Russia's Medvedev halts military action in Georgia

http://news.yahoo.com/i/514;_ylt=A0wNcyCvUqFIT5sAYAxZ.3QA ^ | AP

[Flashlight]

Russian news reports are quoting President Dmitri Medvedev ordering a halt to Russian military action in Georgia.

[duckln]

Albania also sent troops, as did Serbia. Sending troops to cushy areas of Iraq does not an ally make.

[Miss Didi]

Wait...did anyone just hear Tim Kaine on with the Friends saying he's glad that Senator Obama’s request for a cease fire was respected? So Barry is now taking credit for this?

Rush will be playing the sound bite of Kaine...stay tuned.

[pgkdan]

Pathetic. I don’t know how any self respecting American can lie about our allies and support Russia.

[CitizenM]

As you see, the matter has no handy explanation or easy outcome. It is a genuine mess. Mistakes were made on both sides. This is a cultural battle as much as anything else

I will admit I (and a lot of the world) find this all somewhat confusing. I mean, it seems to me we can't believe anyone-any reports-anything of the truth coming from either country. Obviously there was no clue (to our government or any other) that any attack was being planned, and to me it just seems to have been a battle between the little bad guys and the big bad guys.

The only thing that ended it (if it is indeed over) was that the rest of the world became concerned it would escalate into something bigger that would drag all of us into a larger war. They put pressure on both parties, I believe. It is hard enough for us to figure out what is going on in the Middle East, and as for Georgia and Russia I think nearly impossible to have a real clue. We can theorize and assume, we can rely on the press and sources (and we all know those can't be trusted, even in the U.S) - so having real facts is something I think is not possible.

[mikhailovich]

Everyone on this website had Russia invading and taking over Georgia yesterday. But it isn't happening. Now, everyone is chest-thumping and suggesting the US intervened behind closed doors to intimidate Russia. Come on, folks.

It is what it is. Georgian aggression and brutal attack on South Ossetians. You don't know what the hell you're talking about.

[rbmillerjr]

Who says they are Americans? LOL

Probably Serbs, Putin’s kneepad boys

[Timedrifter]

Russia did exactly what it said it would do when all this started. Medvedev said yesterday the operation was almost finished. All and all it was a very moderate response IMHO.

[pgkdan]

That’s what I’m wondering. I was against the Kosovo fiasco from the start but that does not in any excuse Russia’s barbarity and brutality. The Soviet Union is on the march and they seem to be cheering them on!

[rbmillerjr]

“Russia did exactly what it said it would do when all this started. Medvedev said yesterday the operation was almost finished. All and all it was a very moderate response IMHO.”

Really? They said they would bomb Tblisi? lol.

Russians are morons, and those supporting them are likely Serbians.

Ukraine and Georgia will be in Nato within 3 years. Brilliant move Putin.

[rbmillerjr]

“That’s what I’m wondering. I was against the Kosovo fiasco from the start but that does not in any excuse Russia’s barbarity and brutality. The Soviet Union is on the march and they seem to be cheering them on!”

I used to be against Kosovo, but the Serbs have shown their hand...I’ll send money to muslims to fight the Serbs. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Cold War Rules now in effect.

[jackv]

obama calls for a cease-fire and whalla!!!!

[Blind Eye Jones]

I agree with you that it is a mess and mistakes were made. A lot of the arguments I've read portray the Russians wanting the prestige of the former Soviet Union and wanting satellite states loyal to Russia rather than members of NATO. I don't know how much of this is true — I would think certain aspects are true in the sense that Russia wants to protect it's sphere of influence and sees America as an unwelcome, meddling foreigner, just as JFK saw Russia doing the same with Cuba — but there is also a huge history of tension between Russia and Georgia that has nothing to do with the United Sates. I hope Putin helps Bush with Iran and things work out for the best. The US went into Grenada out of American interests during the cold war to protect it's sphere of influence but should all parties return to these cold war, realpolitik conditions? Hopefully not. Expansionism, I hope, isn't on Russia's table and more good can be done with the US as a partner.

[pgkdan]

It is what it is. Georgian aggression and brutal attack on South Ossetians. You don't know what the hell you're talking about

Bullshit. Georgia was baited into their attack on So by Russian peacekeepers taking pot shots at Georgian civilians and the SO shelling of Georgian villages. And that's the truth. You can defend the Soviets all you want as they make their move to reclaim their former slave states. It doesn't matter. Russia will fail. The world sees Russia for what it is. Too bad you can't.

[Natchez Hawk]

Bingo. Georgia thought to surprize Russia with the swiftness and scale of their brutality, allowing international community to step in before Russia could react.

They could not have been more wrong. Now they are humiliated, will lose their territorites and NATO membership?

That “working plan” to join is Confederate money.

Mess with a bear, get the belly.

[Natchez Hawk]

It was a moderate response. Very moderate.

[Wallace T.]

Putin can see that for all the American (and Israeli) bluster against Iran (a Russian ally), nothing has been done to stop the development of nuclear weapons. Furthermore, Georgia is less defensible for NATO or the U.S. than Poland was for Britain and France in 1939. Since Tsarist times, Southwest and Central Asia have been an area of conflict between Russia and the West, first Britain and now the United States. Putin is emulating the tactics of the Tsars and Lenin and Stalin to reassert Russian power over Georgia and the surrounding areas and protect its oil and natural gas interests against rival Western energy companies. When the Soviets/Russians sense Western weakness and the opportunity arises, they will strike. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was partially motivated by the weak American response to the overthrow of the Shah and the rise of the Muslim theocracy, including the hostage crisis. Our weakness in dealing with Iran is doubtlessly a reason for the invasion of Georgia.

[pgkdan]

The Cold War may be back on but so is the WOT. I hate islam as much as I despise Russia.

[pgkdan]

Everyone on this website had Russia invading and taking over Georgia yesterday. But it isn't happening. Now, everyone is chest-thumping and suggesting the US intervened behind closed doors to intimidate Russia. Come on, folks

Yeah you're right. The Russians aren't shelling Gori. Right?

[ExSoldier]

That'll last as long as it takes Putin to take that child out to the woodshed for a serious whuppin'! Got to learn them young-uns' who be the bossman!

[Mariner]

"Ukraine and Georgia will be in Nato within 3 years".

Any US President that agrees to that should be immediately impeached. The US should NOT be treaty-bound to defend those countries...it's not in US interests.