Вот,наугад ткнула ( и таких комментариев -подавляющее большинство,даже если исключить тех, кто, похоже, русскоязычный):
51.
August 11th, 2008 9:32 am
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What should we do? Nothing. This is the provenance of the UN and if the UN does nothing what are we to do? Bomb Moscow. Lets get real. This is the Georgia on the other side of the world, not the one that has Atlanta in it. Would any of these posters want a world war between nuclear powers over this? We have no military alliance with Georgia and Georgia is not part of NATO. Why on earth NATO would entertain admitting Georgia is beyond me. Last I checked they where no where near the North Atlantic. NATO itself is an anachronism.
— MichaelF, Yonkers, NY
Recommend Recommended by 3 Readers
152.
August 11th, 2008 9:33 am
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The government of Georgia apparently used the commencement of the Olympics to stage a sneak attack on lightly armed Russian peace-keeping forces in South Ossetia. The Russians have been protecting two non-muslim populations of Georgia from forcible integration with the larger muslim society. A 'de facto' separation has existed for years. The Georgian attack on the separatist area not only resulted in the death of numerous Russian military personnel, it also produced a lot of collateral damage (dead civilians, destroyed buildings, 30,000 refugees fleeing to Russia, et cetera). Russia, and it's local allies, counterattacked and now seem set on "punishing" Georgia and its military; a reasonable and well-deserved action.
This concerns the United States primarily because the Bush administration has seen fit to closely ally itself with Georgia over the past few years.
Obviously, the Bush alliance is responsible for the Georgian invasion which otherwise would be unquestionably insane. Our strategic interests do not lie with Georgia. Indeed, socially, economically, and politically, the United States of America has a lot more in common with Russia than we do with Georgia. However, it is also true that the oil interests surrounding the Bush White House have much more interest (and investments) in Georgia than most Americans do.
— Glen Scutt, Class of '64, Newark, NJ
Recommend Recommended by 4 Readers
153.
August 11th, 2008 9:33 am
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Bush and the Republicans squandered American military strength on a futile and pointless war against a two bit dictator in Iraq, leaving the door wide open for the real threat. Now we are powerless to help those we fooled into thinking we were their friends. America the helpless. The end.
— Dan, New York
Recommend Recommended by 2 Readers
154.
August 11th, 2008 9:34 am
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I wonder what Bush is seeing in Putin's eyes now? Only Bush would think he saw a soul. It should be pretty clear by now that if there is no oil involved.......
— ruby, Tennessee
Recommend Recommended by 1 Reader
155.
August 11th, 2008 9:46 am
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For the past seven years since the 9/11 attacks, the entire right-winged portion of the US has been arrogantly singing the praises of our military strength and "strong christian values". A key GOP member recently joked: "bomb bomb bomb, bomb Iran" to that ancient Beach Boys song, and to great applause and laughter. He was talking, of course, about dropping indiscriminate killing devices on another sovereign nation, but it was funny, right? We'd never actually do anything like that.
But here we are, the world is changing, our military superiority is steadily losing ground in this increasingly small world, our dollar is plummeting, our very name has a bitter taste to those around us and Bush goes right ahead and starts building missile silos on Russia's border, turning back the clock on that hard-fought alliance. We Americans joke and laugh as we watch who doesn't make the cut on this weeks "Top Model". We fail to care at all when our fearless leader stomps on the Geneva Convention. Barely anyone listens to the desperate pleas of Zimbabwe, Sudan, Ethiopia, etc... Starvation, despotism and genocide go virtually unnoticed. If one cares too much, its easy to earn the "bleeding heart" stigma. Just go drink your lates and eat your cheese, they would say.
Freedom fries. How clever.
And now Russia invades an "ally" of the US. "This won't go unpunished!" We say. "I was very firm with Mr. Putin." He says.
But what could we do? How can we possibly hope to punish Russia? Remember that cold, cold, war we had? The one with our fingers resting on those red buttons and with sweat on our foreheads we tell our children to duck and cover? That one? The bombs never went away. Trust me, I checked, they're still there, just waiting for an excuse to do what they were designed for.
