Posted on 08/25/2008 5:07:16 AM PDT by NCDragon
WASHINGTON — Read the first five paragraphs of the NATO statement on the Russian invasion of Georgia and you will find not a hint of who invaded whom. The statement is almost comically evenhanded. "We deplore all loss of life," it declared, as if deploring a bus accident. And, it "expressed its grave concern over the situation in Georgia." Situation, mind you.
It's not until paragraph six that NATO, a 26-nation alliance with 900 million people and nearly half of world GDP, unsheathes its mighty sword, boldly declaring "Russian military action" — not aggression, not invasion, not even incursion, but "action" — to be "inconsistent with its peacekeeping role."
Having launched a fearsome tautology Moscow's way, what further action does the Greatest Alliance Of All Time take? Cancels the next NATO-Russia Council meeting.
That's it. No dissolution of the G-8. No blocking of Russian entry to the World Trade Organization. No suspension of participation in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics (15 miles from the Georgian border). No statement of support for the Saakashvili government.
Remember: At issue is not military action, only measures — painless for the West — that would significantly affect Russia. In Soviet days, Russia didn't care because it was at the center of a self-enclosed autarkic system that included 15 Soviet republics, all of Eastern Europe and a collection of overseas colonies. With these all gone, post-Soviet Russia is infinitely more dependent on the international system. It has political/economic pressure points. Yet with Georgia occupied, its infrastructure stripped and its capital under siege, NATO pushed not one of them.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
That's it. No dissolution of the G-8. No blocking of Russian entry to the World Trade Organization. No suspension of participation in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics (15 miles from the Georgian border). No statement of support for the Saakashvili government.
Disgusting display of pusillanimity by NATO. What would they do if Poland were invaded?
Poland is a NATO member - it would be a different story (I hope).
Bad situation, but I'm optimistic, in general, when the "mighty" Russian bear no longer has an Iron Curtain, and is now reduced to border disputes with former Soviet states.
Hopefully, the Empire will continue to crumble, and go out with a whimper, not a bang.
We're sorry your home was invaded, your wife & child were raped, and murdered, but we decry all violence ... And no, you may not be armed to protect yourself from these oppressed people.
Think about that as the "state" orders you to wear your seat belt, or mandates your child wears a helmet when riding his/her bike.
It's too bad ignorance isn't painful, and there isn't a cure for cowardice.
“Disgusting display of pusillanimity by NATO. What would they do if Poland were invaded?
“Poland is a NATO member - it would be a different story (I hope).”
Well, I hope your hope would be correct should such an event occur. But alas, I am very doubtful that NATO would do anything more than make more noise. I think what will deter Russia from making expansionist moves against neighbors such as Poland is their inability to project power. For all it’s oil money, Russia still does not have the logistical hardware nor the expertise to take on an expedition of any size.
That should be right about the same time that Georgian partisans start sniping Russian peace keepers, challenging supply lines and generally making this a very expensive adventure for putin.
A fair question! My guess is that after many futile attempts at appeasement, the NATO member nations, with perhaps the exception of the U.S. (only if McCain wins), will abandon this ally. NATO is doomed as it is overly influenced by the western liberal world view.
The Russians had better be extremely cautious though. The Pols are not to be trifled with. From what I’ve seen of their military, they are a very determined, highly disciplined professional force to be reckoned with and the Polish people in general are sick and tired of Fascism and Communism that have decimated their country for decades.
Russia would do well not to mess with these guys.
The Wal-Marts in our area sold out of ammo this weekend. One customer was overheard saying: “I hear the Russians have invaded Georgia. I’m gonna make damn sure that doesn’t happen in South Carolina.” ;>)
And the Georgians invaded their Russian controlled break-away region because they were being shelled across the border and and having their ordinary citizens killed by Russians and their surrogates. The Russians were the ones who instigated and provoked the Georgians and were ready and waiting to march on Georgia with overwhelming force as soon as the Georgians took the bait.
Give it time, these things take time.
NATO has its issues, for sure. But like you said, the Eastern members (like Poland) remember the Iron Curtain all too well. And like you say, they shouldn't be trifled with.
And the fact that the Russian forces were massed and waiting doesn’t tell you something about their intentions? The Georgians screwed up by stepping right into the trap, that much is certain. Why our intelligence wasn’t aware of the Russian buildup or tell the Georgians is a failing on our government’s part.
However there is no excusing the Russians. They are the ones who wanted and planed for this to happen. If not for the courage of the presidents of the other former Soviet republics and the diplomatic actions of our government afterward, Georgia would have ceased to exist as a sovereign nation. How someone can excuse this naked Russian aggression I cannot understand.
In my view Russia's response to mass murder of its citizens was quite moderate and does not qualify as an “aggression”.
Let me guess... you work for the Russian government? Even the Russians I work with aren’t swallowing the Russian propaganda as wholly as you are. Once my Ukrainian coworkers got past their incredulity at Putin and his cronies willingness to upset the west, they have become positively bellicose. They know the score in that region for better than I do.
There was no mass murder prior to the Russian invasion. Now there is murder and looting of Georgias during the continued occupation in contradiction to the cease fire that Medvedev signed.
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.