War in Ossetia intensifies
No one’s backing down.
For commentary on the battle, check out, um, Commentary, which has a telling comparison of McCain and Obama’s reactions to the conflict. And here’s an interesting take on Russian strategy from a new guy (to me, anyway), L. Douglas Garrett:
One of the greatest tricks of “playing the system” in the post-1948 world is an improvement on the time-honored practice of creating a plurality of one ethnic group in a territory where few if any of that group existed over a longer period of history. With sufficient migration over time of a group that also does not integrate into the culture of the extant society in a territory, with demographic advantages such as a higher birth-rate than the locals in many cases, and with the cover of some larger event like warfare denuding the land of a portion of the local population, it is far too easy for the “new” group to claim that they are *now* the legitimate populace of the territory. One needs look no further than Kosovo to have seen such a thing in action.
First commenter to tie that to open borders gets a…well, never mind, I just did it.
___________
{Post by See-Dubya.}
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Reading the commentary, there certainly is a big difference between the 2 candidates. One knows what he’s talking about; the other is still looking for Georgia on the map.
Georgia has a tuff end of the season stretch, with LSU, Gato………….oh you didn’t mean the Dawgs……you were talking about that place over by the Soviet bear that is coming back with ole Vlad in charge.
The difference between the two responses is very telling of ones lack of…………well anything.
Makes me wonder how the MSM is going to handle this… everyone knows McCain is much stronger in this area. This conflict will only highlight how volatile parts of the world are and how inept Obama is in handling these situations. Singing Kumbaya won’t cut it.
On very nice. Via BBC,
Article about war fighting intensifies etc etc… then this:
“Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has failed to agree on the wording of a statement calling for a ceasefire.”
The UN couldn’t organize a beer in a brewery. Seriously, how hard is it to write, “please stop fighting”?
This is exactly what the muslims are doing in Europe, parts of Canada and the U.S. and, as Michelle alluded to, the illegals in the U.S.
Out breeding and failure to assimilate.
walterc ^ It was see-dubya whom authored this post
The fighting in Georgia is extremely important news. Why is it being given such scant coverage on cable tv?
Fox is running accounts of the mini-war in that crawl thing on the bottom of the screen, while their morning entertainment crew regales us with details about the John Edwards scandal. Do they really think Americans are that shallow?
Never mind. I don’t need an answer.
Could Georgia be one of those extra states that the Big O visited during his campaign?
I worry about conflicts over there, because someone always tends to blame me for it. Just damn.
McCain sounded very knowlegeable about the conflict in Georgia, but I wonder if he knows that he has a double standard. Our own country is being taken over by an enemy he doesn’t seem to recognize.
This sounds soooooo much like what is happening in the United States. I would hate to see Americans undergo what the Georgians are having to do.
Mexican military are also making incursions into the US, and holding US citizens at gunpoint. Does not Georgia and Russia realize that they don’t need to fight, that it was just an honest mistake and it won’t happen again. this week.
Thanks for the Greenwald article link, S-D, it made a great comparison-contrast between President McCain’s explicit plan for dealing with the burgeoning crisis in Georgia – convening the UN and bringing pressure on Russia – and the “vague hash” an inexperienced and dumbfounded Obama spewed out on the conflict from his vacation spot in HAWAII!
Obama: Leadership “we can believe in?” Only if one lives in Hawaii!
MSM will cover for Obama like they’ve been doing all along.
– Little Ma
It’s hard not to be cynical about something like this. I suspect that the concurrent Beijing Olympics probably has alot to do with the lack of coverage. That, and I’d wager most of the mainstream media doesn’t have alot of resources in the immediate vicinity. I’d imagine coverage will intensify, as soon as the big media outlets can get some more reporters to the area. . .if things don’t cool off.
The Georgians may be backing down afterall.
MSNBC offers a bit brighter picture this morning, if true:
Hours later (after Russian planes bombed a town called Gori in Georgia), Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili proposed to declare a cease-fire in the region, with Georgian troops withdrawing from Tskhinvali, the provincial capital, and refraining from responding to Russian shelling.
