NATO to review Russia dialogue over Georgia: U.S.

reuters ^

[flyfree]

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The future of NATO-Russia dialogue and cooperation forums established after the Cold War will be up for review due to the Russian intervention in Georgia, the U.S. ambassador to NATO said on Saturday.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called a meeting of foreign ministers from the 26 NATO states for next Tuesday to consult allies about the implications of the Russian action.

U.S. envoy to NATO Kurt Volker told Reuters no specific response had yet been decided, but regular meetings of foreign and defense ministers, and of NATO ambassadors with their Russian counterpart would be part of the review.

[Army Air Corps]

Ping.

[browardchad]

U.S. envoy to NATO Kurt Volker told Reuters no specific response had yet been decided, but regular meetings of foreign and defense ministers, and of NATO ambassadors with their Russian counterpart would be part of the review.

By all means, let them have meetings to schedule other meetings, to plan a review -- it's the UN way -- of accomplishing nothing.

[shankbear]

Georgia and Ukraine in NATO.......NOW!!!!!!!

I know that NATO is often a paper tiger but this must be done in the face of Russia’s saber rattling.

[Sender]

I hope they don't cut off dialogue with the Russians as some sort of protest. Military cooperation, however, is history.

We need leverage to be able to talk the talk. Are we able to walk the walk? Will we come a'shooting if a NATO country gets peacemakered?

[TLI]

A top Russian general suggested on Friday Poland's deal with the United States laid it open to a possible nuclear strike.

Much as their current little field trip will if they move southwest. And in other news, Putin is still loyal KGB...

[penowa]

"By all means, let them have meetings to schedule other meetings, to plan a review -- it's the UN way -- of accomplishing nothing."

You're exactly right. The Russians guessed before taking action that there would be NO RESPONSE to their actions other than dithering and lots of talk about doing nothing. The west has proved that they guessed correctly and now they will continue to repatriate their former territories and western Europe as well, if only by getting their complete cooperation through intimidation and threats.

[browardchad]

The Russians guessed before taking action that there would be NO RESPONSE to their actions other than dithering and lots of talk about doing nothing.

And the non-response is due to the fact that there are European countries, such as Germany, who are dependent on natural gas supplied by none other than Russia. We -- the US, Britain, and others -- did attempt to bypass Russia's monopoly by building both oil and natural gas pipelines through Georgia, but the Soviets Russia managed, by divide-and-conquer strategy, to so far buy out the major natural gas suppliers on the Caspian Sea. As a result, the Russians now supply about 25 percent of the European Union's crude oil needs (while the Georgia oil pipeline is currently shut down due to "sabotage") and half of its natural gas, keeping their now subserviant clients in Europe willing to turn a blind eye to anything.

If the Euros and the US can find a spine, it would be in developing alternative energy resources: in the US, by finally tapping our own resources until/if we can develop adequate non-petroleum resources, and in Europe (and the US), by building nuclear energy plants, quickly and without regard to environmental activists' long and torturous legal delays.

[penowa]

The Europeans have NO spine regardless of their energy situation. They do business with the Iranians, with the Russians, formerly Saddam's Iraq, and expect us to pick up the tab for their security while they operate against our interests. Against theirs too, but they accept no responsibility since they blame us for everything. If you expect them to do anything except dither and appease, you will be mighty disappointed with the response that's coming. NATO is a very bad joke and unfortunately, it's a joke on us.

As for us, I will be very surprised if we ever see anything but more and more dependence on foreign oil. The people we elect who supposedly represent us have long ago stopped representing anybody but themselves and lining their own pockets at our expense. Expecting a change will take more than casting a ballot IMO.

[browardchad]

If you expect them to do anything except dither and appease, you will be mighty disappointed with the response that's coming. NATO is a very bad joke and unfortunately, it's a joke on us.

I don't disagree with you; my thoughts were based more on what could be, rather than what is.

What may be, if this nonsensical belief in a failed dream of rational actors doesn't stop, is catastrophic. 

[penowa]

Unfortunately, it’s probably too late for what “could be” and more likely we’re going to have to try to survive with “what is,” which I’m afraid isn’t going to be pretty. The scariest part to me is that we are paralyzed to even agree on a course to follow since about half the country might as well be European socialists since they want to CHANGE the country into a copy of the dithering appeasers.