Doesn't it seem like eons ago when Clinton was smiling happily with Russian heads of state? This anti-U.N., anti-diplomacy, anti-Muslim, anti-anything nationalistic muscle flexing deficit spending ends-justify-the-means conservative mentality will be the swan song of our nation.
We will watch as everyone rallies their allies. And watch as Russia pushes back against our rhetoric, seeking any possible way they can get their hands on the oil we so desperately need. The pipelines in Georgia, the joint ventures with BP, the north pole, etc, etc... Its already happening and nothing can stop it.
If not now, then soon things will spiral uncontrollably towards their inevitable conclusion. We will most likely still be guzzling our last drops of fossil fuels like a starving maniac and someone will push a button somewhere. Then maybe, if we haven't already, we can yank our tired troops out of the Iraq leaving it the shambled wreck of what it once was. We can do more muscle-flexing, more stern talking, more whatever but it will be too late.
The earth itself is about to boil. Perhaps Russia will be the least of our problems. They way we still act like the police and moral center of this world is actually kind of funny when you think about it.
Here's to our children.
— William J. Kidney, Lawrence, KS
Recommend Recommended by 5 Readers
156.
August 11th, 2008 9:46 am
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it is difficult to trust that the russian "peacekeeping" mission that was present in the "break-away" regions prior to the conflict had anything other than russian self-interest in mind.
russia, first through putin, and now through his puppet Medvedev, has rode a wave of oil profits (ill-gotten through nationalization of private companies, both domestic (Yukos) and foreign (TNK-BP))to do everything they can to regain influence over former soviet republics and show utter contempt for democracy and liberty. Least anyone in the region resist their influence, russia has no problem cutting natural gas imports in the dead of winter or, in an escalation of political and military brinkmanship, moving from its policy of destabilization through proxy to directly invading a sovereign nation.
while the president of Georgia may have overplayed his hand and been a bit naive in his understanding of what the USA and NATO can actually commit to, he cannot be blamed for trying to protect the sovereign interests of his country in the face of continued banditry and russian sponsored separatist activities launched from South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
While not trying to ignore the shameful American and European response to a friend in need, it must be recognized that the true evil rests not in Georgian attempts at democracy and liberty, but in a resurgent authoritarian Russia that has adopted a strategy of regaining regional dominance through proxy wars and support of intolerant, corrupt, brutal, and anti-western regimes.
— Brett, New York City
Recommend Recommended by 1 Reader
157.
All Editors' Selections » EDITORS' SELECTIONS (what's this?)
August 11th, 2008 9:47 am
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We can do nothing. It is the Russian version of "shock and awe." We made the mold, and the Russians have simply adapted it. J. Wilson
— Jerome Wilson, Essex, CT
Recommend Recommended by 12 Readers
158.
August 11th, 2008 9:48 am
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Homeresque detail by writers. Political and military solution nescessry. Trojan in complexity.
— betty83, Louisiana
Recommend Recommended by 0 Readers
159.
August 11th, 2008 9:48 am
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I am not so sure if there is a difference between Iraq and Georgia in terms of political independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty?
The invasion and occupation of Iraq by the United States in 2003 laid a rule of the jungle sorts of New World Order... of might is right and never mind international law, conventions and protocols of the United Nations. Any bully can invade and decimate a poor country!
What is good for America is good for Russia and what is good for Iraq is obviously good for Georgia!
Georgia is asking the United States, NATO and the West to take measures that will amount to the start of a Third World War and some here are actually supporting Georgia's request for American/NATO intervention?
Georgia punched Russia in the eye with hope that America/NATO will rush to Georgia's aid?
World War III will start as soon as there is external intervention in support of Georgia... the Georgian president is obviously politically naive and not world-wise... Sheres of influence is what is at stake here... sprinkled with Russian nationalism. Georgian president is about to get his just deserts for pinching the nose of the Siberian great bear.
Most sincerely,
Paul I. Adujie
New York, United States
— Paul I. Adujie, New York, United States
Recommend Recommended by 1 Reader
160.
August 11th, 2008 9:48 am
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No one would expect Canada, Mexico or Brazil to get involved in a conflict halfway around the world. Why does everyone expect it of the US?
— Peter Piper, NY
Recommend Recommended by 4 Readers