Now we’ll have to see if the Russians will accept the olive branch, and if the Georgians stick to the ceasefire.
Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has failed to agree on the wording of a statement calling for a ceasefire.
It’s very distressing to me how little interest there is in this war and the implications of the conflict. The MSM doesn’t care because it doesn’t fit the narrative that everything bad in the world is America’s fault. Besides nobody wants to mess up that wonder coverage of the Olympic games, do they? But what about conservatives? Over at the National Review Corner, home of all the conservative intellectuals worth noting (yes, I’m being sarcastic), they are overwhelmingly talking about — the John Edwards sex scandal. Look, I enjoy this stuff as much as anyone, but can’t we get our priorities straight? Edwards is nothing. Even John Kerry can’t stand him. Enough already.
This war is not about territory. It’s about sending a message: that Russia is back, it’s got money — lots of oil money, thank you democrats — and it intends to destroy any country that gets in its way. As anyone with half a brain knows (and that excludes Obama whose mind has never gotten out of Chicago), Russia under Putin is itching for war. War everywhere it can get away with it. No longer communist, Russia can best be viewed as fascist and insane (big difference, admittedly).
American had best get its head out of its collective butt, because these creeps and their allies in China and their proxies in the Mid-East mean business. But good luck on that. BTW, George, you may have noticed compassionate conservatism doesn’t work on these guys.
While obvious to some of us, this is a gem of a summary of the problem we suffer here.
Can we just mail millions of these to McCain?
Would it help?
This is a cheap way for Putin to send a message to any other wayward former satellite countries.
Ditto that. Those were my thoughts exactly – Russia is sending a message to the good ‘ol USofA! We may have help Afgahnistan win that war against Russia, wanna try 2 for 2?
Maybe a little less obvious example might be a little bit more sporty.
But, but, but, diversity is, is wonderful, its the moral imperative, its, its our obligation, without diversity we, we might be..at war.
Ooh, my.
What kind of pressure is there to bring on Russia? Are the Europeans going to refuse to buy Russia’s gas and oil?
The word is capitulation.I have sympathy for the Georgians but I don’t see much we or anyone else can do for them. The Bear is on the march and wants her old den back. Interesting that last night one of the cable channels had a special about the Winter War between Russia and Finland in 1939-1940. The Russians were willing to leave a million dead on the field for one lousy Finish city.
Odd people these Russians. Hopefully she and China will go at it and we can sell to both sides (o:
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His Messiahship be mocked- the Botox Broad 2
Allie OOP OOP be praised
Great questions, but at least McCain is offering something more substantial on the matter than Obama is with his pretty words.
The McSwish bigots dictate shut up and vote. What does the See-Dubya bigot say. Oh yes, they are just doing the jobs Americans won’t do. Another giant step left.
Erm….The Corner generally goes to sleep over the weekend. As of right now, there’s only one post today.
The Corner makes no claim to being “home of all the conservative intellectuals worth noting”. “Commentary” and NRO (of which The Corner is only a part) are both big conservative sites —as is MM’s!!
And maybe, just maybe, those conservative intellectuals feel they lack the facts and up-to-date info to comment intelligently on the situation—unlike certain armchair geopoliticians who pretend to speak knowledgably, but always in glittering generalities.
Shocking! The UN failed to take prompt and appropriate action in a military crisis. Well that hasn’t happened before. Oh, wait, it has.
Obama is trying to find Georgia on Google Maps but keeps getting a map of downtown Atlanta.
In the meantime, Russia and Georgia are involved in an apparently escalating conflict along the former “Silk Road” that promises to be the new “Energy Road” and George W. Bush is kissing up to the ChiComs in Beijing.
Major conflicts have erupted out of smaller, less confused situations.
On August 9th, 2008 at 9:58 am, Yashmak said . . . .
You’re right, of course. I’ll tamp down my aggravation long enough to give the media time to get reporters over there — if they care, that is.
