Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

We helped in Iraq - now help us, beg Georgians
Times Online (U.K.) ^ | August 10, 2008 | by Tony Halpin

Posted on 08/10/2008 2:39:43 PM PDT by library user

As a Russian jet bombed fields around his village, Djimali Avago, a Georgian farmer, asked me: “Why won’t America and Nato help us? If they won’t help us now, why did we help them in Iraq?”

(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: allies; allygeorgia; geopolitics; georgia; iraq; ossetia; russia; southossetia; troops
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 161-163 next last
To: MinorityRepublican

I’m not convinced it should bear any of it. There are a number of things going on here. I believe Georgia did escalate it’s military activity in South Ossetia the other day. I may be wrong about that. That could have driven this. I doubt Russia just out of the blue mobilized though. This had to have been in the works IMO.

Russia has been cruising for a bruising after the Bosnia/Kosovo bombing and recognition of Kosovo’s independence.

I don’t think we should completely ignore the fact that it chose 08/08/08 as the day to start it’s military campaign either. What that says about it’s willingness to steal some of China’s thunder I just don’t know. Was China privy to these plans?

This is kinda strange, what is taking place. Russia bombing the people it was trying to save sure speaks volumes. Destroying that hospital was sheer genius if you’re trying to convince folks Georgia was abusing the South Ossetians, and so Russia had to go in to stop it.

I doubt Russia has any idea how badly it just shot itself in the foot, but then again China seems to skate any responsibility for it’s actions. Russia probably thinks it will too. And I’m having a hard time thinking it won’t.

I’m sure our business folks will be back to business as usual on Monday, as it relates to Russia. No big deal. Lots of money to be made. What’s a few thousand deaths and a sovereign nation taken over worth on the world markets these days?

Zip.


61 posted on 08/10/2008 3:40:57 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (We're a non Soros non lefitst supporting maverick Gang of 2, who won't be voting for McCain.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: brytlea

Ah, that’s it. ;-)


62 posted on 08/10/2008 3:44:13 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (We're a non Soros non lefitst supporting maverick Gang of 2, who won't be voting for McCain.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: goldstategop

WE can offer some other assistance with medical needs and comunications, right now the Ruskies are trying to sever internet links.

This is a key moment, supposedly Rice is a Russia “expert”, but I doubt anything will stop the Russian Army from finishing their punitive expedition into Georgia.

IMO, they don’t want to occupy Georgia, they do want to devestate it though.


63 posted on 08/10/2008 3:45:28 PM PDT by padre35 (Conservative in Exile/ Romans 10.10/Eze 11.2)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: 05 Mustang GT Rocks

okay. scratch Roosevelt...


64 posted on 08/10/2008 3:45:43 PM PDT by abishai
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: brytlea

No, the Euros are dependent on Russian oil, gas, and natural gas, they will not do a single thing in the way of sanctions.


65 posted on 08/10/2008 3:48:11 PM PDT by padre35 (Conservative in Exile/ Romans 10.10/Eze 11.2)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: Nuc1
"Arm them. Tank killers, plane killers, and ship killers. Give them missiles, planes and armor. The Georgians will take care of the rest."

Exactly. Save for your post above, look at all of the effeminate hand-wringing and tear-shedding going on with this thread.

Ridiculous.

Instead, Bush will see that the Georgians get the missiles that they need to bloody the Bear, and that's enough.

South African sea mines and anti-tank missiles...Israeli anti-aircraft missiles...perhaps some French anti-ship missiles.

Russia was tied up in neighboring Chechnya for years, with no one serious arming the Chechans. Georgia has mountains just like Chechnya, a more stable government, a more unified people, a larger economy, and powerful friends...as well as Iraq-War-battle-tested troops.

They'll do fine, especially with a little extra equipment.

No crying over how fast we are or aren't reacting needed.

Bush has charged headfirst into Liberia, disarmed Libya, ordered Syria out of Lebanon with a single bark, and smashed the Taliban in Afghanistan as well as killed al qaeda in Iraq.

He'll get the needed arms to Georgia.

Georgia can mobilize a million troops. Armed with modern missiles, they'll make Chechnya's anti-Russian efforts look trivial in comparison.

66 posted on 08/10/2008 3:49:23 PM PDT by Southack (Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: Jeff Head
I also hope those aircraft go in with significant US fighter escort.

This could be the best response we could do in this situation. Lots and lots of fighter aircraft as an escort and take the long way to get to the Georgian base . . . and the US aircraft don't leave and stay on ready. Some risk yes, but if Russia touches our planes, they are the provocateur! Don't you know every Georgian fighter returning from Iraq would be game for this.
67 posted on 08/10/2008 3:49:32 PM PDT by RushingWater (Pres. Bush honors Mexican sovereignty over our own - Pardon Ramos/Campeon/Hernandez)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Memphis Moe

Actually he told the US Ambassador in Tbilisi that. I was at their home for a party one week later and it was passed on to me there. Just a tad far from Atlanta, sorry.


