BBC: US warning to Russia over Georgia ( Cheney phones Mikhail Saakashvili,)

BBC ^ | Monday, 11 August 2008 05:27 UK 04:27 GMT, | BBC Staff

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

US warning to Russia over Georgia

Russia now controls most of the breakaway region of South Ossetia

The US has strongly criticised Russian military action against Georgia, in the bitter conflict over South Ossetia.

In a telephone call to Georgia's leader Mikhail Saakashvili, the US Vice-President, Dick Cheney, said Russian aggression "must not go unanswered".

President Bush said he had expressed his grave concern to Moscow at the military's "disproportionate" response.

Meanwhile, Georgia said Russian planes had bombed targets near its capital, despite Tbilisi declaring a ceasefire.

The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says Dick Cheney's telephone call appears to have been an effort to send a message not just of solidarity but also of readiness for action.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

fyi

[2ndDivisionVet]

Also this:

The War in Georgia Is a War for the West [Georgian President]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2059751/posts

[Enterprise]

I’m not urging war, but I sure don’t want President Bush to back down.

[VaBthang4]

LLLLLLLLLLLLLETSGETREADYTORUMBBBLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLE

[Enterprise]

Pooty really needs a huge kick in his poot.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Time to ship his stooge...George Soros back to him!

[DJ Elliott]

There are three primary MSRs thru the caucasus.
The Caspian Sea coast, the Black Sea coast, and the Ossetia passes.

This is about Russia wanting to split the region from NATO.

They are pushing in Ossetia and look like they are on the Black Sea coast as well.

With Georgia split and fighting on two fronts, it falls, that puts Russia in position to do the same to Azerbaijan.
Two axis’ of attack.

Armenia is mopup.

Regain the caucuses and isolate the central Asian Republics from western support.

This is not about Georgia. This is about eight of the former soviet republics being taken or isolated from NATO so that Russia can take over at will. Eight of the 19 countries the Soviet Union lost to the breakup.

Belorusa is already defacto part of Russia. It never really was independent. (I do not count it in the 19.)

That means that Ukraine and Moldova will be the next targets after this operation completes.

This is about the Russian Empire regaining lost territories...

[TigerLikesRooster]

I hope Rice does not inject herself into this problem, and just play an errant woman.

[OKIEDOC]

Enterprise wrote:
I’m not urging war, but I sure don’t want President Bush to back down.

Comment:

Amen to those words.

I do not understand the news media, especially Fox not see the severity of the many implications to this war.

Georgia is our friend, sending troops to Iraq.

If we let Russia continue what does that show the world, that were nothing more than an Obama paper tiger.

[kms61]

I don’t either, but I don’t know what we could realistically do that would change the situation. The Russians are holding most of the cards and they know it.

[CindyDawg]

Well we could tell Russia to get out or we will offer Georgia the opportunity to be a territory of the US...

[pobeda1945]

True. Especially after Georgians massacred two thousand of unarmed civilians in a suprise night attack. After supporting Albanian terrorists in Kosovo US won’t benefit from supporting the wrong side again.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks!

[Enterprise]

"The Russians are holding most of the cards and they know it."

The Russians have a key ally in the United States. Nancy Pelosi. And they KNOW it!

[Crimson Elephant]

As much as I would like for us to “do something”.....what? Hard to see a clear course of immediate action. The key at this point is to somehow prevent the Russians from overthrowing the Georgian Govt and get this thing stopped to figure out what to do.

Can you imagine if Obama is making these decisions in a few months? Lord help us all

[Enterprise]

"This is about the Russian Empire regaining lost territories..."

I think the high price of oil helps the Russians in their newly resurrected expansionist goals.

[Sun]

“We helped in Iraq - now help us, beg Georgians”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article4500362.ece

[pobeda1945]

US is already helping by:
- sending military instructors to Gerogia (around 200 of them)
- sending weapons (from M-16 to helicopters)
- reconnaissance
- media campaign
plus also still unconfirmed reports of one American instructor killed and the other one captured by Russians in Ossetia in the zone of conflict

[ThermoNuclearWarrior]

Does anyone know how hard it would be for the U.S. to send in a lot of air power to attack Russian aircraft in Georgian territory and to attack Russian ground troops in Georgian territory?

If we are in any position to do that I see it as our only option militarily. I think we should also start arming the Georgians with a lot of fire power.