And maybe, just maybe this is Russia’s push to control the oil flow to Europe. They are arming Iran, their allies in our Congress and Senate won’t allow expanded drilling here and you can bet the old Soviet Republics are worried.
So am I. But I do not see what the US and John McCain CAN do about it EXCEPT start drilling here (yes lgm we know $5 a gallon tax and we are in Nirvana). We sure as hell can’t go to war over that small country or Europe either. With the Leftist, Fifth Column knife at our throat we are limited.
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His Messiahship be mocked- the Botox Broad 2
Allie OOP OOP be praised
Denmark has raised the ??? as to why Russian military aircraft have been ‘frequent flyers’ over Danish airspace????
Russian jets trying to hit a pipeline that feeds the west. That is a big, big no-no, IMHO.
Besides the revelation to many that air power is weak, it reveals some of Russia’s intent. My main question is: what is Russia’s national objective in invading Georgia?
After all is said and done (of course, Russia will probably win, unless they fail to achieve some limited objective) the upshot will be that Russia is ready, willing and able to throw around its weight. World beware.
Our response should be (as McCain and Bush have done) to demand an unconditional cessation of this operation in Georgia by the Russkies.
Obama is such a shcmuck on this. The world is a serious place, people. Will the democrats shrink our armed forces if they gain more political power after the election? If so, why? Could it be that they hate America?
Remember how Gen. Clark and Pres. Clinton got us to the threshold of war with the Russians at the Sarajevo airport that time? Freakin idiots!
I, personally, would rather McCain be at the helm in these times than Obama.
Russia had better watch out for Georgia, they may be making a serious mistake by tangling with Georgia, they have an army that rivals the Russian army, one road in thru a tunnel in the mountains and if you look at the Russian stock market it took a large hit yesterday. This is the same way Hitler started his march on Europe, under the guise of protecting German’s in neighboring countries. If Russia goes to far it could possibly have some serious military and financial pitfalls for them.
Kosova should have remained in Serbia. The UN, for some reason insists on getting involved with a Civil War. They should focus on Africa where a million people were hacked to death right under their noses.
They did not take sides there.
U.S. imports of Russian oil is negligible. You should thank the European Union. The entire bloc is completely dependent on Russia for its energy supplies and thus the Russian treasury is swimming in euros and thus has the financing to play pseudo-superpower, at least in their own minds.
The whole rest of the world can worry about those places; until OUR interests are involved stay out. The Balkans, Africa and the Middle East LIKE fighting each other–it is what they do. The UN was a joke in 1946. If we can help Georgians kill Russians fine, give them what they need, but stay out. At the moment I fear Librals and mohammedans more than ruskies.
We got our sorry ass involved in Somalia, lost a lot of good people and now have a mohammadean fifth column here of Somalis. Wonderful. The next time they hit us we can proudly say: We tried to help.
Put that on the graves of our dead.
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His Messiahship be mocked- the Botox Broad 2
Allie OOP OOP be praised
Obama is still wondering:
1. How did Russia get troops to Georgia?
2. Will they burn Atlanta?
3. Can Scarlett save Tara?
Russia’s national interest is in obtaining access/control of the OIL PIPELINE that runs through Georgia, Armenia, Azerbijan and Turkey. This pipeline supplies Europe. Russian oil output has decreased dramatically since they nationalized one or two or however many oil companies in Russia. They want to expand their control of the energy commodities that supply Europe.
Your mother made you watch GWTW too? I guess we all had to go through it. Hell not one calvery charge in the whole damn movie and they said it was a classic!
Rio Bravo was a classic. GWTW is a chick flick. Obama is a chick flick.
(I knew I could do it (o:)
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His Messiahship be mocked- the Botox Broad 2
Allie OOP OOP be praised
fulldroolcup
I’ve been studying Russian and Eastern-European politics for forty years, jackass. Come back when you have a point. Better yet, go to the Corner. I’m sure they would love to have you.
beenthere, you are one confused dude.
