% of its residents support that concept.
This incident has strong implications for who is up to being President.
A cautiously balanced diplomatic statement is not what we need from a President. It is funny how some will condemn our own country for invading Iraq but will give Russia a pass.
Russia is testing us and the new President to be.
Who is giving Russia a pass?
Russia is not testing us, they are attempting to put Mr. Saakashvili back in his place. The Russians also know that we don’t have much in our arsenal to punish them with — even if we wanted to. The Russians have become increasingly authoritarian for all of the Bush years and we’ve done little except lecture them. The Russians are quite free to make this play, and in the end Mr. Saakashvili will be (at least publicly) more beholden to Russia and Dick Cheney and John McCain will continue to rattle their very blunted sabers.
Which is really a shame for the Democratic process in that part of the world.
You know what a sexy topic is . . . . Grandpa Simpson offering his bikini-clad wife to parade in front of 50,000 bikers and eat a banana slowly. Now, that’s sexy.
I think that some people are forgetting that Georgia started the aggression on the 8th by moving troops and armor into areas controlled by S. Ossetia. Wait, but isn’t S. Ossetia part o Georgia?
No, not really. South Ossetia declared themselves a sovereign Soviet Democratic Republic in 1990 and even held their own elections. The Georgian government didn’t allow the secession and declared S. Ossetia’s elections invalid.
After more violence in 1992 between Georgia and S. Ossetian separatists escalated, a cease fire was declared with the separatists retaining control of some areas and the separatists others.
A peacekeeping force of S. Ossetian, Russian and Georgian forces has been present in the region, but Georgia escalated their presence on the 8th to clear the area of separatists. It was this that caused Russia to move troops into S. Ossetia. It must be kept in mind that the majority of S. Ossetians are in favor of separation and identify more with Russia, using Russian as a primary language and Russian currency. If not for Georgia’s denial, there would be no conflict.