Russia’s Crime
August 12th, 2008 at 06:09am Mark Noonan
As I write this the latest news from Georgia indicates that Russia intends a complete subjugation of that nation and the imposition of a puppet regime.
While all decent people are disgusted with the Russian action, there is not much we can immediately do, at this point, unless we are prepared for full scale war with Russia. While Georgia is only about 300 air miles from northern Iraq, the real limiting factor on sending US forces to Georgia is the difficulty in getting American air power established in the area. The effort to do so would essentially mean challenging the Russians directly including, perhaps, bombing of Russian airfields near Georgia. A war between the United States and Russia would only have one conclusion - the utter defeat of Russia. Russia is playing the Great Power game but really lacks the military and economic wherewithall to play such a role - Georgia, quite honestly, is about the largest thing Russia can handle at the moment. Such a war, however, even with its foregone conclusion would be a long and costly struggle, with the risk that someone who is proving himself as insane as Putin might actually pull the nuclear trigger. So, while we must try to save an independent Georgia, our tasks for the future is to treat Russia in light of Russia’s actions.
It appears from Russia’s actions that Russia has embarked upon an attempt - in one form or another - to revive the Russian Empire. Given our ability to swallow hypocrisy these days, the Russians would present their new empire as a collection of independent States, just as the USSR pretended that the east European States were independent, and we went along with the fiction. In the year of 2008, we must not allow the world to slip back into a place and time where larger nations preyed upon smaller nations and made them colonies or protectorates - nor can we allow large countries to carve out spheres of influence amongst other nations. Russia is indicating it wants an empire, our task is to thwart them in this effort.
First and foremost is the exposure of the UN as entirely useless - if one member of the Security Council, wielding a veto over UN action, is determined to violate the UN Charter in letter and spirit, then the whole thing becomes an entire waste of time. There is no purpose in being in an international body which cannot do what it was designed to do. Of course, those who know realise that the UN long ago became moribund, but now its actually counter-productive, and its time for it to go. In its place should be - as long ago suggest by myself, and more recently by Senator McCain - a Leage of Democratic Nations. This would be a grouping of free nations and free peoples, pledged to the defense and expansion of freedom around the world - and most emphatically nations like Russia (and China, and Iran, etc, etc, etc) would have no place in it. Only by so doing will we have an international body which we can act for good in the world.
Secondly, we’ll want a larger military. Russia is feeling expansive, and so is Iran - meanwhile, China modernises its military and greedily eyes the wealth of Taiwan as a means of cutting its way out of the sea of bad debt China floats upon. We have to be prepared for a two front war requiring very large military establishments on opposite ends of the world. This will require several more active divisions for the army, at least one more for the Marines, quite a large number of aircraft for the Air Force and a major beefing up of the US Navy so that we can ensure absolute command of all the world’s seas no matter what combination of enemies we fight. Essentially, we’ll have to rebuild our military size to about where it was at the end of the Cold War, and perhaps even larger.
Third, we need to quickly strengthen the military side of our alliances in eastern Europe and do whatever we can to induce former Soviet Republicans to join NATO. We must surround the aggressor with such a large number of potential enemies that whatever military force he has at his disposal will be insufficient to meet all needs, and thus we can secure a cold peace. We’ll also give pause to Iran, China and other potential threats that we retain the power to deal with all contingencies.
As to why Russia has embarked upon this insanity, I don’t know - I hope they come to their senses, but we cannot rely on that. Russia has ranged itself, sadly, as an enemy of liberty, justice and basic human decency, and it is the task of the United States to contain this as far as possible and hope that some day the Russians will wake up and take full charge of their own future, no longer turning themselves over - body and soul - to whatever Czar promises to raise them to the peak of power in the world.
UPDATE: Richard Beeston at Times Online tells the true state of Russia in 2008, and it ain’t a pretty picture.
Entry Filed under: Foreign Affairs
46 Comments
1. Danish Artist | August 12th, 2008 at 7:15 am
But George Bush still is the terrorist, right?
The great imperialist is George Bush, right?
Did Putin get UN approval? On what grounds?
Where is the outrage from Germany, France, China, etc. etc?
Obama fiddles in Hawaii while Georgia burns.
2. CanadianObserver | August 12th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Obama fiddles in Hawaii while Georgia burns.