* you complain that the conservatives at the Corner aren’t covering your pet topic.
* but now you are implying they wouldn’t know what they are talking if they did!!!
Oh and btw: National Review On-Line links to two articles on this topic.
Funny, but I don’t see them linking to YOU.
Ummm…where are the Global Peace groups? I want to know why, when we went to war against those that attacked us in Afghanistan, there were tons of protests GLOBALLY concerning our need to appease and coddle Islam and others who would like to kill us.
When we subsequently FINISHED a war against a trant and mass murdering thug who liked to pay thousands of dollars to the families of those that would murder innocent men, women and children by blowing themselves up amongst other heinous and illegal actions, there were oh so many people taking to the street GLOBALLY to denounce us for being Imperialistic, how it was all about oil, how Bush was just appeasing his daddy and about a million other reasons.
Well, here is a war, and I just do not see all the alleged “Peace-Nicks” running around, denouncing various governments involved in it.
Where are the rallies? Where are the slogans? Where are the signs, the puppets, the bearded topless women wanting people to stare at their ugly, naked bodies instead of using explosives?
It couldn’t possibly be that it is just OUR country that is supposed to be a gutless, spineless, milktoast piece of phlegm and unable to protect itself from it’s enemies and everyone else is allowed to …could it?
I mean…the “Global Peace Groups” aren’t hypocrites…
Are they?
Blind_Mule re:
“…they may be making a serious mistake by tangling with Georgia, they have an army that rivals the Russian army,…”
Agreed, but as far as the Russian army goes, how do you miss a pipeline? it’s not like the thing can run & hide…
… but if they do hit it the next time supply goes down, and we get 6$ gas.
My apologies see dub. The one time I don’t look, I get it wrong. I shouldn’t comment that early in th emorning.
Lack of adequate and operational military hardware?
Even if this is true, don’t bet the speculators won’t take advantage of the opportunity.
That’s not true!!
Edwards is the maggot in the manure of the Body Politic…
Strong leadership from Obie and his counselors: “Hey, guys, guys, hello guys, I think Rodney King may have been right, ‘Can’t we all just get along?’”
No cavalry charges in Rio Bravo, either. Maybe Rio Grande or She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.
Seems like McCain and those on the board who are expecting something out of the UN have forgotten that Russia has a permanent seat on the Security Council, and can veto anything they try to do. I don’t expect they’ll make the mistake of walking out this time.
Oh Lord, I’ll be expelled from the Cowboy Movie Watchers Hall of Fame )o:
No, just a six months TV ban on anything but chick flicks.
The Yellow Ribbons I display are also in support of the Georgians in this conflict. War is bad but at times it’s unavoidable and necessary.
It’s important to monitor this conflict very closely especially how western media handles this. After all of the BS on Iraq and Afghanistan the media has pulled one might be interested to know how consistent they would be in reporting.
Additionally watch the UNSC, this war too should be “illegal” by their standards.
Georgia’s our ally in Iraq. Why aren’t we doing anything? More importantly, why isn’t the sheer fact that Georgia is our ally enough to prevent Russia from invading? There’re at least two clear implications here:
1) Russia thinks, and is apparently right, that we’re neither willing nor able to defend our allies.
2) No one in their right mind will side with us in a war again.
The US is providing logistical and intelligence support, unfortunately there is an election upcoming so this is on the extreme down-low.
I can’t wait to see how he explains to them that they’re just bitter and clinging to their guns because their job market dried up 30 years ago.
They need to stop all this fussin and fighting – it is absolutely not good for Michelle Obama’s kids!
In all seriousness, this isn’t a bit funny. It is the end result of the left’s military and foreign policies for the last half century. I bet they aren’t going to rush forward to take credit for it, though. The Russians have finally concluded that NATO is a paper tiger, and they can proceed without fear to reconstitute their empire. The lack of resolute action by the US and the rest of the NATO countries is going to do nothing but reinforce that view. I’m afraid Europe is going to be a very different place in another 10-15 years, between the Russian expansion and the Muslim occupation. And the US is looking more and more isolated.
