The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Toad Boy — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:29:57 GMT

Nice that Obama to take time out of his vacation and danced around a subject he knows nothing about. Of course, McCain had a one line answer that was so clear, even libersl could understand it.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

the Pajama Pundit — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:32:53 GMT

Does anyone else think that Russia over-reacted just a little bit? Scary.

http://thepajamapundit.com/

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Pat Huntington NY — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:33:09 GMT

When he first heard about the attack on Georgia, Bush's immediate reaction was, "send our troops to Atlanta!"

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

camie — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:33:41 GMT

i dont think either of the candidates lose on this issue. Obama could do slightly better because this situation deteriorated under the bush administration. I do hope this gets taken care of because what the Russians are doing is just sad. In the 21century this shouldnt be happening.

clinton campaign memos: paint obama as foreign, find out more
http://sensico.wordpress.com/2008/08/10/leaked-clinton-memos-portray-obama-as-foreign/
or
http://sensico2.blogspot.com/2008/07/my-blogs.html

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:33:52 GMT

This is one of the problem with disingenuous diplomacy, the type of which we've seen over and over again from the Bush Administration.

We led Georgia into believing they were actually an ally, with talk of NATO membership and missile shields. So now, Georgia is wondering where their new allies are.

The simple fact is we aren't going to war against Russia over this. And more sophisticated and honest diplomatic stance never would have created a false impression in the minds of the Georgians to the contrary.

And it goes back to a larger mistake. Russia is down, but that doesn't mean they are going to like being kicked. Why in the world would we be trying to encircle Russia now? Why are we pushing them?

There was nothing to gain and potentially a lot to lose by adding fuel to the fire of centuries-old Russian paranoia.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

BL, Cincinnati OH — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:33:59 GMT

"Where is the United States?"

Bogged down in Iraq, unable to confront any situation in the world, thanks to George Bush and John McCain.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

jeff D Evanston IL. — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:36:43 GMT

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:37:04 GMT

Toad Boy - McCain's one line was clear, but jaw droppingly stupid.

He said Russia has to leave because it violated Georgian sovereignty. How much standing does the U.S. have to lecture anyone about violating another nation's sovereignty?

As if Russia has to leave Georgia immediately, why is the U.S. can stay in Iraq?

Further, McCain says he wants peacekeeping forces. Where are those forces coming from? Our allies are tapped out, and most everyone else isn't interested in providing forces for yet another U.S. initiative.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:40:26 GMT

Oh, now Cheney is warning them. I'm sure if just one more cold-warrior wannabe talks tough to Russia, they'll listen.

And perhaps a more measured response, like that from the Obama campaign, is the way to go. It isn't clear Russia is entirely at fault. But as they say, truth is usually the first casualty of war.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Independent Voter — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:40:56 GMT

Because of the invation of Iraq the US does not have an ability to respond militarly to help defend Georgia. In addition, because of the lack of diplomacy and cowboy attitude the US can't pull other countries to develop a colition of responce. The failurs of the Bush/Cheney administration being shown again.
Neither McCain or Obama can do anything in this situation except watch and not undermind the current President. Both comments are similar.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

sotiredofignorance — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:43:28 GMT

Exactly, Paul Miller. You said it better than I could. The danger with McCain is that he will soon want to saddle up and invade. This guy never saw a war that he didn't want to be a part of.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Houston — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:43:40 GMT

By the way, McCain's top foreign policy adviser, Randy Scheunemann, was a lobbyist for Georgia. "But given the rapid escalation of the fighting, and the fact that Georgia is being viewed as a victim of its neighbor's aggression, Mr. Scheunemann's ties to the small nation and its pro-Western Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili may look less like a weakness and more like a strength in the first foreign-policy crisis of the general election campaign.”
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McCain has lobbyists on his staff who worked for the dictatorship in Burma and for UNITAS, an African terrorist organization. If you turned over enough rocks in the McCain campaign, you'd probably find a lobbyist for a Russian oil magnate, too.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Uderwhelmed — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:46:36 GMT

