Article

2008-08-16 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Rice Gets Georgian Approval of Cease-Fire, Demands Russians Withdraw

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Posted by Fred 2008-08-16 00:11|| || Front Page|| [4 views ] Top

#1 Make them, Condi. You, an "expert on Russia" have been had.

Sigh. We are in good hands of incompetent officials. Well, it could be worse: Obamination.

Posted by Spike Uniter 2008-08-16 03:18|| 2008-08-16 03:18|| Front Page Top

#2 Give the administration a break.

Georgia entered So. Ossetia precisely to disrupt the Russian timing but also - significantly - to draw in US support against Moscow. Witness Saav's grandiose announcement that US troops were going to secure Georgian air fields and ports when we promised no such thing.

The Georgians got their asses handed to them and may well have made it impossible to attack Iran any time soon.

In the face of that, consider that this Administration has in fact moved pretty firmly against Russia. Obama and the Dems wouldn't have acted at all, beyond Stern Warnings.

They've also sent a message that we won't be manipulated into sending our troops to every principality that tries to use us for their own purposes.

I'm sympathetic to the Georgians and support their moves towards a functioning republic. No small achievement! But Condi and Bush are scrambling to salvage some good outcomes from a mess they didn't create and warned Saav. not to precipitate.

Posted by lotp 2008-08-16 10:44|| 2008-08-16 10:44|| Front Page Top

#3 the longer the russians stay, the harder it is for those in Western europe who want to defend them like PM Berlusconi and ex-PM Schroeder, to do so. Though of course we dont all agree on what the soft power of France, Italy, and Germany is worth.

At some point the Russians are going to beging to face logistical issues, esp if the Georgians see western soft power isnt working, and start to settle into the beginning of a guerilla war.

LOTP- based on what folks like Holbrooke, Biden, et al have said I see no basis for believing the Dems would have done anything less than Bush has done so far. Maybe McCain would have done MORE.

Posted by liberalhawk 2008-08-16 22:33|| 2008-08-16 22:33|| Front Page Top

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