1. Danish Artist | August 12th, 2008 at 7:15 am
————————————
Obama won’t become your President until November, DA, so in the meantime the guy with the power to do anything about the situation is still GWB.
Like it or not, he is still in charge.
3. Nate | August 12th, 2008 at 8:09 am
“the guy with the power to do anything about the situation is still GWB”
and w is off being a celeb, giving interviews to bob costas at the olympics, not decidin’ about anything
4. bagni | August 12th, 2008 at 8:12 am
markussia:
georgia = iraq
bush = putin
u.s. no longer has her financial strength
so agreed
you must rely on military strength
5. Nate | August 12th, 2008 at 8:13 am
and it looks like there might be a respite…
“Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said Tuesday he was halting military operations in Georgia because they had accomplished their end…”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/08/12/ST2008081200714.html
6. Magnum Serpentine | August 12th, 2008 at 8:22 am
Our primary task is to stay out of other people’s business. We have no business in Georgia. Second our military is already over budget and bloated we need to trim the military budget to pay off the deficit. We also need to trim the military so we can pay for social programs that have been under mined and under cut by the republic party. Finally we need to stop getting involved in the Russian intervention by refusing to fly Georgian troops home. That places us directly involved in a foreign war which Washington warned us to stay out of back in 1798.
7. '08ama | August 12th, 2008 at 8:23 am
If the US military cannot handle tiny, little, irrelevant, army-less, navy-less, leader-less Iraq, then Russia need not be concerned about the avid sports fan in Beijing doing anything about their invasion of Georgia.
8. bongoman | August 12th, 2008 at 8:38 am
You do know that Rice is on vacation right now don’t you? And that she refuses to come home?
9. New Conservative | August 12th, 2008 at 8:39 am
It looked like good news early this morning, but that appears to have been premature. Hopefully Russia will leave Georiga soon.
http://thenewconservatives.blogspot.com/
10. SEW | August 12th, 2008 at 8:57 am
I thought the libs have been crusading for a POTUS that does nothing! Elected a do nothing Congress, support a Love not war candidate, and moan when W fufills their wet dreams of “diplomacy.” You guys expect immediate diplomacy with the KGB when Bambi is the next President? Get used to our new status in the world as we allow everyone to run us over like the Eurasians and Canadians.
Hello Hussein, goodbye USA.
Love not War
Edwards/Obama 08
11. Unholy Obamination | August 12th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Magnum #6
http://www.politicususa.com/en/Obama-Russia-Georgia
Take a look at Obama’s response, not really much different from Bush or McCain’s response. The anti-war left that was excited about Hillary and Obama. Are they going to feel used and disappointed because in reality, the U.S could very easily get dragged into more wars.
Obama in this link is siding with Georgia. Let’s say he was president. He sides with Georgia and Russia continues to advance, the situation spirals downward into chaos. All you anti-war lefties, will be in shock listening to Obama call for a draft, and preparing for a big war.
12. js | August 12th, 2008 at 9:32 am
so why havent the canuks sent several divisions to save georgia…do they think that other nations should do it or is it just an egotistical hypocricy of CO?
13. js | August 12th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Magnum Serpentine
“Our primary task is to stay out of other people’s business”
isnt that what everyone did before ww2? about the same thing that china tells us to do? wuzzupwidat? a prelude to what?
14. SEW | August 12th, 2008 at 9:46 am
The Canuks provide safety for draft dodgers and provide marijuana. They prefer to allow others to save them and then complain about the war mongers. Then when the war mongers don’t save them complain again. Similar to the American liberals.
Make Love, not war
Edwards/Obama 08
15. js | August 12th, 2008 at 9:49 am
love?
is that what they call it? code pink protesting in front of recruiting stations? love?
LOL!!
16. Danish Artist | August 12th, 2008 at 9:54 am
CO and bongman,
you leftists have put Barak Hussein Obama up on a pedastal as the “savior of the world” - this was done on his European and ME tours. According to the reactions, he alone is the only one that can save the world, bring peace, end conflict, etc. etc. etc.
Obama has issued a statement on this conflict. It was aired continuously (before he flip-flopped) on his willing accomplises in the MSM.
You leftists have put him in this position. I am calling on him to fulfill your dreams. Try to keep up with the leftist talking points.
17. rightlane | August 12th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Going to war with Russia, in defense of Georgia, makes about as much sense as China going to war with the US over our immigration policy’s effect on illegal Mexican immigrants.
