I'm glad that NATO - not Russia - is in control of Kosovo, and I look forward to Georgia and Ukraine joining the alliance.
I’ll say to you the same thing that I said to Marmema on another thread:
I think that you are under the impression that I support Russia against Georgia, and I don’t, Marmema. But I recognize some realities that others are ignoring.
1. No matter how pro-American Georgia might be, it is not going to wake up tomorrow and it find it has moved hemispheres. It’s location is next to Russia and somehow it must work out some security arrangement with Russia, not against it.
2. No matter how pro-Georgia US leaders might pay lip service to, the US Cavalry is NOT coming to the rescue. We might arm and train, but we are not going to war with Russia “to protect Georgia”. We are simply using it as an excuse to provoke Russia and scare Europe. We are exploiting the situation, not helping it.
3.US leaders don’t really give a damn about Georgia, except as a pawn to needle Russia with. They really don’t care if Russia nukes Georgia — as a matter of fact, they hope it does to give them some excuse to get NATO to neutralize Russia so that they can eliminate Russian oil as competition. Meanwhile, the Orthodox East will be wiped out completely.
4. This is not about “Georgian freedom”, this is about oil — which is why the Bush Administration can confusingly support Kosovo independence in one breath and deny Abkhazian/S. Ossetian independence in the next breath. Georgia has been thrown under a truck to justify fighting over Caspian oil.
5. S. Ossetia and Abkhazia are not “essential” to Georgia. They have been de-facto independent since the break-up of the Soviet Union. And they were relatively peaceful until Shakaashvili came to power and we started using Georgia as a threat to Russia. I am sorry but those two small provinces are not worth fighting a World War over — and make no mistake, Russia is not going to back down if it’s oil supply is threatened because the entire Russian economy is based on supplying oil to Europe. If that oil supply collapses, Russia won’t care who it takes with it and we will be dealing with a World War. However much I might feel for the Georgian people, I am not willing to die for them or for some Western oil companies’ profits!
>I’m glad that NATO - not Russia - is in control of Kosovo, and I look forward to Georgia and Ukraine joining the alliance.
Oh yeah, NATO is really doing a good job in Kosovo. (sarc.)
I doubt that Ukraine will join NATO. First, it has a good sized Russian and pro-Russian populaton. Second,NATO basically just sitting by twiddling it’s thumbs while Russia stomps and bullies Georgia makes NATO membership less than inviting. After all, what did NATO do?
NATO should be either phased out or turned into a all or mostly Euro alliance.
I'm glad that NATO - not Russia - is in control of Kosovo, and I look forward to Georgia and Ukraine joining the alliance.
21 posted on 21.8.2008 10:38:55 by HAL9000 (”No one made you run for president, girl.”- Bill Clinton)
Who is in control of NATO?
P.S.
In kosovo only thing NATo is guarding successfully if “Bill Clinton Street”.
No kidding.
Well and good. Article 5 of the NATO charter
The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.
Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall immediately be reported to the Security Council. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security.
We had better be able to walk the talk if Russia invades Georgia or Ukraine, including willing to go to war in defense of a fellow NATO ally. Geographically, it will be very difficult to confront the Russians in Georgia and Ukraine. Nuclear confrontation is probably the only the way to carry through on NATO's commitment.
Our support of an independent Kosovo, a predominantly Muslim state in the heart of Europe, and controlled by the KLA, a terrorist organization, is not exactly in our best interests. I would prefer Russian control rather than KLA control.