At least Obama has the good sense to follow the only real leader in this race, John McCain. What am I talking about? Well Russia attacked Georgia in a act of aggression that should be condemned worldwide:
Russia sent warships from the Black Sea fleet toward Georgia as it stepped up its conflict with the former Soviet republic over the separatist South Ossetia region.
The ships included a vessel based in the naval port of Sevastopol and four others from Novorossiysk, Komsomolskaya Pravda reported, without saying where it got the information. Georgian Economic Development Minister Eka Sharashidze said a ship carrying grain to the Georgian port of Poti was turned away by a Russian warship, suggesting an economic blockade.
“Russia has shown itself capable of crossing every line in this conflict,” Sharashidze said in a telephone interview late yesterday from Tbilisi, the Georgian capital.
Russian jets crossed the border to attack military and civilian targets in as many as six locations simultaneously, Georgian Security Council Secretary Kakha Lomaia said. Russia’s actions amounted to “full-scale war,” he said. Russian planes today bombed a military airfield near Tbilisi, Georgian Security Council secretary Kakha Lomaia said in a telephone interview.
“It’s all going to hell,” Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said yesterday in an interview on CNN in which he appealed for international help. “We are willing to do cease- fire immediately providing the other side stops to shoot and to bomb.”
As McCain did:
This afternoon I spoke, for the second time since the crisis began, with Georgian President Saakashvili. It is clear the situation is dire. Russian aggression against Georgia continues, with attacks occurring far beyond the Georgian region of South Ossetia. As casualties continue to mount, the international community must do all it can to avert further escalations. Tensions and hostilities between Georgians and Ossetians are in no way justification for Russian troops crossing an internationally recognized border. I again call on the Government of Russia to immediately and unconditionally withdraw its forces from the territory of Georgia. Given this threat to Euro-Atlantic security, I am pleased to see the United States, the European Union, and NATO acting together by sending a delegation to the region, in an effort to broker a cease fire. This is an important first step.
The United Nations has been prevented from taking any meaningful action by Russian objections. In view of this, I welcome the statements of democratic nations defending the sovereignty of Georgia and condemning Russian actions.
I strongly support the declaration issued by the Presidents of Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and their commitment that ‘aggression against a small country in Europe will not be passed over in silence or with meaningless statements equating the victims with the victimizers.’
Remember that bolded part while reading Obama’s statement:
I strongly condemn the outbreak of violence in Georgia, and urge an immediate end to armed conflict. Now is the time for Georgia and Russia to show restraint, and to avoid an escalation to full scale war. Georgia’s territorial integrity must be respected. All sides should enter into direct talks on behalf of stability in Georgia, and the United States, the United Nations Security Council, and the international community should fully support a peaceful resolution to this crisis
McCain’s foreign policy advisor said this about his statement:
“That’s kind of like saying after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, that Kuwait and Iraq need to show restraint, or like saying in 1968 [when the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia] … that the Czechoslovaks should show restraint,” he said.
Amazing….simply amazing that this man and his moral equivalency is so close to the White House.
The criticism obviously got to him because Mr. Flip-Flop flopped and figured out which side we should be on:
Over the last two days, Russia has escalated the crisis in Georgia through its clear and continued violation of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. On Friday, August 8, Russian military forces invaded Georgia. I condemn Russia’s aggressive actions and reiterate my call for an immediate ceasefire. Russia must stop its bombing campaign, cease flights of Russian aircraft in Georgian airspace, and withdraw its ground forces from Georgia. Both sides should allow humanitarian assistance to reach civilians in need. Russia also must end its cyber war against Georgian government websites. Georgia’s territorial integrity must be respected.
I have to concur with Tom Maguire on this one, its like watching a live action Follow The Leader game, instead its not a game but the equivalent of that 3am phone call. And Obama failed miserably once again.