Iran is lost cause. First, we live in fear of their closing the straight of Hormuz, sending oil prices further through the roof. Secondly, we don’t posses the political will to stop them from developing nuclear arms with all the sixty’s and seventy’s Viet Nam nostalgia going on these days, so we will have to learn to live with Iran as nuclear power.
Taiwan’s a lost cause too. They just don’t know it yet. Our economic ties with China coupled with our deteriorating fiscal situation and a large segment of our population’s aversion to standing up for anything, will renders us unable to help.
18. Doug | August 12th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
The Georgians screwed up with their treatment of the disputed S. Ossetia. They provoked a response from the Russians and they got it. Heck, the Georgians even went as far as timing their attack into S. Ossetia thinking the Putin would be too busy at the Olympics. As long as afterwards the Russians leave Georgia, even if it means stationing more Russian troops in S. Ossetia, I don’t see how this flareup is any more or less than what would have been expected if it was the U.S. instead of the Russians.
The long-term problem of what to do with small regions within countries that don’t want to be part of that country will be an interesting problem the world will face. The Russian/Georgian situation is not that far from Israeli/Palestinian or Lebanon issues. When the Israeli/Russian forces have to move into the West Bank, Gaza, Golan Heights, and sometimes even into Lebanon to stop the attacks on Israeli citizens inside of Israel as well as inside of the disputed areas, it’s really not much different.
At some point there will be a political structure that allows more autonomy for smaller political regions within larger states, that will be a good compromise, or collaboration that will likely spread effectively to many of these long-time conflict areas.
19. OhioOrrin | August 12th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Mark wrote - “if one member of the Security Council, wielding a veto over UN action, is determined to violate the UN Charter in letter and spirit, then the whole thing becomes an entire waste of time.”
Mark u know we’ve protected Israel exactly in this manner.
Amongst the things we can & should do is substantially reduce our funding in protest.
20. ho-hum | August 12th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
So Mark,
Am just curious, are you still standing behind your statements on this blog yesterday regarding actions the US should take on this situation:
- Mark Noonan, keyboard warrior extraordinaire
(perhaps time for one of your little clarifications, eh Mark? “what I really meant was….”)
21. CanadianObserver | August 12th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
The Canuks provide safety for draft dodgers and provide marijuana. They prefer to allow others to save them and then complain about the war mongers.
14. SEW | August 12th, 2008 at 9:46 am
——————————
Yes, we do provide safety for marijuana smoking draft dodgers, SEW, but in case you have forgotten, we also have our brave men and women fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan.
I guess we should offer a big thank you to the U.S. for preventing an Iraqi attack on Canada. Having you protect us from those marauding Iraqi hordes make us feel all warm and fuzzy.
22. cam | August 12th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Mark,
You start off this post by seemingly admitting that there is no military solution to the problem in Georgia. But then, you can’t help yourself. Its like a knee jerk reaction. You ultimately propose a solution that is based on military strength.
How would our response have been different if we do undertake your military advice? In the end we would be in basically the same position. Unless we are willing to risk nuclear war, there is very little we can do. Further, the American people are weary of war. It now looks like we blew it going into Iraq while we thumbed our noses at the rest of the world.
Looks like we became arrogant, thinking, because we are the only superpower in the world, there was little need for diplomacy. Our diplomacy was going to UN with a dog and pony show and then telling the world we would do whatever we wanted regardless of what anyone said.
In the short run diplomacy can be slow and frustrating. There is no instant gratification. While there is no guarantee that diplomacy would have worked, we certainly would have had a stronger position if we had listened to other countries who in turn would be more willing to look for diplomatic solutions.
So after 20 years of instability and growing conflict in the region, the two parties in the region take our example of shoot first. One of them may have mistakenly thought we would come to their defense, but instead left them hanging. (By the way, this sounds similar to what we did to the Kurds in the 90’s). The other sees what we did in Iraq more recently and realized that it too could do pretty much the same. Now we are left on the sidelines wagging our fingers at the aggressor and looking like a bunch of ninnies.
Perhaps we can ask PNAC. I bet those brilliant chicken hawks will know what to do since it looks like the expert on Russia was of no use.
23. cam | August 12th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
“we need to quickly strengthen the military side of our alliances in eastern Europe and do whatever we can to induce former Soviet Republicans to join NATO”
-Mark
Looks like that strategy alread worked brilliantly.
