August 14, 200818 yr Russia is using the ethnic Russians of South Ossetia and Abkhazia to punish Georgia for turning pro-West. But the plight of South Ossetia and Abkhazia is really all Russia's fault. Russia is the country that occupied Georgia for over 200 years. Russia is the country that invaded Georgia in 1921, after three years of independence following the collapse of the Russian Empire, and absorbed it into the Soviet Union under the Transcaucasian SFSR. Russia is the country that defined Georgia's present borders when they dissolved the Transcaucasian SFSR in 1936. If they were really concerned about ethnic Russians in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, they had plenty of time to reabsorb them instead of playing Cloak and Dagger for the past 16 years.
August 14, 200818 yr Author Well I guess the US should just abandon its allies, let the Russians invade everyone in the Caucasus and Eastern Europe and just focus on the Middle East since the world revolves around the region...for our government at least.
August 14, 200818 yr We're better off supporting Georgia, even though they technically started this conflict. They are the lesser of two evils in this situation. Russia has gone overboard in retaliating against Georgia, from what I have seen.
August 15, 200818 yr Russia has gone overboard in retaliating against Georgia, from what I have seen. If you're Georgia this has been a disaster. If you're Russia on the other hand this has been fantastic.
August 15, 200818 yr Russia has gone overboard in retaliating against Georgia, from what I have seen. If you're Georgia this has been a disaster. If you're Russia on the other hand this has been fantastic. mainly because no one has done anything and they are walking through the country. Putin is smiling somewhere :confused
August 15, 200818 yr Author We're better off supporting Georgia, even though they technically started this conflict. They are the lesser of two evils in this situation. Russia has gone overboard in retaliating against Georgia, from what I have seen. Exactly. I do not see how we could turn our backs to the country that sent 2000 soldiers to Iraq (third largest troop contingent from the coalition of the willing). and keep a straight face, really.
August 15, 200818 yr However Georgia was victorious over Russia in women's beach volleyball, so that makes them even.
August 15, 200818 yr "Unfortunately, Russia has tended to view the expansion of freedom and democracy as a threat to its interests," Bush said. "The opposite is true. Free and prosperous societies on Russia's borders will advance Russia's interests by serving as sources of stability and economic opportunity." The United States is hopeful that Russia will embrace "a future of cooperation and peace" that would help all parties, he said. "The Cold War is over," Bush said. "The days of satellite states and spheres of influence are behind us. A contentious relationship with Russia is not in America's interest. And a contentious relationship with America is not in Russia's interests." Actually one of the better quotes I've heard from W.
August 15, 200818 yr Author "Unfortunately, Russia has tended to view the expansion of freedom and democracy as a threat to its interests," Bush said. "The opposite is true. Free and prosperous societies on Russia's borders will advance Russia's interests by serving as sources of stability and economic opportunity." The United States is hopeful that Russia will embrace "a future of cooperation and peace" that would help all parties, he said. "The Cold War is over," Bush said. "The days of satellite states and spheres of influence are behind us. A contentious relationship with Russia is not in America's interest. And a contentious relationship with America is not in Russia's interests." Actually one of the better quotes I've heard from W. I'm sure he didn't write that :lol
August 15, 200818 yr "Unfortunately, Russia has tended to view the expansion of freedom and democracy as a threat to its interests," Bush said. "The opposite is true. Free and prosperous societies on Russia's borders will advance Russia's interests by serving as sources of stability and economic opportunity." The United States is hopeful that Russia will embrace "a future of cooperation and peace" that would help all parties, he said. "The Cold War is over," Bush said. "The days of satellite states and spheres of influence are behind us. A contentious relationship with Russia is not in America's interest. And a contentious relationship with America is not in Russia's interests." Actually one of the better quotes I've heard from W. I'm sure he didn't write that :lol Bush is smart sometimes!! he has surprised me on many occasions both as a leader and as a person. Like when he is off the coff and not talking politics
August 15, 200818 yr I'm sure he didn't write that :lol Bush is not dumb. He's just not well-spoken. It's kind've like Yogi Berra. He's no idiot, he just fumbles with words. BTW: Human Rights Watch has evidence that Russia dropped cluster bombs on Georgian citizens. (That article also describes Russians burning the houses of ethnic Georgians in South Ossetia.) Turkish journalists were attacked by Russian soldiers in South Ossetia. And Estonia is pushing for immediate NATO membership for Georgia and Ukraine.
August 15, 200818 yr I'm sure he didn't write that :lol Bush is not dumb. He's just not well-spoken. It's kind've like Yogi Berra. He's no idiot, he just fumbles with words. BTW: Human Rights Watch has evidence that Russia dropped cluster bombs on Georgian citizens. (That article also describes Russians burning the houses of ethnic Georgians in South Ossetia.) Turkish journalists were attacked by Russian soldiers in South Ossetia. And Estonia is pushing for immediate NATO membership for Georgia and Ukraine. Estonia is still struggling but coming out of it. I am glad they are coming out of the post soviet world a little better. I had the chance to visit Tallin (have a friend who lived there) its crazy how much Soviet control hurt them.
