(Merkwurdigliebe)

So what’s your point? If we hadnt invaded Iraq this wouldnt have happened? The Russians have nearly as many nukes as we do, and consequently have the leeway to, quite simply, do what they will in their sphere of influence…to suggest that Russia, which has been eyeing Ossetia for about 20 odd years, was emboldened by our Iraq invasion/occupation (which is now going succeeding), and not their economy rebuilt via petro and natural gas dollars is ridiculous, in a pre-9/11 world we still would be sitting on the sidlines wringing our hands…the Soviet Union is dead, but long live the Soviet Union, it seems…

And you as a leftie Tim should be wary about us rushing in to help a democracy in trouble…I guess Vietnam, Korea, and all of our other ventures shouldn’t have been done, but we should waltz right into Georgia. I guess only when little white Europeans as opposed to litte brown people are at stake…

The World is changing and very fast lately.
A Country of 4,000,000 people, named Georgia desided to blackmail the intire World.

How this could have happened?!

Abram Gin, New York

The World is changing and very fast lately.
A Country of 4,000,000 people, named Georgia desided to blackmail the intire World.

How this could have happened?!

Abram Gin, New York

Tim,

You’re none too bright, are you?

What in the world does our invasion of Iraq have to do with Russian activity in Georgia? Would your cowardly ilk really want the US to go to WAR with another nuclear state, when y’all practically pissed yourselves when we took on a non-nuclear state?

Gutless turds at the Stone have only weakened this nation’s resolve. And that’s something that was bound to happen, Iraq War on not.

So Bush didn’t bolt China. Why don’t you bolt SFO and become a human shield for the Georgians? Oh that’s right… cowards only do that when they know they won’t get rolled over.

Russia doesn’t like Saakashvili because he’s not the slave of Russia he has his own mind and want his nation to be independent,that’s why Russia attacks Georgia+scared that once Georgia once gets into NATO will be almost impossible to touch them there we he doesn’t care about S Osetia or it’s Citizenz in a millions years,they are millions starving to death in Russia!

blood for oil of olay

I’m with you, Tim. The US has neither the credibility nor the military agility to get involved in Georgia at the moment. The administration set itself up for something like this. I have been an apologist for the Bush and his cronies hitherto, but recent events have convinced me how stupid our leadership really is. I still reject all of the conspiracy theory bs proffered here regularly, but I have to admit that political leadership has failed miserably by allowing the US to become powerless to intervene in this situation or one like it.

I’d also like to point out to anyone who may be inclined to swallow the Russian – or should I say Soviet – propaganda which has started to insinuate that Georgia was committing genocide, that you are being duped. My experience traveling in the Caucasus off and on between 1995 and 2006 has convinced me that the ethnic tension in the area is directly proportional to the degree to which Russia supports it (guns and money). The criminals who keep this regionalism stoked have no real allegiance to some pan-Ossetian idea. Now, that’s just one opinion out of the many paid professional opinions you will here from the media over the next few weeks, but it is at least informed by actual experience, versus wkpda. The majority of Russians (I am ethnic Russian btw) hate Georgia because the Georgians take pride in their independence and freedom, and are also generally decent to one another. These are foreign concepts to people who have spent centuries under the yoke of Tyrants: mongols, tsars, Soviets and now Putin and his lackeys.

What can the US do? Go to wR WITH Russia? We are already in two wars! Time to get out and save our own economy.
jojogetbk 21

Merk, is there any way you can prove that the conflict in Iraq is ‘going succeeding’?? There are still more suicide bombings there than pre-bomb/invade/occupy.

Edward: With all that rage, why don’t YOU go end the thing in Iraq so we CAN play global babysitter. Gutless turds? Cowards? Good ones. I’m a tree hugger, but if anybody actually called me a gutless turd to my face, rather than hide behind a keyboard, they’d probably change their tune. Keep it up jackass. One day you’ll learn the hard way.

As per Russia/Georgia….this is their business. Until it effects us or our ‘interests’ then we should stay the hell out of it.

The wheels are off in Zimbabwe and Mauratania, that island of nuclear stability, Pakistan, is unraveling while India’s taking aim at it, China is fighting with ‘terrorists,’ and the Philliphines are ratcheting up for a civil war. Do we get any of that on RS? Nope.

But let Russia Bogart it with Georgia and Tim’s on it like a chicken on a bug. As Ole points out, this is not exactly a new thing, Russia duking it out with caucasus states. So, why is it more ‘relevant’ than any of the other events? To the MSM, that is.

(Merkwurdigliebe)

Coach– perhaps due to the fact that violence is at its lowest level since the 03 invasion, troop deaths and Iraqi civilian deaths both? And it would stand to reason that there are still more suicide bombings, because there were none before we invaded, so one or two bombings a month or two is still too many. We cant take back the invasion, but we can work towards an exit that at leasts suits our interests.

Dennis– I’m glad someone else has been keeping an eye on Maritania and Zimbabwe, in particular. For my money, you’re going to see the new junta in Mauritania try and make a move on Western Sahara, which is going to re’ignite the three way conflict between the Polisario Front, Morocco, and Maurtiania. Talk about your North African powder keg. Pakistan is a problem too…but it still goes to show that the media/Tim only cares when white people are threatened.

Tim, where is your condemnation of the UN for not intervening? Afterall, aren’t they the ones that are supposed to maintain peace in the world? Aren’t we supposed to get their permission before we act? Or maybe you’ve finally realized that they are an impotent organization more concerned about living high on the hog and using diplomatic immunity to get out of parking tickets than anything their charter says they are supposed to do.

Bush screwed us worse than we knew until now, although this was bound to happen. Bogged down in his illegal Iraq war, there is indeed nothing we can do about Russia’s invasion of Georgia. Chalk up another one for Dubya.

Even if America’s military weren’t in any ongoing conflicts, we would not defend Georgia. That would spark a nuclear war that would mean the end of humanity as we know it. Georgia isn’t worth that.

Hey Midman, do you honestly expect the UN to be anything BUT impotent? I mean, if he world’s superpower isn’t going to take part in the UN, then how powerful can they be. The jist: The UN is impotent because we snubbed our noses at it.

Another Czechoslavakia circa 1939 when Hitler invaded & then the Soviet Union in 1968?

While bush and cheney were playing out macho neocon fantasies in iraq, they frittered away the rest of the world — most notably the return of russia to an even more enriched, dangerous and powerful rogue totalitarian regime — all these ‘accomplishments’ on their watch.

history — if we have any — will and should excoriate them even if war crime tribunals or Congress fail to.

.
.

Stalin was from Georgia. One would have to surmise that while he had the rest of the ‘republics’ under his bootheel, his home country was unfettered. Millions starved in Ukraine for Joe to make a point. It’s easy to see how some in Russia might have a mad-on for Georgia.

On topic, a good essay about our military at tomdispatch dot com. It addresses, in part, the notion among some of you that the military is more than an instrument of national security.

Merk: As far as the Iraq violence, my point was it’s a matter of who you believe. None of us are there, or have been there, so we would have to get our information from somebody else. And, there’s one thing I’ve realized in the past 7 years, it’s NOT to believe the White House, Pentagon, State Department, or Fox News, CNN, or ABC and CBS. So, while violence may be down, I don’t think it’s a matter for us on a blog to determine.

I tend to think the best info comes from people doing the ACTUAL fighting. (And, NO, that doesn’t include Petraeus, as we’ve seen he’s just a political tool)…..most of them will tell you the truth, as they’ve become fed up with being a pawn in some global hegemony game.

The UN had rendered itself impotent long before Bush thumbed his nose at them before going into Iraq in 2003 (when our “allies” were getting sweetheart deals from Saddam that they didn’t want ended by an invasion). From its inception it was more of a social club than an organization for maintaining global peace. They will sit there in New York and debate and discuss and make themselves feel important, but at the end of the day, they’ll do nothing, but idly sit by and wait for the US to do something. It’s a joke, just like the League of Nations.

Georgia instigated this “war”

Georgia is a “friend” of the USofA

There’s a huge oil pipeline that goes thru the center of Georgia.

Russia and the US both get oil from that pipeline.

Need I go on?

What? Do you want Bush to go to war again. I thought everyone was against war. Iraq was being destroyed by it’s own leader now we need to take on Russia. Talk to Congress they take their lead from France. Let the world solve it’s own problems.

Jed Clampett

so, do you think Bush was able to convince HU to join this little global enterprise they are embarking on despite the earthquake?

i see the gliebe is still little more than a lizzard spitting fire and not much light, unfortunately, without much imagination of his own, all he can do is spit out recicled, canned missinformation. rather suicidal if you think about it. these lizardmen plan is to destroy the earth so they can go up to heaven. that is why they have almost killed the waters. So it can help protect the earth as it has done before. best of luck to all of you. looks like this thing won{t be able to be stopped. MABUS is planning a spectacular event to keep his cronies in power and wealth… perhaps now it should be 2% in control of the resources of the planet. thus creating disharmony and strife for all, making the world such a bad place that we would want to destroy it. Too bad so many people would rather listen to a bunch of reptiles rather than birds of fish.

Peace and good luck.

PS stop listening to false prophets and find true nature

Georgie Porgie said Russia was damaging it’s reputation and it’s behavior was unacceptable. What reputation? And what would Georgie know about reputation? He read another Tom Clancy?

What WILL history make of that Bozo?