24. jayhay | August 12th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Good God we need to get the six of you and the people you support as far from the levers of government (and the military) as possible. Now you want to provoke war with Russia because Georgia miscalculated and over-stepped?! Seriously, that is f’ing nuts…
But McCain is definitely your guy - with your wispy longing for the Cold War…
25. Unholy Obamination | August 12th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Russia has a state of the art military, aircraft carriers, tons of nuclear weapons.
My city has a Russian steel mill, right by where I work. These guys wield alot of power, and can probably get China to side with them on alot of issues.
This really is a serious issue, people are getting killed. England has that pipeline going thru there. I really hope the U.S don’t get dragged into it. “Hope” and “Change” Might not happen, we could get the same old stuff history is filled with. I think one bad foreign policy decision from a U.S President could really turn the world into a living hell. Pearl Harbor, the 9/11 attacks, would not compare to a military conflict with Russia.
They got top of the line military equiptment. although, I think the guy that designed and built the AK-47 stole the design from the German stg mp1944. But the AK is still the best rifle ever made, I’d rather have one of them than a ar-15/m-16.
I have the old svt-40 from WW2 and a Mosin Nagant from the WW1 era (which some were made by Remington, here in the U.S. to help them in there fight in WW1 and the same guns probably used in WW2 again.
26. js | August 12th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
2 things are inevitable
one is change, so obama is nothing more than a observer on this cosmic voyage, not a leader…because he isnt capable of changing anything but his own mind…
the other is probability…when you least expect it…something will go wrong…no matter what you do…and obama is proof of that…because the demoncrats and liberals held obama up as a guiding light for change…but the only thing that he changed was his mind…
it inevitable that men will seek to control other men…aka…fight for top dog…lusting for power…and as long as there are nations that reject the simple rule (to do unto others what you would have done unto yourself)…wars will be fought and bullys will take the marbles away from other people because it shows that they are stronger…no necessarilly smarter though…
jules verne wrote about a submarine long, long before one was ever made…and an airplane….he envisioned a future that actually was quite real in substance…in fantasy stories…even more…other men have done similar things…orson wells…on and on it goes…getting to the last point…our current path is a road to war…its inevitable…every book that was written points to a great conflict and massive loss of life in this coming war…one where machines fight for us…and strikes against entire cities wipe out entire populations of millions of people…all for power…and food…oil and crops…
so its not a surprise that russia rises its head again…nor that china is its ally…nor that they both stoke the fire of hatred in backwoods countries full of wealth that follow arcane and confused religions like islam…the bottom line is that if we dont stand up and control our destiny…someone else will…be they muslims or communists or socialists…freedom and liberty will be gone…
and all we have to do is nothing…
27. Jeremiah | August 12th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
This is the “intelligence” of Obama in a nutshell:
28. ho-hum | August 12th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Did you enjoy your little trip into outright fantasy jeremiah. The fact that outright bs is the best ammo you’ve got on Obama shows how desperate you are:
http://www.snopes.com/music/artists/bono.asp
Talk about being a gullible fool Jeremiah.
29. Jeremiah | August 12th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
ho-hum,
LOL! Yes … it … is …. a … JOKE!
Proving … Barack … HUSSEIN … Obama’s “intelligencia.”
So many buttons combined with so little intelligence, he presses the wrong button and you’re HISTORY, dude! The WHOLE United States of America!
See?
30. Unholy Obamination | August 12th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Jeremiah-
Obama and his gun-ban-o-crats, and his fearless warriors for gay marriage and abortion. Just don’t have what it takes to run the country.
31. Jeremiah | August 12th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
30. Unholy Obamination | August 12th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
No doubt about it!
He is scary!
Even scarier, are his supporters!
I wouldn’t stop short of calling it ‘the end’!
32. ho-hum | August 12th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Deleted - obscenity.
33. Doug | August 13th, 2008 at 2:06 am
Mark, if you bear with me, I’ll explain a theory on why a larger Russian Empire isn’t such a bad thing. It’s from an old Business type view, rather than a Poli-Sci view, but the logic translates, in my opinion, to the political world.
