Although I was sorely tempted, I resisted the opportunity to hear out Georgian president S. on Glenn Beck's show last night. I've got my mind made up already and with few exceptions I don't need any emotional pleas. I'm convinced that Putin / Medvedev are getting away with murder, and that this move, as far as the American Left and Right are concerned is moving rather like last summer's Israeli/Hezbollah conflict.
The odd thing is that the American peaceniks are basically silent in their criticism of Putin and instead are blaming Bush for setting up a 'world' where this kind of aggression is acceptable. Rather than dignify that logic, I'd like for those who read here to say such things in their own words in the proper context, instead of sideways like this:
Also we don't have the moral authority to say a damn thing to anyone anymore after invading Iraq on false pretenses, and have been mumbling about doing the same to Iran. Period, end of story.
Because if 'we' don't have the moral authority to say a damn thing, what exact kind of moral authority do we get for being first to commit ships and planes towards humanitarian assistance to Georgia, as we have? It's not as if the Left is even backing up their own candidate's denunciation on this, but expect to get some political traction out of saying stuff like:
The current administration is scratching its head and stumbling and fumbling for a coherent response. Bubba McCain is rootin and tootin with a full chaw of wikipedia powering his foreign policy and national security pronouncements.
It doesn't take more than a few ounces of brain to see that Russia has failed to create a commonwealth in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union, and has been rattling sabers for several months. But it is interesting that Putin has suggested that we Americans have it backwards, that they Russia are the good guys and the Georgians are the bad guys. The only reason I give a moment's pause on that is because of the horror of Beslan four years ago.
I'm still not fooled by Putin's fake cease fire, any more than anyone should be fooled by the fact that there's a lot of 'trust but verify' in the American humanitarian response. Not to mention the fact that it's already public knowledge that columns of Russian armor has changed directions. We can be sure that the NRO is all over this and we know more than we say about troop movements in Georgia every hour.
The world is getting more interesting day by day, but spare me arguments that this is Bush's doing.
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