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.

[matthew fuller]

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

Bush will do nothing but go back to sleep.

[pobeda1945]

“I think we should also start arming the Georgians with a lot of fire power.”

1. USA is already arming Georgians with a lot of fire power
2. Georgians are not good soldiers. So far they succeeded only against civilians.
3. Russia can also supply Taliban with weapons. Easliy.

[The KG9 Kid]

You really want to turn the ideology behind Clinton’s Balkan abortion as our pretext for inciting World War III with Russia?

[Sun]

I’m glad the U.S. is helping, but, of course, worry about our Americans.

Thanx for the info.

[austrian]

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?

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this would be a logistical nightmare. no country in this region would grant you overflight rights to do this. so they only way would be to supply them from the sea. (btw. this will not happen). if you would start for example carrier based attacks on russian troops even on georgian soil. the carrier would become a “legitimat” targed for the russians. no one would provoke this.

[JSteff]

“Especially after Georgians massacred two thousand of unarmed civilians in a surprise night attack”

Proven or soviet propaganda?

[billmor]

Rotten Russians...Georgia has been a helpful ally by sending troops into Iraq to help us fight the insurgents there..We should put all kinds of pressure on Russia to leave Georgia alone or we may send military assistance and at the same time we will eliminate the communist dictatorship in Cuba and cut the pending economic ties between Russia and Venezuela to Ecuador...Chavez is the Russians front man in Latin American now and needs to be taken to the woodshed...

[Islander7]

Please pass this along to all ping list. There is an online petition requesting help from the free world to end Russian Imperialism in the Republic Georgia.

Please Sign!

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The main reason for Russian invasion is Georgia’s close ties with the United States and the European Union countries and its willingness to build free and democratic society. Russian invasion is a desperate move to curb Georgia’s aspiration to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union.

This outrageous military aggression by Russia unequivocally reveals its imperialistic aspirations. Irresponsible incursion by Russian troops into sovereign Georgia can be perceived as nothing less than Moscow’s strong nostalgia for the Soviet Union era and zeal for “restoring” its rule in neighboring peaceful countries. By invading Georgia, Russia sends a clear message to the free world that it is ready to brutally punish any of its neighboring countries that choose to embrace the democratic and humanistic values, which the United States and the European Union countries are standing for.

The moment of truth has come for the United States and the European Union. Georgia needs HELP from its American and European friends to stop Russian invasion. Failing to react to Russian blatant military aggression will undermine the future of democracy in the region and beyond. Furthermore, inaction by the United States and the European Union will give a go-ahead to Russia to carry out military aggression elsewhere in its neighborhood in the future.
---------------
Please Sign!

My dear friend Tamuna's Flickr Site


-- from Tam*Tam -

[pobeda1945]

Proven. Numerous wittness reports cannot ignore stories from more than 30.000 refugees who escaped from South Ossetia to Northen Ossetia (Russian territory).
Georgians destroyed Tskhinvali (capital of S. Ossetia), on day 2 of conflict grounded hospital with hundrends of wounded, opened fire on ambulances with flashing lights and so on...
http://www.russiatoday.ru/news/news/28802]http://www.russiatoday.ru/news/news/28802

[pobeda1945]

And also this:
War in Georgia - Georgian troops kill civilians and peacemakers
http://war.georgia.su/

[JSteff]

“If we are in any position to do that I see it as our only option militarily”

The obvious choice for that type of job is Europe, particularly NATO. They would probably not allow us to base the support there. Poland and Checkozlovacia might let us but it would invite Soviet retaliation.

We could attack long range but more than that is needed. Tactical air power; warthogs, F15E’s, etc but unless we also held the Black Sea it is long legs for the A10’s and I doubt Germany, Austria, or any of the Balkans would want us flying out of their bases either. Turkey is a brink of muslim country and so that type of basing is probably out too.

Russia has the cards right now and knows it.

[austrian]

The moment of truth has come for the United States and the European Union. Georgia needs HELP from its American and European friends to stop Russian invasion

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sorry but i cannot see US or EUs will to seriously help georgia. first as shure as hell there will be no direct
millitary intervention. because NO one is willing to start a war with russia. economic sanctions? Not likely at least not on EU side because we suck like crazy from russian gas and oil. no one would dare to endanger the flow of gas and oil. so there will be some diplomatic pressure but i can not
see us getting real envolved. sorry but it looks like the georgians are on their own.

