Posted on 08/10/2008 8:49:55 PM PDT by kristinn
Russia's move into Georgia must be stopped--and stopped now. The cause of freedom in Europe, and indeed the world depends on it. For if they are not stopped here, Russia will act to place other former Soviet republics and captive nations once again under its domination.
Those now free nations are looking to America as their protector. They know that if Georgia is allowed to be absorbed by Russia, that it will only be a matter of time before a feckless Western Europe will once again stand by and do nothing as they too are swallowed up by an emboldened Russia.
There is much talk that there is not much America can do in this situation. Others say that America does not have a dog in this fight. Both points of view are wrong.
The dog we have in this fight is our own freedom and independence. Russia has been building an anti-American axis with leftist governments like Venezuala and the radical Islamic government of Iran to undercut America's dominance in world affairs.
Russia has also made clear that it will use its control of oil and gas supplies and pipelines to dictate behavior in Europe.
This move by Russia into Georgia not only immediately threatens the freedom of the Georgian people, it also threatens the one major cross-continental European pipeline that is not under Russian control.
It is true that America would ignite a world war were it to precipitously engage Russia militarily in Georgia. It is also true that diplomatic efforts in the United Nations and by the European Union will not accomplish anything to save Georgia.
The typical diplomatic response will not suffice. What is needed is a bold, game-changing step that no one expects.
That step is for President Bush to fly to Tblisi on Air Force One from Beijing and invite Putin to meet with him and Georgian President Saakashvili in Tblisi this week.
With this effort, President Bush will send a clear signal to the former Soviet republics and captive nations that America will stand with them against Russian aggression.
It will also send a strong message to Russia that their old ways of doing business are over.
Would Russia dare attack the President while he is on a peace mission? I think not. I think they would be forced to stop fighting and come to the negotiating table.
The negotiations would be ugly. Georgia would have to give something to placate the Russians so they would not lash out in humiliation. But the paramount goal of preserving Georgia's independence would be obtained.
This could be accomplished without America firing a shot. But it would only work with the Russians knowing a war with America would result if they harmed the President on his peace mission.
I wish.....
I like your idea.
Or, and its a different message, send Cheney.
since the russkies have used crater bombs to disable airstrips, how is this possible? (i do agree with your sentiment though)
Russia will arm Iran. They will threaten to hand backpack nukes to Hezzbola. This is Stalin, in the 21st Century. This is hard core, nuke politics with millions of lives at risk......again.
Outlandish idea....but it would work.
I like your idea. We need bold right now.
Georgia has openly and famously made itself our friend and ally, and while we don’t necessarily want to make ourself hostage to everything they do, we do have to draw a line here. And mean it.
The Baltics are watching. So is Poland. So is Romania. So is China and Taiwan and Iran and both Koreas. Either friendship with us means something or it doesn’t and you’d better make other arrangements.
Good points! I agree!
Grand idea.
Why? Because our leaders are in general putzes and when they do actually do anything, the press and other pols turn on them, and the public abandons them to go shopping. The west is rotten. And there will be hell to pay.
How about Europe go in and help Europe first. Then, if they get stuck and ask us for our help we then consider obliging them. I’m a little tired of saving everyone else’s butts and having them dump all over us for it.
I say send John Bolton.
Ahh the flying deathtrap... ;)
I fully concur with your thoughts of standing beside and with Georgia. However, I do not think sending the President or Vice President to Tblisi, only TWO HOURS drive from South Ossetia is a prudent move. Certainly not until cooler heads prevail. The US does have some troops in Georgia; but not enough should things get dicey.
Our planes are flying home Georgian troops that have been in the Middle East helping so there must be some runways open.
I am of the send Cheney crowd. In the early 90’s when he was SecDef he said he would never trust the Russians, and he turned out to be right. Everyone else in the Bush 41 administration was going overboard with the thought of Russia becoming a democracy but not Dick Cheney. Cheney also didn’t say he could see into Putin’s heart or whatever and know who he was which I thought was a dumb statement and one that Cheney never would have made.
Culpable Deniability. A bomb accidentally misfired; a pilot was nervous and hit the wrong button.
a lucky anonymous s.o.b. with a grenade launcher might create problems with a strike that either side could plausibly deny. i say -send in "the anointed one" for this mission.
;)
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