My background is from a Fortune 500 marketing type firm and when you take a market (say soda pop - for the heck of it) you will find that the Coca-Cola, Pepsi competition puts the companies and the industry into a position that maximizes potential revenue and profits. They must spend tons of money, but the total GDP (if you will) of the industry is extremely high relative to this situation:
Say you had only a Coca-Cola with a vast market share competing with dozens of smaller regional soda makers. In that situation, the smaller sodas would compete on price, rather than segmenting. Coca-Cola, spending less on advertising would forego brand identification advertising and the smaller companies would ride the coattails. The end result would be less total dollars spent on soda, price competition that would bring down Coke’s price so that they could compete for lost market share, etc.
It happens all the time in other industries. We always hope that the little guys would try to form one larger company- in which case we know total revenues and profits would increase, though market share might decrease marginally. How does this relate to this political world?
Consider, if you will, a competition of political ideology. Spreading democracy vs. spreading command economies. The Cold War era was the height of a situation where there were two major players. Basically, it was also the height of at which every section of the world was choosing sides, which ideology they would follow - hence it was the maximum revenue for political ideology.
In today’s world, you have had since the 1980s, one major player - democracy. Sure, you have some minor command economy competitors, but basically you are in a situation with a Coca-Cola and no Pepsi. What has happened? Well, price competition. Now you have watered down democracies, the European Union, Russians, etc. even in the U.S. we are getting more and more cheap (i.e. turning more and more towards socialism). Brand identity is dying in the political ideology field.
If this continues, we will be in the same situation as some of the food providers that once were high-price, high-quality leaders, now, just being low-price, mediocore-quality - just to try to keep market share.
Think about it, it’s what’s happening, only in the political field. I’m all for getting some of these faux-free economies to unite to compete with us, then we can do what Pepsi and Coca-Cola are doing and running away with brand loyalty.
34. Mark Noonan | August 13th, 2008 at 2:08 am
ho-hum,
That was written before Russia had moved into Georgia proper…there’s a difference between running a calculated risk of war, and determining to fight one no matter what. A military response to the Georgian situation, as it stands right now, means war with Russia…and going to war with Russia over Georgia is not, I think, what is in our best interest at the moment.
There is a crucial principle at stake here - the defense of democracy - but how we go about doing it is a matter of observing the whole scene, and I don’t think we want to give China the opportunity to move on Taiwan, which is what a Russo-American war would do. Russia has added itself to the problems of the world, and we need comprehensive response, which is what I put up in today’s entry.
Pay attention and try to keep up, ok?
35. Mark Noonan | August 13th, 2008 at 2:12 am
Doug,
That is an excellent bit of real politic, but I would remain concerned with the people of Georgia…and, even, the people of Russia. Human beings are my concern, and the anti-human is my enemy. Putin and his cronies have placed themselves firmly in the anti-human camp, and so must be thwarted.
36. Mark Noonan | August 13th, 2008 at 2:15 am
cam,
Only in the minds of the Bush-hating left is there any similarity between our liberation of Iraq and Russia’s war of aggression against Georgia.
37. Mark Noonan | August 13th, 2008 at 2:18 am
jayhay,
You misunderstand - Russia is about as weak a power as you can get. Its economy is a corruption-ridden basket case, its political life is paralyzed by Putin’s dictatorship, its population is in rapid decline…only oil keeps it afloat, and that only barely. Defeating Russia is not the problem - the problem is what would happen in the rest of the world while we defeated Russia, seeing as we don’t have the military force at current to fight two major wars at once.
The whole purpose here is not to have a war, but to contain Putin’s Russia.
38. ho-hum | August 13th, 2008 at 3:44 am
So Noonan, you wrote your little diatribe about air-dropping US troops into Georgia on the very day Russia moved its armed forces into Georgia. And now you excuse yourself by saying that the Russians hadn’t invaded at that point. Hmnnn, it seems like a self-proclaimed warfare expert like yourself might have been able to predict such a move by the Russians.
You also suggested embargoing Russians goods, setting up unilateral sanctions against them, moving nuclear submarines into the region, letting Putin know that any further aggressive action would be a “tripwire” to full out war with the USA etc. etc.
What a brave armchair warrior you are!
You really are a clown. Seriously, why don’t you man-up and admit that you wrote something that in retrospect looks truly idiotic and reckless? But no, of course you won’t. You’ll continue to try to weasel your way out of facing up to your own nonsense.