Shhhhhh…
You aren’t supposed to mention their kids. Only THEY can mention their kids…and then only if they can complain about it afterwards.
– jroberts
We are. We’re using diplomacy to push for a cessation of hostilities. Remember, just because Georgia is friendly with us, and has cooperated in Iraq, doesn’t mean we have a signed treaty of mutual defense. Typically, an ally can rightfully expect aid if they are the victims of an unprovoked attack on their nation. However, having an alliance doesn’t mean you can go provoking your big bad neighbors, and expect your ally is going to come bail you out. That would be an abuse of the alliance.
Remember, Georgia chose to bombard a civilian center filled with Russian citizens. They had to expect SOME sort of response from Russia, and I haven’t read anything about them consulting with us ahead of time about it. As has also been posted, civilians fleeing the capital of South Ossetia are claiming the Georgian army is ‘ethnic cleansing’. Of course, independent verification is needed before that sort of thing can be taken at face value. . .but it’s a startling claim nonetheless. I have no doubt that separatists have been raiding/shelling/etc. Georgian villages and what-not. . .but they involved Russian civilians when they shelled the capital of South Ossetia. That was a bad move.
On the other hand. . . .Georgia has a very competent military, the homefield advantage, and a natural strategic barrier (the Caucasus mountains) preventing their foe from pushing large formations across the border quickly. They may also be benefiting from intelligence provided by NATO, for all I know. I wouldn’t be surprised. If Russia choses to draw this out, they may regret it.
I think it’s awfully early to conclude that Russia has any intention to make additional moves beyond South Ossetia, if THAT far. Indications are that the Russians aren’t even in the capital, having been either unable to , or uninterested in getting past the outskirts.
The Russian defense minister announced only last year that they plan to re-arm their military, using the term ‘modernize’. They recognize their conventional forces are now 2nd rate compared to the west, as we now know they were througout the Cold War. They don’t plan to complete this modernization for another 7 years (2015). The Russian high command has expressed doubts that Russian industry can, in fact, introduce the first-rate military hardware that will be needed to bring their armed forces up to date. They plan to replace existing hardware, but not to expand their military, per se.
At this time, their total ground forces are estimated at 395,000. . .less than the ground forces of the United States. They have practically NO new equipment, as most of the budgetary increases over the past few years have gone into pay increases for the soldiers. . .many of whom were paid sporadically, if at all, in the wake of the internal coup. Most units of the Russian army have a very low level of readiness, having not been substantially updated in terms of training or equipment since the Cold War. The recent conflict in Chechnya has highlighted the very low morale and readiness of their combat formations. The bottom line is, they’re not nearly ready for prime time. Surely Putin and the Russian leadership know this.
And for the record, I suck at using the link button, if you hadn’t already figured that out.
How dare georgia try to suppress a rebellion in its own borders!!! BTW russia is now stealing 2 border regions from georgia.
Well, if you can’t believe the Russian Defense Minister, who can you believe? Let’s see… I’d trust Kim Jong Il more than that, I’d believe Saddam Hussein more than that….I’d even believe the Chinese military buildup is intended for self-defense before I’d believe the Russian MOD.
Duh! Are you kidding me?? Isolation will be the least of our worries. If we get with the “program” we’ll be fine. If not, it’s heads off with you and I’m not joking. Call me crazy, but at the very least we will have war on our own soil.
Yashmak – I for one, appreciate your posts on this subject. Please keep them coming.
Sorry, my mistake. I assumed that the readers of this blog would have the education and intelligence to understand why “isolation” is a bad thing, without having to write a 10,000 word dissertation on the subject. I reckoned without you.
txvet – relax! Right now, I’d like to close the borders, and isolate ourselves from Europe, the Middle East, Mexico, etc. Forgive me that I somehow assumed you were not educated and intelligent nor can articulate your thoughts. It was a joke – get over yourself.
