Posted on 08/12/2008 5:48:45 AM PDT by Tolik
Everyone has. In fact, an oppressive oligarchy of thugs and tin-horn dictators, living in splendor--themselves, of course--is the Leftist Dream. Moral highmindedness is their camoflage, bread and circuses their handouts to the peasantry, but their moral bankruptcy is obvious to all but the delusional and the stupid.
On this I agree, and it should include several brigades from the US and capable allies... oops. The US.
Europe is ready for a new dictator given Sarkozy’s comments. The French sound ready to F’ING surrender already.
I would love to imagine he’s wrong, but I don’t see how. I pray he’s wrong.
susie
weak
Well yes, about 80 years ago.
Another bunch have sized it up too: Muslims. Here's a snip from "The Role of Islam in North Ossetia" by Mikhail Roshchin:
"While the majority of Ossetians are Christian, according to official estimates, 15-30 percent of the population is Muslim. The Ossetian capital of Vladikavkaz houses the central mosque, built in the beginning of the 20th century. Money for the construction of the mosque came from Azeri oil magnate Murtuza Mukhtarov, who married an Ossetian woman named Tuganova. (The mosque was built in the Egyptian style and has no architectural analogies in the North Caucasus.) But it was only after the collapse of the Soviet Union that a massive religious revival occurred. Islam began to be practiced more openly, with many Muslims adopting so-called Wahhabism, which is what fundamentalism is referred to in the North Caucasus."
Full commentary at www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?articleid=2372087
As long as this conflict is framed in terms of Christians killing Christians, and a toddling democracy being mowed down by an undead and flesh-eating Soviet empire, Muslims will be reinforced, especially in their opinions of the moral bankruptcy of the West, its ruling left, plus its right and center.
Well said.
Yep, he nails it.
If we do nothing then Poland, Ukraine, the Baltics, the stans, and just about every former soviet republic and satellite will look at us and see the choppers leaving the roof of the embassy in Saigon. Putin will be on the way to restoring what Reagan, John Paul II, and Maggie Thatcher destroyed. I would not wish to be George Bush today.
I agree that this is the right thing to do but I doubt that the spineless Europeans will agree.
This is the opening round of Russia’s march to reclaim their empire. Sorta reminds me of Germany circa 1930s. The West will wring their hands and beg for peace until it’s too late. All the Russians need to complete their conquests is President Obama.
With great and painful reluctance, I am forced to agree with the author.
I missed Sarkozy’s comments. What did he say?
From your post I guess it was a cave...which surprises me. I thought he was a tough guy and a defender of the West.
“We need to immediately convene NATO and grant membership to Ukraine. To show Putin that he may have won Georgia but he has lost Ukraine forever.”
Absolutely excellent post. From your fingertips to God’s ear.
Tatt
Except that the "NATO umbrella" is a fraud, and Putin knows it.
Bringing Ukraine into NATO is provocative, and, since the provocation has nothing backing it up except hot air, it's a dangerous provocation.
The eastern europeans have a clearer eye when it comes to the Russians. Germany & some of the other original NATO countries are rather crudely (pardon the pun) being manipulated by Putin. Maybe we shout just scap NATO & create a BALTIC alliance? Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the US (and any other NATO country that cares to do some heavy-lifting... you get the idea.
I say: bring Ukraine into NATO. If NATO shows itself to be a fraud, then dissolve NATO. I certainly think we should dissolve the UN -- they showed themselves to be frauds a long time ago.
The world cannot move toward real solutions as long as we have some expectation that these ridiculous organizations have roles to play. Sweep the table clean and face the situations clearly.
Brilliant essay, God I wish it weren't so true. The West's "civilized" ways may lead to the end of Western civilization. We assume that others will play by our rules but the world is run by force in the end, and I would prefer that force to be in the hands of people who love freedom rather than ruthless power-hungry dictators.
MOSCOW (AFP)—French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Tuesday it was “normal” for Moscow to defend Russian-speaking people beyond its borders, but added that Georgia’s territorial integrity had to be respected.
“It’s perfectly normal that Russia would want to defend the interests both of Russians in Russia and Russian speakers outside Russia,” Sarkozy said.
Sarkozy went on to ask which camp Brother Putin would like the French Jews and Gypsies and Homosexuals sent. It’s only the normal course of business in the EUrinal EUtopia.
One thing VDH does not mention as a possible reprisal is us exercising again the “Afghan” option. Would it be possible for Vlad to learn the meaning of “Sin in Haste, Repent at leisure”?
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