You haven’t the first clue how the world works or how the idiotic actions you suggested would have done nothing but embolden and empower Putin by firing up his nationalist base. On issue after issue, whether it be the environment, the war in Iraq, the housing crisis or the cost of oil you pontificate some of the dumbest gibberish on the internet (and that’s really saying something). Your blog seems to have an audience of about a dozen people, and the ones who are on your side are almost uniformly blathering partisan Christian fundamentalists (seriously, even you must wince when you read some of the bs fundies like js and Jeremiah type).
Next time, instead of being so quick to suggest putting US forces in harm’s way for no good reason perhaps you should stick to writing about George Clooney, or moronic posts about Obama *gasp* taking a week’s vacation! By the way, are you aware that Bush took the whole of August off during 2005 as his stupid unresolved war raged in Iraq, and that Condi today refuses to come back from her vacation to deal with Georgia - a situation she helped to create. You don’t see any irony in that? Nope, of course you don’t. Roll on the excuses.
39. congressive | August 13th, 2008 at 6:18 am
Jeremiah tells a lie/joke based on a Bono (of U2 fame) joke, and that illustrates Obama’s intellectual ability. Amazing.
CNN TELLS A LIE, TOO in this short, telling video clip. UN peacekeepers die a horrific death at the hands of unprovoked Gergian troops, and CNN tries to blame Russia. No joke this time.
Johnny(6) Sydney(6) McCain(6) the Third, who’s adviser lobbied for Georgia as recently as THIS YEAR, is in Georgia’s pocket. His path would kill more Americans to line his buddies pockets, a repeat of Iraq.
Barack Hussein Obama is not the world’s only hope, but this November, he is this country’s only choice. It’s telling that you neocons are implying Obama could actually end the Gergian-Russian conflict if he really wanted to.
40. congressive | August 13th, 2008 at 6:21 am
Ge-o-rgian, sayeth the spelling Nazis.
41. js | August 13th, 2008 at 7:20 am
seems like some half cocked weasle really doesnt have any answers…just criticism…what a half cocked arm chair sillyness that is…
42. Unholy Obamination | August 13th, 2008 at 10:22 am
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26116598
Separatists mock ‘American training’
To the west, Abkahzian separatist forces backed by Russian military might pushed out Georgian troops and even moved into Georgian territory itself, defiantly planting a flag and laughing that retreating Georgians had received “American training in running away.”
http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/07/08/1187612.aspx
43. Unholy Obamination | August 13th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Who out there? wants to help push the Russians out of there?
Georgia did help the U.S in Iraq, maybe the U.S should give Georgia fighter jets and some heavy equiptment to help?
Maybe they can have an Olympic military aircraft dogfight with like a squad of 5 planes each? The winner keeps the city?
44. Mel Torch | August 13th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Deleted - raving, paranoid conspiracy theories.
45. Canuckguy | August 13th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
Last night I watched Georgia and Russia go at it in a grueling fight. Girls’ Olympic beach volleyball and it was some hot. Can’t think of a much better way to settle their differences.
Mark, my (Canuck) solution is more fitting and just as valid as any solution being proposed. In fact, it is much preferable to the solution of barking or sabre rattling at Russia.
46. Darius Blood | August 14th, 2008 at 7:38 am
The Bush administration is reeling from the near collapse of its closest friend among the former Soviet republics, a strategic Black Sea nation that is an emerging pathway for undeveloped energy reserves and that has worn its zeal for America and the West as a badge of honor.
As the United States mustered humanitarian aid for Georgia, President Bush demanded that Russia end all military activity inside its neighbor and withdraw all troops sent in recent days onto Georgian territory.
Bush announced that U.S. military assets and personnel would be deploying into the conflict zone. Though they are only going on a humanitarian mission, he made a point of noting that “we will use U.S. aircraft, as well as naval forces” to distribute supplies. He warned Russia not to impede relief efforts in any way.
All this appeared designed to answer criticism that Bush has not done enough to stand by his 2005 pledge, made from the center of Tbilisi before tens of thousands of citizens, to “stand with” the people of Georgia.
Amid some fear that Russian troops may be setting up for some type of medium-term occupation of parts of Georgia or even have intentions to press on to its capital of Tbilisi, Bush promised Wednesday to “rally the free world in the defense of a free Georgia.”
Bush is a wimp. He will pick on countries 100 times smaller than the US, but backs out like a pussy when facing a country equal in size.
What can we expect from an AWOL coward?