BL, Cincinnati OH
you cannot be that dumb, do you really think we would militarily address this even if we were not in IRAQ?
Give me a break. Wake up we are not going to start a war with Russia over Georgea, not going to happen. how bout you go to the library and read some books, any books really it couldn’t hurt.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

dl, Exeter, NH — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:49:31 GMT

why does Dick Cheney seem to be so much closer to John Mccain suddenly ...all the time. someone need to look at how close Dick Cheney and mccain have been on issues for the last 8 years.

you suddenbly realize it is not Bush that McCain is close to ...but Dick Cheney.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Brother Odd — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:51:29 GMT

The US is no longer the good guys of the world. We invaded and are occupying another country.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Student Nader Raider — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:55:48 GMT

The media is blocking out information to prvide no contect on the situation between Rusia and Georgia to encourage the US to go to war agaist Russia.
Listening to some international media, the Georgian President was engaging in killing Russian citizens within Georgia and that provoked the Russian army to respond.
As to why the US would have interst in this conflict is not supprisingly because there is an oil pipeine there.
Information is power. Be rational and don't listen to the candidates of just the domestic mainstream media. look at international meda as well and the truth is somewhere in between.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Cindy Lou, TX — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:56:24 GMT

McCain's reference to the KGB scares me--it's an old way of framing a modern problem. It also strikes me as trigger-happy given all that's at stake with America needing Russia as a partner in Iran.

On the other hand, Georgia is one of America's few allies in the unnecessary war called Iraq. America should find a way of offering some assistance. I think a nuanced approach is preferable to McCain's "kill the enemy" style.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

subgruvet, ok — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:02:27 GMT

McBlinky is a troubled old man; careless, rash and arrogant. To say he'd be more of Bush is an understatement. He'd be like Bush with his hair on fire. I think someone has recently super-glued his navy ball cap to his head, too. I'm a vet and I'm voting Obama.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Felix, CO — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:04:02 GMT

This situation is a direct result of the greatest strategic error ever blundered into by any American administration. Putin knows perfectly well we can do little but fume.

When the clueless, juvenile Bush looked into Putin's eyes and thought he saw his soul, what he was actually seeing was the eyes of a reptile thinking about unhinging its jaws and swallowing the ridiculous American President whole.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Kathy, Elburn, Il. — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:04:31 GMT

Liberals and in particular, the liberal press has succeeded in making even conservative hawks wary of war-any war, even a justified one. I'm sick to death of my country being trashed so let Europe deal with this on their own.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Reese Toby — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:04:40 GMT

The US is no longer the good guys of the world. We invaded and are occupying another country.
Brother Odd (Sent Monday, August 11, 2008 9:51 AM)

We've been doing that for 50 plus years in South Korea. Are you saying we haven't been the "good guys' since then?

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Matt, Idaho — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:05:49 GMT

Pot, meet kettle.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Carole, Ft. Lauderdale — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:06:23 GMT

You probably won't print this because it praises CNN news coverage, but the President of Georgia was on LIVE television on Wolf Blitzer on Sunday afternoon and had to connect by audio with a portable device on his ear because of the attacks on the sovereign state of Georgia by Russia. His small country has been a big ally of the US's debacle in Iraq and has helped support our agenda. Russia is behaving monstrously. The UN needs to make some decisive statements about Georgia's sovereignty. This has very serious potential regional and global ramifications and shouldn't be getting treated with glib political spin, folks.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

sporcupine, kentucky — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:09:20 GMT

Reality just bit back. Georgia is a small country far from us and right next door to Russia and its great big army.

What is happening is horrible. We should be appalled. We should argue for it to stop. We should use carrots and sticks.

But we cannot send our military to defend Tblisi, because we don't have the strength and it's not time for literal World War III.

Since we won't do direct military action, our first job is not make the Georgians believe we will. They need to choose a path based on the facts, not based on dreams (theirs or ours) of American omnipotence.