[TigersEye]

One thing we could do other than military action, if we were an energy producing nation instead of an energy sucking nation, is open up oil flow to Europe on an emergency basis making Pooty Poot's threats empty. But...

What is the cost of the Democrat "No Domestic Energy Policy?"

• No domestic drilling.
• No new refineries.
• No new nuke plants.
• No new dams for hydro-electric.
• No coal.
• No shale.
• Deplete the SPR.
• Let Iran get nukes.
• Let Iraq fall to Iranian domination.
• No Canadian tar sands oil.

All of that puts the U.S. in a position that war for oil or
complete economic collapse will be our only choices.
You can't frustrate every source of domestic energy
without consequences. Our enemies will blackmail us
to the extent that we are vulnerable to blackmail.

The Democrats are leading us into a real war for oil.
A war we won't have the energy to fight.

[SunStar]

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.

Bullsh*t... This is just more Russian propaganda. Question - do you work for Pravda?

THE GOALS BEHIND MOSCOW’S PROXY OFFENSIVE IN SOUTH OSSETIA
http://www.jamestown.org/edm/article.php?article_id=2373298

[Sun]

Georgia sent their soldiers to help us in Iraq.

Here’s what Russia did:

“RUSSIA COMPLETES SAM DELIVERY TO IRAN
menewsline ^ | 1 - 23 - 07

RUSSIA COMPLETES SAM DELIVERY TO IRAN

MOSCOW [MENL] — Russia has confirmed the completion of anti-aircraft deliveries to Iran.

A senior Russian official asserted that Moscow delivered all 29 TOR-M1 mobile, short-range surface-to-air missile systems to Iran in late December 2006. The official confirmed a previous statement by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, who reported that the deliveries to Iran had been completed.

“Russia has fulfilled its contract obligations and fully completed deliveries of TOR-M1 air defense systems to Iran,” Sergei Chemezov, the director of the state arms export agency Rosoboronexport, said on Tuesday. “The systems were delivered in late December of last year.”

Chemezov confirmed the completion of the TOR-M1 deliveries during a visit to India. The Rosoboronexport chief was accompanying Ivanov in a tour of Bangalore, where Russia has offered India advanced MiG-35 fighter-jets as well as satellite cooperation.

A senior Russian official asserted that Moscow delivered all 29 TOR-M1 mobile, short-range surface-to-air missile systems to Iran in late December 2006. The official confirmed a previous statement by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, who reported that the deliveries to Iran had been completed.”

excerpt http://www.menewsline.com/stories/2007/january/01_24_2.html

[SunStar]

1. USA is already arming Georgians with a lot of fire power
2. Georgians are not good soldiers. So far they succeeded only against civilians.
3. Russia can also supply Taliban with weapons. Easliy.

No one believes you here, comrade.

The Russian army is notorious for it's DIRECT TARGETING of civilians. Putin is a dictator, and Russia is a bully. We all know it.

[JSteff]

“Chavez is the Russians front man in Latin American now and needs to be taken to the woodshed...”

That would make Chavez a martyr. He would gain more than many can even think ahead right now to see.

Russia played this right and they know it.

[JSteff]

Nice link to prove it! Sorry, bad try. Your link gave this “Error 404 The page you requested was not found.”

Moreover, it is to Russia Today which (I believe) is as Pravda was.

If Georgia did the things you created (because you did not prove) then Georgia deserves what it gets. That being said there is propaganda on both sides.

That is why I requested a PROVEN source, not a Soviet mouth piece. Now want to try again?

[SunStar]

Let me get this straight... You cite Russian news media as a non-biased news source on a conflict orchestrated and perpetuated by Russia?

I call shenanigans.

[Lijahsbubbe]

Let's see. Russia sets Georgia up for war, and you give us a Russian website to prove your case for Russia? Bwahaha. You'll have to try harder than that on FreeRepublic.

You've been spewing a good amount of propaganda here. Unfortunately for you, Americans think for themselves.