(Merkwurdigliebe)

Coach– I guess it does depend on who you talk to. Some disagree with the war, while other veterans, including a close family member who was hit by an IED, believe that progress has certainly been made in recent months, and believe that the fight is worth it. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but most of the evidence, from all sources, seems to support a lowering of violence. Who knows, you could be right, I could be wrong…

Jed– I like how you personally attacked me without touching upon any of my points. Classic tactic– shift to insults when you can’t actually debate what someone is saying. But I’d be more worried that the lizard men and spirits which exist only in your twisted psyche might come knocking on your door sometime soon. Remember Jed, its always best to stay on your meds, they keep you from having visions like these

Solutions: Suspend all outgoing grain shipments to Russia, and divert it to other markets (there have to plenty of hungry Chinese and Indians). That ought to get their attention. Then suspend WTO talks concerning membership, and induct all bordering states in Europe into NATO. Keep economic pressure up, and switch over to domestic fuel and green energy to counteract any Russian Petro-terrorism attempts. Then we’ll see where everything stands…Georgia is going to lose Ossetia and Abkhazia, but at least those measures might save it from becoming a puppet state

Merke,

Good solutions. It remains to be seen what the Bozo in charge suggests and what the Keystone Cops in Congress approve. So, would that grain be going to Zimbambwe or Muritania (pls forgive spelling)?

And just where does Merkwurdigliebe mean? To you? I googled it and found all kinds of stuff. Even a reference to Hitler.

PS Sorry, but I can’t put a lot of credence in what professional soldiers say about the relative merits of a war.

I recall with a chill interviews in the first Iraqi caper when GIs were sitting around on APCs (or whatever they call them now) reciting that they were just, “…doing their job.”

When I served, no one wanted to ‘be there,’ even the RAs. Give me the whiney, bitching, reluctant GI of WWII any day.

(Merkwurdigliebe)

Dennis– I was wondering how long it would take someone to inquire about my monniker…it comes from the movie Dr. Strangelove, specifically Dr. Strangelove, as played by the late, great Peter S.ellers. The original German spelling of “Strangelove” is Merkwurdigliebe. It has no meaning to me other than I liked the sound of it, and I consider the movie one of the best ever made

As far a grain going to Mauritania or Zimbabwe, it would depend. For now the Mauritanian people are eating ok, by North African standards, but Zimbabwe could really use it. That said, how would one ship it in without the ruling dictators in both contries hoarding it? Mugabe has already done as much in Zimbabwe, witholding UN food shipments and allowing his people to starve to make a political point. I’m all for giving grain to starving people anywhere, but inasmuch as you can make sure it actually gets to them and isnt used as a weapon.

And the soldiers I’ve talked to I know personally, mostly. Where I live (Southeastern Virginia) is a huge military hub, so they’re all over the place. The vast majority are good, hardworking, honest people. I have a close personal friend in Al-Anbar right now, and another stationed in Korea, and many others in other far flung reaches of the globe. And I’m proud to be protected by them…they are just doing their jobs, and I think they would make fine companions to WWII GI’s, IMO…

Merke,

Tnx, I long figured I was out of touch and everyone else knew. Probably they do, but I wonder.

Senior moment, I stumbled upon the name reading reviews of Strangelove, also one of my favorite flics. How I made the transition to Hitler is a bit embarassing. I was in Basic Training in Ft. Ord in ‘64 when I first saw the film. Amusing, enlightening AND disturbing.

Having done a stint in the military, I can echo your sentiments that there are many, MANY outstanding people in the military. I can also assure you there are more scary ones than you want to know about. I think the draft is the best way to assure our military is truly responsive to the people and not the pols.

(Merkwurdigliebe)

Dennis– The movie was a favorite of my uncle, who was part of Rolling Thunder…he introduced me to it, and the rest it history

and I have no doubt about the scary ones. Any organization has them, and the military is no different. Would a draft solve the problem? Who knows, such measures seem out of place in today’s world of the modern military

Agreed, it’ll be a cold day in Hades before we have a draft, but it IS the ‘best’ way and I have a hunch most people agree. Just not enough to do anything about.

If this is the best/finest country in the world, and there’s a lot of evidence it is, then EVERYONE should be happy to devote two years of their life in the service of their country. That doesn’t mean they have to carry a gun and shoot at strangers, but they DO have to give two years and it has to be a disciplined, controlled environment.

Say, at age 18, HS graduate or no. I could see comptetetive testing and ‘rewards’ for those who excel. Even sports programs. You could even go a step farther and say every year spent in the program equaled a free year of college. So MUCH potential in a well thought out program and so LITTLE negative.

Jed Clampett

don´t ever underestimate the brutality and apparent stupidity of our leadership when it comes to sending your children to war. All that is needed is an catastrophic enough event to warrant the draft. Say a nuke traced back to pakistan or something on that order.