Posted on 08/27/2008 2:22:22 AM PDT by Schnucki
Russia's relations with the west plunged to their most critical point in a generation yesterday when the Kremlin built on its military rout of Georgia by recognising the breakaway provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states.
Declaring that if his decision meant a new cold war, then so be it, President Dmitri Medvedev signed a decree conferring Russian recognition on Georgia's two secessionist regions. The move flouted UN security council resolutions and dismissed western insistence during the crisis of the past three weeks on respecting Georgia's territorial integrity and international borders.
Last night, Medvedev accused Washington of shipping arms to Georgia under the guise of humanitarian aid.
The Kremlin's unilateral decision to redraw the map of the strategically vital region on the Black Sea surprised and alarmed the west, and raised the stakes in the Caucasus crisis. Moscow challenged Europe and the US to respond, while calculating that western divisions over policy towards Russia would dilute any damage.
Washington condemned the move. Britain called for a European coalition against Russian "aggression". Sweden said Russia had opted for a path of confrontation with the west, and international organisations denounced Medvedev's move as illegitimate and unacceptable.
"We are not afraid of anything, including the prospect of a new cold war," Medvedev said. "Russia is a state which has to ensure its interests along the whole length of its border. This is absolutely clear."
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Russia 'ready for new Cold War' over Georgia
By Adrian Blomfield in Tbilisi and Damien McElroy
Russia has said it is prepared for a new Cold War, after President Dmitry Medvedev defied the West by formally declaring the independence of two Georgian rebel regions.
Shredding any hope that his offensive in Georgia could be rolled back under an internationally agreed ceasefire, Mr Medvedev unilaterally redrew the map of the region by recognising the secession of South Ossetia and Abkhazia after meeting Vladimir Putin, Russia's prime minister, in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
Mr Medvedev also gave warning Russia would go to any lengths to defend the enclaves. "We're not afraid of anything [including] the prospect of a Cold War," he said. "Russia is a state which has to ensure its interests along the whole length of its border. This is absolutely clear."
Speaking later about the deployment of a US anti-missile system close to Russian borders, Mr Medvedev said Moscow "will have to react somehow, to react, of course, in a military way."
The moves brought hostile condemnation from across the West. The US President George W. Bush warned Moscow to "reconsider this irresponsible decision, adding "Russia's action only exacerbates tensions and complicates diplomatic negotiations."
A White House spokesman added that the US was "looking at a variety of options with regard to consequences for Russia's aggression in Georgia" and that Dick Cheney, the vice-president will visit Georgia next week in another show of solidarity.
David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, who is to make a speech in Ukraine strongly condemning Moscow's recent actions, said its recognition of the two regions was "unjustifiable and unacceptable".
*snip*
They weren’t ready for the last one and they aren’t ready for this one. Russia should stay on the porch.
Bring it.
Make it so.
Just great. Obama doesn’t have the backbone to say ‘no’ to Hillery, Chelsea and Bill - who won the DNC nominations anyway? I sincerely doubt that if Hillary won, Obama and Michelle would both be giving keynote speeches. I also doubt that Hillary would have tolerated a delegate vote again.
But, Obama has no backbone to go with his lack of experience.
And, now we are faced with the possibility that this empty suit has the balls to stand toe to toe with Russia... I am no fan of our candidate either - but I think he has a spine. I may not always agree with McCain - but he does have an opinion and isn’t afraid to tell the world what it is. That’s a heck more than I can say about Obama.
McCain ? Any American who is FOR amnesty for alien invaders is a TRAITOR !
Well maybe this will alarm the citizens of the US enough for them to remember Obama’s promise to disarm us... and they will turn to McCain knowing he has military experience and isn’t going to weaken our military? Could help him win the election. I wouldn’t trust Obama to handle this well. He’ll hand us over on a silver platter!
This is the propaganda Russia wishes to spread. Pulling back, and taking a snapshot look, it becomes very apparent Russia is doing its own Genocide Against any country not "Russian".
Someone tell Medvedev that only two Superpowers can fight a “new Cold War” and Russia ain’t one of them.
All I could think was that there are many in Russia that never willingly left the Cold War.
Click on this link to see a comprehensive, well written analysis and timeline of this crisis complete with historical perspective to place it in context. It is by far and beyond the BEST I have seen.
They are likely emboldened by how our country is on the verge of electing a joke for a president, and how a big part of our country is willing to retreat from a war that lasts longer than a few months and costs more than a hundred lives.
(Last night, Medvedev accused Washington of shipping arms to Georgia under the guise of humanitarian aid)
Just count your blessings that we no longer have any Ronald Reagans amongst us. You might be getting a couple of battalions of heavy armour shipped in instead of aid.
But with the weak knee and spineless people we currently have running this Nation it is easy to see why and how Russia did this and will do worse in the near future.
“Russia: We are ready for a new cold war”
Idiots are ready to be bankrupted again.
Haha nice!!
Yea but the putin gang want power back..they won’t stop until they control all the pipelines..
Isn’t it time for europe to grow a pair? I think so..
Let a few billion more in foreign investments flee Russia and then listen to the tune these idiots sing.
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The commie bastards need crude at $26.00/barrel to pay their bills, anything above that is play money...I don't think they're too worried.
Russia is alot smaller than the USSR. During Cold War, USSR GDP was half of US GDP. If Russia wants to be equal to USSR economic power her GDP needs to be atleast 7 trillion. Today she is behind China whose GDP is about 2.2 trillion.
Thanks for your post.
If/when(?) this new cold war erupts, I wonder if we’ll see a huge infusion of money into building up our military again, opening bases, multiplying our ship numbers, etc.
Of course, it depends on who’s in the White House.
Im speaking of capital market investments. They can probably feed themselves on less than that 26.00 per barrel but they will have trouble taking back there empire without foriegn investment in infrastructure.
Be careful what you wish for. When Europe starts showing masculine traits, they tend to go overboard. The last time that happened we had to put our Heine kicking boots back on and break it up.
OTOH a little gratitude and support for the people who have been saving them from themselves for nearly a century would be a pleasant change from the norm. Too much to hope, but it would be nice.
Fair enough.
No wonder after the last cold war worked out so well for them. /sarc
I travel to Europe often, their impression of us is insane, I was eating dinner in Amsterdam and speaking with a German colleage, my colleage thought everything in America was fake, plastic stores etc..I laughed and said freedom in the world is not fake, immediately the folks next to me said, your an American, I said proudly..
Their response was so shallow it was stupid, they said, you guys think your tough, are you a tough guy, you want to take our oil? Why do you have such a reserve? It went on and on. These folks are green with envy, and have been fed so much cra* via CNN thats all they can see. Of course not all believe that way.
Now how are we going to be respected in the world when what gains their respect is us turning weak. Their governmets are overburdened with welfare programs and will feel the pain deeper and deeper, Netherlands will be muslim in 20 years, and Germany will start to have its labor force take them over by vote. And when they bomb their trains and planes they will blame it on us.
So I do see your point, but I am tired of our folks dying for those who don’t care. I know we are trying to put out fires before they are in our house, but they wouldn’t spit on us to put out our fires if they didn’t need us and no amount of appeasement will change that.
Oderint Dum Metuant.
Face it, the Republican party lacks a backbone, and they have betrayed their core constituency. Toss the illegals out, break up the families .... we didn’t create the situation, and if the roles were reversed we would be facing a far worse punishment than we are dealing out to these invaders.
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