68 posted on 08/10/2008 3:52:29 PM PDT by MarMema (Tavisuplebas dideba!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Nuc1

Well said. My solution as well. From your lips to the US white house ears.


69 posted on 08/10/2008 3:54:11 PM PDT by MarMema (Tavisuplebas dideba!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: Grzegorz 246
This was a world-class sucker job, as the Georgians have just found out. Next time, boys, just take out the gun emplacements.

The time line is the key. The Russian military almost certainly cannot react as fast as they did, with the volume of troops and ordnance, unless they were ready to roll beforehand.

70 posted on 08/10/2008 3:54:50 PM PDT by SAJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican; DoughtyOne
Separatists in South Ossetia were sending missiles over the border, much like in Israel. So Georgia went in to chase them out.

No doubt, Russia armed the separatists.

71 posted on 08/10/2008 3:55:41 PM PDT by MarMema (Tavisuplebas dideba!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: library user

You’re white Christians.

You deserve your genocide.

Have a nice day.

-your friends on the American left


72 posted on 08/10/2008 3:56:20 PM PDT by Tzimisce (How Would Mohammed Vote? Obama for President!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: padre35
right now the Ruskies are trying to sever internet links.

I just got an email from a friend in Tbilisi.

"War is terrible. People are not in the panic, but in that district, where I live Russians bombed small military airdrome 2 times yesterday. They bomb all Georgia. They bombed block of flats, where pregnant lady and kids died.

Too aggressive country. And we try to fight with them and save our independence during three centuries!

Please, pray for the lives of children here. Every morning I go at work, I am not sure that I will see my kid in the evening, when I will come back home .

Love and light,
Nino"

73 posted on 08/10/2008 3:58:41 PM PDT by MarMema (Tavisuplebas dideba!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: library user

We damn well better help em.


74 posted on 08/10/2008 3:59:16 PM PDT by screaminsunshine
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MarMema

I should probably know that, but South Ossetia hasn’t been on my radar as well as it should have been.

If that is the cause for elevated military activity on the party of the Georgians, then Russia really doesn’t have a leg to stand on here.

These border issues are very tough to referee. Both sides generally have some points that are reasoned.

My gut instinct is to think Russia was the real problem here. I don’t like to get too deep into it, because you have to defend against border claims that go back hundreds if not thousands of years if you do.

I hope the hostilities are over very shortly.


75 posted on 08/10/2008 4:01:48 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (We're a non Soros non lefitst supporting maverick Gang of 2, who won't be voting for McCain.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: brytlea
Are there no economic sanctions we can bring to bear?

Of course there are.But today,unlike 20...or even 10...years ago,the USSR is an economic power and supplies Europe with much of the oil and gas that it needs.Given how power hungry and fond of the "good old days" of the Soviet Union Vlad Putin is,economic sanctions could set into motion a chain of events that would be very damaging indeed.

IMO.

76 posted on 08/10/2008 4:04:28 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Obama:"Ich bein ein beginner")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: Grzegorz 246

“Also those Russian columns appeared quite fast, surprisingly fast.”

Oh, no doubt the Russians had this well orchestrated to fire off during the Olympics.


77 posted on 08/10/2008 4:07:56 PM PDT by rbmillerjr ("bigger government means constricting freedom"....................RWR)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: DoughtyOne
Russia sent 4000 troops to Abkhazia and got them to send missiles now as well. During this conflict, so now they have two border conflicts at once. They are a gentle and kind people, the Georgians. I was hoping to retire there someday as I fell so in love with them on my trip there. They welcomed Bush as family and he was very impressed. They really want to be away from Russia.

The signs there are all in Georgian and English and they planted flowers to form an American flag in the main courtyard in Tbilisi.
They even named a street after President Bush.

78 posted on 08/10/2008 4:08:06 PM PDT by MarMema (Tavisuplebas dideba!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 75 | View Replies]

To: library user

Putin rightly reckoned the US wouldn’t have the stomach for another military engagement under Bush. Libs would be screaming for impeachment again.


79 posted on 08/10/2008 4:11:36 PM PDT by P.O.E. (Thank God for every morning.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rbmillerjr
Exactly! I'm 1000% for Georgia in this thing, but they need to consult and coordinate with us BEFORE giving the Russians pretext to go in.

It reminds me of WWII. Shortly after the "Breakout" in Normandy, de Gaulle demanded we rush the Army forward to Paris immediately to assist his forces because he was itching to attack Nazi troops in Paris ASAP. We told him to wait a few weeks. We had other fish to fry before we could enter Paris.

Did he wait? Hell, no. He attacked prematurely and lost lots of men because of it. 'Course, the a**hole always blamed us for those losses.

You want our help? You've got to consult and coordinate things with us first!

80 posted on 08/10/2008 4:18:41 PM PDT by LibWhacker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 161-163 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson