Posted on 09/13/2008 2:37:04 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
A rebel US Republican congressman has sided with Russia in its invasion of and brief war with Georgia, putting himself at odds with the Bush administration and politicians of both parties.
"The Russians were right; we're wrong," Rep. Dana Rohrabacher said at a hearing of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.
"The Georgians started it; the Russians ended it," he added.
Mr Rohrabacher claimed that unidentified intelligence sources had assured him that Georgia started the fighting that began on August 7 when Georgia's military tried to re-establish control over its breakaway, pro-Russian province of South Ossetia.
Russia joined the battle, brutally repelled the Georgian offensive and then pushed deep into Georgia proper, where many of its forces remain nearly a month after the battle ended.
Russia has been condemned by the Bush administration and other countries. Vice-president Dick Cheney visited Georgia and Ukraine, another former Soviet republic, early this month and called Russia's actions "an affront to civilized standards" and "completely unacceptable".
Both US presidential candidates, Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama, also have issued tough denunciations of Russia.
But Mr Rohrbacher insisted that Georgia was to blame: "The Georgians broke the truce, not the Russians, and no amount of talk of provocation and all this other stuff can alter that fact."
A know rebel, he has taken controversial stands and clashed with the Bush administration in the past.
His comments got little attention in the United States but have been played prominently on state-run Russian television bulletins and other media.
Mr Rohrabacher's Democratic opponent in November's elections, Debbie Cook, condemned his comments.
"Congressman Rohrabacher's statements about the situation in Georgia are unnecessary and continue his pattern of reckless comments," her campaign manager, Kevin Thurman, said.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
He speaks from deep ignorance on the issue. That is unfortunate.
“unidentified intelligence sources”
FSB?.../just saying.
I read it, but I am just a Freeper, so what do I know?
So anyone -- especially a Congressman, more especially a Republican Congressman -- who disagrees with the accepted account of the events of last month must be a "rebel" or maybe a comsymp.
Well, I have not made up my mind who is at fault, but I will say that most here seem to have instinctively blamed the Russians, and that worries me. Especially worrisome is the idea that's gaining a foothold that Georgia is our "ally" in some undeclared war, and we need to protect its territorial integrity at all costs, even if it comes to war with Russia.
This idea runs counter to the policy that prevailed a scant decade ago when the Serbian province of Kosovo wanted to be independent from Belgrade. Then, a certain American general who shall remain unnamed convinced both Pres. Clinton and a Republican Congress (with considerable help from a conmpliant media) that Kosovo should be independent and that a NATO intervention was called for because of the impending genocide, and you know what happened next. Bombs over Belgrade. Bombs over the Chinese embassy. And through it all we took the side of the KLA, who were in league with the Taliban. Nice going, State Department.
It does not serve the American people for the US government to be taking sides in border disputes or secessionist movements in far-off countries that not one person in fifty could place on a map, let alone know anything about.
Rohrabacher may be right, he may be wrong, but he has every right to voice his opinion. Those calling for his scalp should refocus their efforts on politicians who do real harm by intentionally misleading the public.
I would describe the ethnic Ossetians in South Ossetia who cleansed the ethnic Georgians from that area, terrorizing, killing and destroying ethnic Georgian villages, as rebels.
I was in the group that wrote:
'Purging Pennsylvania, California too,
Steele, Rohrabacher, and Dave Walter too'
at the 1969 National Convention. I thought he had gotten his head straight when he was on the Reagan staff in 1976.
Dana is not a conservative, he’s a commieservative
He’s wrong. The Georgians didn’t start it, and the Russians haven’t finished anything.
Sounds like he swallowed too much saltwater.
Well, it certainly obvious that you just hate America and blame America first.
For the dense, that's sarcasm. I believe the Georgians started the fighting in this case.
Georgia has the one of the fastest rates of population decline. Why should we risk our people, treasure and a possible cold or hot war with Russia when the people of Georgia can't even be bothered to breed? By mid century, there won't be enough Georgians of military age to stop a boy scout troop from occupying the country.
This is disgraceful. Rohrabacher is Wrong! I hope he was just misquoted.
Rohrabacher has been one of this group for a long time. Why this would surprise anyone I do not know.
And whence you know, what you are right? You there were not! You listen only to that that impose to you! My brother participated in this conflict, and I declare what exactly Georgia the first have entered armies in South Ossetia at night on August, 7th. Then there was a bombardment of Tskhinvali when many civilians, including Russian peacemakers were killed. And only 8 aug Russia has entered armies for protection of the citizens! Dana has studied all facts before to declare such, and me amazes that only one politician could tell the truth openly. I advise to you better to study events, before to speak that someone is mistaken.
I guess that really explains Rohrabacher's positions. As long as he keeps on sending the lefities these little tid bits they'll leave him alone in his district.
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.