That's why the candidates are struggling over what to say. To say "Let's fix it" would give false hope. To say "it's hopeless" would undermine whatever limited help we can give with diplomacy and trade. To say anything memorable would be to compete with American and French diplomats trying to achieve whatever's possible.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Dave, Tn — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:12:44 GMT

Our worthless Socialist allies in Europe who depend on that pipe line Russia wants to control could at least enforce a no fly zone in Georgia. I'm thinking of the countries who stabbed us in the back over Iraq, and the ones not pulling their weight in Afghanistan. Any plans for the Obamabots to have another rally with the Decemberist playing the Soviet National Anthem?

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Andrea, New York City — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:16:41 GMT

I need to understand this, we the united states of american invaded iraq based upon bad inteligence, and basely lies, how can we tell the russian any thing when it come to who they are attacking or why they are doing it. submitted by Jeff
******************************************

You a right on Jeff. I was thinking the exact same thing.

I think this all has to do with oil again!!

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

What_you_Selling — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:17:16 GMT

We've been doing that for 50 plus years in South Korea. Are you saying we haven't been the "good guys' since then?
Reese Toby (Sent Monday, August 11, 2008 10:04 AM)

Reese these people here have never thought we were the good guys.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Brother Odd — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:18:28 GMT

We haven't been the good guys since we drove the Indians to reservations and took over their land.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Obama-Junkie, IL — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:20:46 GMT

This is a no-win situation for any presidential candidate which must be handled with strong diplomacy. America is not going to war or military conflict over the country of Georgia, especially with our military plight in Afghanistan and Iraq with Russia. Russia is no small Afghanistan or over-rated Iraq. They have the 2nd or 3rd strongest military on the planet and are armed with nukes.

America has no strong moral ground to tell the Russians to leave Georgia alone after the Iraq War.

It will be interesting to see McCain read from the teleprompter what America's response should be.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

bill, okla — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:21:43 GMT

Kathy in Elburn, Il. Damn right we should be wary of war. Justified? Hitler easily convinced his nation of the justification to invade Poland. Bush/Cheney did quite a job on this nation with justification disinformation. It sounds like you've been listening to Limbaugh or some other radio nut job...by the way check out ownership of the press in this country and get back to me on "liberal press."

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

shuki — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:25:08 GMT

Putin’s goal is to unite all 15 states into Soviet Union, another goal is to get an access to Adriatic, which is working right now with Podgorica in Montenegro, and he will not stop. Putin has an extremely cruel and vicious character, another Milosevic, who will destroy Russia and his goal will fell in the end.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Lia — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:26:23 GMT

As a professional diplomat for more than 20 years, I can tell you that Obama's initial response was the right one - urge restraint and assess the situation. I know Michael McFaul from when we were both in Moscow. He knows the region well.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Duwayne Altman — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:27:36 GMT

Russia responded after its citizens and soldiers were killed in Georgia's violent attempt to "consolidate".
USA pre-emptively invaded Iraq on much less. Putin in right to condemn Bush administration. We have no moral high ground. Let's hope Cheney doesn't use this as an excuse to invade Iran before a much needed change in Washington.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Class Warrior, D.C. — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:36:22 GMT

I have an answer to the refugees: The U.S. and NATO are coming when Russia no longer has nukes and missiles to shoot them at us. Until then, you are the collateral damage of the New Cold War.

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Owl,Idaho. — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:48:00 GMT

I wish we had video on the visit Bush had with Putin for a couple of hours in Bejing, just hours befor the invasion began.
Did they speak soul to soul?
Did they speak of the coming invasion?
THAT IS SCARY!!!
Owl

The crisis with Russia over Georgia

Nick, Santa Ana , CA — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:12:07 GMT

Where is the worldwide outrage of "peacenicks"? When NATO bombed Yugoslavia almost 10 years ago to stop the ethnic cleansig of 1,7 milion Kosovars they were protesting and burning American flags on daily basis. Now that Russia is claiming to do exactly the same for South Ossetians, there is none around to protest!
Are somehow the lives of 70 000 South Ossetians more valuble than the lives of 1,7 milion Kosovar Albanians or the "peacenicks" are just plain Anti-Americans?