Every nation on earth has gone extinct at some point, and a new one rises… 200 years is the average life for a democracy. Europe is going Muslim, the USA is going Mexican. Things change.
“Find a quiet corner of North America and stay out of history’s way.” ——Star Trek, First Contact
This war has nothing to do with South Ossentians, and less to do with the UN.
Get that straight.
I read that 1% of world oil travels that pipeline the planes cannot, so far, hit. Will the oil speculators place their bets on a hit?
Airpower: you still trying to make a mark in the world? Tanks have girth; planes look cool.
Georgia is likely to lose against the bear, but I would say that the Caucuses are a formidable factor that may help Georgia. Also, weather may be a help.
On the debit side, the Georgians are wide open on their maritime side.
I thought BHO was the messiah? Why hasn’t he figured out how to solve this, yet?
– sonofdy
And how dare the Russians take action when their citizens are bombarded by a foreign military?!?
Russia may have a history of meddling in the affairs of Georgia, but everything I’ve read on the matter indicates that Abkhazia and South Ossetia have wanted to secede pretty much from the moment that Georgia dropped out of the Soviet Union, and it’s kind of hard to blame Russia for that.
That would make sense if any of this was taking place in russia. Why do you support outright military conquest by russia?
My thoughts too, but I’ll be the first to admit, I’m an uneducated idiot, what the heck do I know?
And thereby cut us off from about half of our oil supply. Bright. I agree about closing our border to illegals, but then see-dubya already made that point on this thread.
Obviously you didn’t understand my post.
Likewise, I’m sure.
That’s a bit like saying that Mexico would be justified in attacking and invading us (Gee, they already do, don’t they) for dealing with our illegal immigration problem. One of the links that see-dubya provided notes the consistent pattern by Russia of repopulating occupied areas with ethnic Russians and then using that as justification for annexation.
Txvet2 -
#1 I said I’d like to isolate ourselves, I didn’t realize I had to write a 50,0000 word dissertation on why we can’t do that …I know why that cannot happen.
#2 – I did understand your post – but back at you!
By the way, education has nothing to do with it – I’m a very literal person – to a fault a fear!
And I pointed out that it was a thoughtless comment. Obviously, with any thought at all, you’d have come up with infinite reasons why you don’t really want to be isolated from the rest of the world, or at least those parts you specified (well, maybe Europe, although I like their wines). Now if you’d just said you wished their citizens would stop invading us, I’d agree with you in a heartbeat. No points for originality with the 50,000 word dissertation comment. Try thinking up your own insults, or you take all the fun out of it.
txvet2 – I’ll try to do better :0)
One thing that bothers me about the Russian incursion into Georgia is the stark difference in how they are prosecuting this invasion. Our military goes to great pains to minimize targeting innocent civilians and the Russians and their allies have been dropping bombs on apartment buildings and shelling civilian positions. Where is the outrage from the usual suspects of the left anti-war crowd? They should be out rabidly protesting in the streets demanding something must be done or is it they have too many ties with their former Soviet Union allies to denounce this violation of international law.
Al Reuters is reporting an attempt to bomb the oil pipeline that runs to Western Europe. So far they have missed, which is either a warning or just bad airmanship. From what I am seeing it already is starting to feel like fall in the middle of nowhere Idaho. I have a feeling it is going to be an early and cold winter this year. Thanks to 40 years of short sightedness on behalf of the Democrats and their rabid tree hugging allies we could be looking at a real World War for Oil.
The Ukrainian’s have already stated the Russian Black Sea fleet sent to blockade Georgia will not be allowed to return to their port in Sevastopol as long as this aggression continues. All Russia has to do is start the same tactics with the Ukraine to start a shooting war on that front. I wonder how long before the greatly weakened military forces of NATO act or come whining to the already badly stressed forces of the US to bail them out again.
The only upside is the Georgians have pulled back and are trying to negotiate with the Russians. Hopefully the Russians will agree, but of course they can kiss the territory belonging to the breakaway Republic region goodbye. We are either looking at another “Guns of August” scenario which could start another World War (not that I believe Bush or NATO is going to do much) or the chipping away of former Soviet Union Republics in the same manner Nazi Germany took over territory mostly without even firing a shot in the 1930s.
