Posted on 08/13/2008 12:56:40 PM PDT by Fred
President George W. Bush announced the dispatch of a U.S. military aircraft carrying medical supplies to the Georgian capital of Tblisi on Wednesday morning, warning Russia that he expected it to be allowed to deliver its aid by air and sea.
The statement, with its echoes of the 1961 Berlin airlift, upped tensions between the two former Cold War adversaries. The day after Russia agreed to a French-brokered cease-fire, Russian troops followed by irregular fighters pushed deep into Georgia, aiming to seize the strategic city of Gori and cutting the main highway that crosses the country to the capital Tbilisi.
Mr. Bush pledged to "rally the free world in the defense of a free Georgia," further ratcheting up American criticism of Russia's actions in the region, which the U.S. has described as a violation of Georgian sovereignty and an effort to threaten its democratically elected government.
The U.S. president also warned that Russia was putting its international aspirations at risk unless it immediately halted its offensive and withdrew from Georgian territory. That would include the country's membership in the Group of Eight industrialized nations and its desires to join the World Trade Organization.
"To begin to repair the damage to its relations with the United States, Europe and other nations and to begin restoring its place in the world, Russia must keep its word and act to end this crisis," the president said, during brief remarks in the White House Rose Garden.
The U.S. C-17 military cargo plane is on its way to Georgia as part of a humanitarian mission overseen by Defense Secretary Robert Gates. U.S. aircraft and naval forces will be used to deliver more aid in the days ahead. A second plane with antibiotics requested by the Georgian Ministry of Health is scheduled to land in
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
“The U.S. president also warned that Russia was putting its international aspirations at risk unless it immediately halted its offensive and withdrew from Georgian territory. That would include the country’s membership in the Group of Eight industrialized nations and its desires to join the World Trade Organization.”
I can’t even begin to imagine Obama’s response to this Russian aggression.
An offer to help the Russians advance?
Yeah, pretty Machiavellian I know, but this whole affair is quite hard to comprehend. One thing is for sure. Putin's going to have his jackboot on somebody's throat.
I think he's still p*ssed over Kosovo.
Obama's response: "What the Georgians need are universal healthcare, free education, and one thousand dollars in the form of an economic stimulus check. What's that? The question was about Georgia the country? Where the heck is that?"
South Ossetia is full of Russians.
Georgia is full of Muslims.
The Georgians attacked South Ossetia.
I have it backward?
It’s hard to tell where the jihads are in Muslim countries because they hit their own people as often as their targets.
Georgia is the Muslim country.
Me thinks there is a whiff of “settling of scores” in the air......the hatred between all groups seems palpable....I think Putin may have unleashed something that he and his storm troopers might not be able to contain....from the reports on the russian web sites mentioned here on FR, the cossacks are a murderous bunch when given a free hand.
Well then, at the risk of offending our President and Secretary of State, I suggest we look the other way and let Putin use that jackboot on the aggressors. Like I mentioned before, I think he’s still p*ssed about Kosovo.
,
The 'All In All' of human war history in one word---TRIBES !!
I agree with you.
These are border wars. What do you expect the budding Russian Empire to do?
yep. Reason 2,999,999 and counting, to thank God for living in this blessed country.
If I’m not mistaken Georgia is over 80 percent Orthodox Christian....and not Muslim.
I thought that Georgia’s population was over 80% Eastern Orthodox.
Orthodox Christian 83.9%
Muslim 9.9%
Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%
Catholic 0.8%
other 0.8%
none 0.7%
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gg.html#People
Georgia is 11% Muslim.
96% of South Ossetians are Russian citizens.
You can look it up.
Not sure what year my data are from.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.