August 16, 200818 yr Author I'm sure he didn't write that :lol Bush is not dumb. He's just not well-spoken. It's kind've like Yogi Berra. He's no idiot, he just fumbles with words. BTW: Human Rights Watch has evidence that Russia dropped cluster bombs on Georgian citizens. (That article also describes Russians burning the houses of ethnic Georgians in South Ossetia.) Turkish journalists were attacked by Russian soldiers in South Ossetia. And Estonia is pushing for immediate NATO membership for Georgia and Ukraine. Oh I was not saying he was dumb, I was just saying there's no way in hell he could've come up with that statement all by his "genius" self. Besides, most presidents have people who write for them, so I'm pretty sure he didn't write that. That being said, I don't think Estonia's plead is gonna move any mountains for Georgia and Ukraine when France and Germany, two of NATO's leaders, declined to accept them earlier this year.
August 16, 200818 yr Author I'm sure he didn't write that :lol Bush is not dumb. He's just not well-spoken. It's kind've like Yogi Berra. He's no idiot, he just fumbles with words. BTW: Human Rights Watch has evidence that Russia dropped cluster bombs on Georgian citizens. (That article also describes Russians burning the houses of ethnic Georgians in South Ossetia.) Turkish journalists were attacked by Russian soldiers in South Ossetia. And Estonia is pushing for immediate NATO membership for Georgia and Ukraine. Estonia is still struggling but coming out of it. I am glad they are coming out of the post soviet world a little better. I had the chance to visit Tallin (have a friend who lived there) its crazy how much Soviet control hurt them. I read in The Economist that out of all EU economies that are struggling right now, Estonia was the only one in a recession.
August 16, 200818 yr I'm sure he didn't write that :lol Bush is not dumb. He's just not well-spoken. It's kind've like Yogi Berra. He's no idiot, he just fumbles with words. BTW: Human Rights Watch has evidence that Russia dropped cluster bombs on Georgian citizens. (That article also describes Russians burning the houses of ethnic Georgians in South Ossetia.) Turkish journalists were attacked by Russian soldiers in South Ossetia. And Estonia is pushing for immediate NATO membership for Georgia and Ukraine. Oh I was not saying he was dumb, I was just saying there's no way in hell he could've come up with that statement all by his "genius" self. Besides, most presidents have people who write for them, so I'm pretty sure he didn't write that. That being said, I don't think Estonia's plead is gonna move any mountains for Georgia and Ukraine when France and Germany, two of NATO's leaders, declined to accept them earlier this year. They have stronger friends than just Estonia, but the Baltic states will come out of it, however slow going it is. Lithuania is the only one of the three that really rebounded strongly. A strong Europe is necessary in the future world events. This includes the Baltic states, the Balkans, Eurasian countires, Turkey, Cyprus, Albania, etc. The partnerships we make there are so important, as we cant fight the world alone, and I often wonder-outside of Jordan, Lebanon, and Tunisia(and possibly Kuwait and Qatar) just how many true allies we have in the region of the world that will play a large role in the makeup of our nation's future. Our relationships with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are promising-but just the cornerstones of what I hope can become strong ties in that region of the world, tying into the friendships we have already made. Russia contributed to the initial coalition in Afghanistan, and while it was only a field hospital, considering their last efforts there, I still think highly of that. I don't necessarially want Russia as our front line ally, just as a tolerant force who can compete in global economics, but not at the expense of humanity. The cold war wasnt that cold. No need to start another.
August 16, 200818 yr I'm sure he didn't write that :lol Bush is not dumb. He's just not well-spoken. It's kind've like Yogi Berra. He's no idiot, he just fumbles with words. BTW: Human Rights Watch has evidence that Russia dropped cluster bombs on Georgian citizens. (That article also describes Russians burning the houses of ethnic Georgians in South Ossetia.) Turkish journalists were attacked by Russian soldiers in South Ossetia. And Estonia is pushing for immediate NATO membership for Georgia and Ukraine. Estonia is still struggling but coming out of it. I am glad they are coming out of the post soviet world a little better. I had the chance to visit Tallin (have a friend who lived there) its crazy how much Soviet control hurt them. I read in The Economist that out of all EU economies that are struggling right now, Estonia was the only one in a recession. When I went about a year and a half ago it was on the verge I guess you could say, but it is so hard for them to modernize/stay cultural secure because the country is filled with soviet blocs and other reminents everywhere.
August 16, 200818 yr I'm sure he didn't write that :lol Well of course he didn't write it. But he still has to approve of it. It's not a typical Bush-like statement.
August 16, 200818 yr I'm sure he didn't write that :lol Of course he didn't write it. But he still has to say it. It's not a typical Bush-like statement. maybe Bush actually wrote this and all the other stuff was his dumb writers! :mis2
August 16, 200818 yr Oh I was not saying he was dumb I didn't say you said that. It's a common misconception, though. As for Estonia, they have hardly been struggling. In fact, they're scheduled to be the first of the Baltics into the Eurozone.
August 16, 200818 yr Oh I was not saying he was dumb I didn't say you said that. It's a common misconception, though. As for Estonia, they have hardly been struggling. In fact, they're scheduled to be the first of the Baltics into the Eurozone. Having been there it was hardly ready. I am sure things change and I might be jaded by the US and spending time in Italy, but its not great. As for on topic, Cease-Fire was signed but Russia isn't leaving and reports are that more troops have entered through South Ossetia.
August 17, 200818 yr Just saw reports that Russian tanks and soldiers are digging into their positions, which is not a good sign.
August 17, 200818 yr Just saw reports that Russian tanks and soldiers are digging into their positions, which is not a good sign. Supposedly they said they will be out by Monday morning.
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