Monday, August 11, 2008

Tough Question

TIMESONLINE: 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?”

your thoughts?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is tough. Russia is wrong in that they have now invaded Georgia proper. They should have stayed out of South Ossetia, but I can see their rationale with Georgian troops there. Barely, with South Ossetia being a rebel province and part of Georgia, they have every right to be there.

Militarily there isn't much we can do unless we want to to turn into a full-blown war with Russia. Having avoided direct hot conflict with the Soviet Union throughout the Cold War nobody wants that now that they have some semblence of a democracy.

I think that NATO (not just the U.S.) should consider peacekeeping troops, and the U.S. should put pressure on diplomatically to get Russia to honor a cease fire and at the very least pull out of Georgia.

Militarilly if their objective was to protect Russian citizens there was really no reason to invade their soveriegn territory. I think they have more in mind than that.

Chip Sanders said...

Because George Bush looked into Putin's eyes and saw his soul. Bush has treated Russia with kid gloves which is a mistake. Love what McCain said about Putin, "I looked into his eyes and saw three letters, KGB." We need to demonstrate strength. If Russia won't withdraw we should continue with our missile shield and use economic leverage. It need not come to a military conflict which nobody wants. Peace keeping troops are a joke and won't work.

Anonymous said...

It's a lose/lose situation for us.

When we step in, we're jerks. (Iraq)

When we don't, we're jerks. (Rwanda)

Jeremy

Anonymous said...

"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."

When Americans excuse Russia's actions, it is important to ponder how we would have fared if during our Civil war the British used it as an excuse to invade our country on behalf of the confederacy and settle the score from the revolutionary war (It came close to happening).

Georgia is a Democracy with a freely elected president, and has offered full autonomy to South Ossetia in the past, which of course they rejected.

Also, the genocide claims of Ossetians is baseless, in fact my research shows more evidence of genocide against Georgians in South Ossetia if anything. Amazing how swift the Russians were, kind of like they were planning something.

All I know is anti-war Christians better wake up! The geopolitical table is being set for something very big, something we may not have choice but to get involved in. China, Russia, and non-friendly Arab states all have a common enemy, America/Isreal! Pacifism will only allow them swift victory.

Redemptive violence? You betcha! Evil hits me, I hit back!

Jake B.