Oh ffs..
“Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council began meeting for a fourth day on Sunday to discuss the conflict. It has so far failed to agree on the wording of a statement calling for a ceasefire.” (BBC)
Four days of meetings and they still can’t even write a letter. A clear demonstration of the complete and utter ineptitude of the UN Security Council.
United Nations Security Council: note one of the members who can veto anything coming out of the security council is : RUSSIA. Do you really expect the UN to do anything?
Yashmak: do you approve of russia expanding the war out of south ossetia??? Interesting for someone named after a turkish womans headcovering.
– sonofdy
Do I really need to re-post my response to this question that I posted in the other topic related to this conflict? I guess I might as well, since you’re repeating the question. Here it is, since you obviously missed it the first time around:
What’s your excuse for putting words in my mouth? I haven’t for one moment ‘backed’ either side in this. Encouraging people to examine the issue from both sides before making statements that we should rush off to involve ourselves in yet another war is NOT the same as ‘backing’ a side, unless the definition of the word has changed and I didn’t get the memo.
For the record, a Yashmak is also a drink made with rye whiskey, vermouths, Pernod, and sugar syrup. It was a nickname given to me by a drunk in college, but yes, the word also means what you said sonofdy.
No, I don’t approve of Russia expanding beyond its borders. However, I’m not going to get hysterical over their expansion into a province that has a GDP of just $12 million. There are basketball players who make more than that a year. Yet some of you are talking like you’d like to see us commit our nation to military action against Russia, the 2nd most powerful military in the world, while we’re still engaged elsewhere. I’m not going to get drawn into that sort of hysteria. It’d be one thing, if Russia had just spontaneously rolled across the border. But they didn’t. They didn’t do anything until Georgia bombarded a bunch of Russian civilians in the capital of South Ossetia. I cannot fault them for that.
Boomer, you ask where’s the outrage at the Russians and their allies for bombing apartments and the like. I’ll go question for question. Where’s the corresponding outrage at the Georgians for bombarding a city filled with civilians? Both sides are in the wrong here, there’s no doubt about it.
– txvet2
How on earth can you equate arresting and deporting illegal aliens, with firing artillery and rockets into a city? That makes no sense.
Russia wants her
old empire back and I bet she gets it. The draw down of the US military under WJ Clinton never has been restored and Putin knows it. Obama will talk and McCain will thunder but Russia knows that short of all out war we can not reach Georgia or Ossetia. This battle may end. Russia has a long, and successful, history of fighting their wars over time. It was in our fathers, or grandfathers, lives that Poland became a country for 20 lousy years. Oh yea, Russia is back.
We need to concentrate on continential defense and let the rest of the world rot. Korea will be one of the next hot spots. Kim knows we are divided.We on the southern border have our own problem.
Putin is calling for regime change.
Oh, wait. Only the Messiah of Democracy has been called to do regime change under Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews.
Putin’s so sarcastic. Easy to see why a patriotic leader like Putin has a 90% approval rating and the halfwit ideologue stumbles along at 28%.
Georgia attacked Osettia. They’re getting what they deserve. All this talk about them signing a cease fire – it sounds like talk to me. Don’t get me wrong.. I don’t agree with Russian politics nor military movement across their borders. A the same time they are tired of terrorists being harbored in Georgia and in light of this recent attack I cannot say I blame them. I don’t buy that Russia is invading in order to take over the oile pipeline as several people are claiming.
From my point of view I cannot understand why Georgia would be considered such a great ally to the United States other than the fact that they are strategically located in that area. They provoked the attacks and now that they are getting their butts handed to them everyone is up in arms that they are the victims. Instead they were the perpetrators.
– chep
Me either. Apparently, it’s enough for some folks that they sent troops to Iraq, even though it was in their interests to do so, regardless if they’re friendly to us or not.