John Hinderaker knocks it out of the park:
It is often said that Obama is not ready to be President, but I don’t think this is exactly right. It seems pretty obvious that Obama, given his temperament, his self-regard, his blithe ignorance of history and of the material conditions of life on this planet, will never be ready to be President. He is not unready: he is unsuited for, and inadequate to, the office.
Any leader who has to wait and see which way the wind is blowing to figure out which side to be on is no leader at all.
See author page
Obama is not ready for prime time, no matter what anyone says.
According to Russia it started when Georgia’s troops fired on Russian “peace keepers” in the break away (from Georgia) of South Ossetia. Most of the people in that zone are Russian citizens. That’s one of the reasons there is little outcry. Somebody attacked Russia and Russia responded. Now Georgia is trying to get the U.S. involved trying to play the victem. Turkey, which borders Georgia, is already giving Georgia humanitarian aid so there won’t be a full blockade. Diverting the cargo ship could have been away to prevent the civilian ship from entering a war zone. The U.S. would have done the same thing. This probably isn’t going to go well for Russia though. They don’t have the money to replace stuff. At times they have had trouble paying their electric bill. On the other hand they can show Russian military equipment in action to counter claims how quickly U.S. destroyed Russian equipment in Iraq. After both Gulf Wars, sales of Russian military equipment dropped dramatically.
Nobody is going to listen to Obama, because he will just change his mind 15 minutes later anyways.
Greg: Placing partial blame on Georgia might work but there is one interesting fact left out of the equation.
Col. Ralph Peters, who was written some very first rate analysis on military matters, summed the current situation up this way:
The Russians have been stirring up trouble in this province for years. Their action reminds me of what the Nazis did when they claimed they had to invade Czechoslovakia to protect German natives living there.
As for McCain having a better idea of what is actually happening it is no surprise as he has actually visited Ossetia, the troublespot, twice I believe.
He wasn’t there for a campaign rally and there was no mob of world media mavens in tow.
The contrast between McCain and Obama here can be laid down to one very relevant fact: EXPERIENCE. McCain has it, Obama does not. And Obama’s judgement, as demonstrated in this case, is certainly flawed.
‘aggression against a small country in Europe will not be passed over in silence or with meaningless statements equating the victims with the victimizers.’
Pity the US didn’t think about that when it bombed Yugoslavia.
If Kosovo can be independent, why not South Ossetia?
Because the US Republocrat Party won’t let it?
There some sick democrats around. Russia is simply taking advantage of the ‘fact’ the democrats have shown their cowardance for the past 16 years. No time like the present to put the USSR back togather. They can expect nothing but ‘words’ from the democrat candidiate and the congressional leadership. All shows of cowardance comes back to to bite you in the arse sooner or later. This is the sooner part. If Russia had a division in Cuba they could attack the U.S. and the democrats would deny it (anyone remember the Iraqi democrat, they aren’t in the country) was happening until we had lost the east coast and they arrived in D.C. Peeeloshi and Reid would take a few months vacation in their choice of communist countries.
“Pity the US didn’t think about that when it bombed Yugoslavia”. Wasn’t that Slick Willie’s war, the one where he bombed the Chinese embassy and the war that continues til this day? Steve Hayes just failed recent history along with the brain scan that showed nothing.
This probably isn’t going to go well for Russia though. They don’t have the money to replace stuff. At times they have had trouble paying their electric bill.
These days they’re sitting pretty with their oil and natural gas revenues. Not to say that they have long-term financial stability or anything, but for the moment they are not dirt poor.
As for McCain having a better idea of what is actually happening it is no surprise as he has actually visited Ossetia
Also one of his campaign staffers was a lobbyist for Georgia. McCain clearly has a lot of knowledge on this area (along with staff who know even more); whether he come in to the situation without a pro-Georgian bias is another question.
Also agree with Mike’s America, above: this is a (very transparent) setup. The Russians didn’t just react with this kind of speed to a provocation (though they might like people to *think* they have that kind of capability) . They planned this.