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August 14, 2008
Russia Tells USA To Choose Sides
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday says the United States should choose sides.
Russia to U.S.: Choose us or Georgia
Russia pressed the United States on Wednesday to choose between "a real partnership" with Moscow or an "illusory" relationship with U.S. ally Georgia.
Washington said it's sticking with Georgia.
"As to choosing, the United States has made very clear that it is standing by the democratically elected government of Georgia," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday.
She spelled out the Bush administration's stance after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called Georgia's government "a special project for the United States."
"And we are aware that the U.S. is uptight about this project," Lavrov said in remarks broadcast on Russian television. "But a choice will have to be made someday between considerations of prestige related to an illusory project and a real partnership in matters which indeed require collective efforts."
Rice, amid reports that Russian troops remained on the move Wednesday, pushed Russia to abide by a cease-fire signed Tuesday by the Russian and Georgian presidents.
Russian military action in Georgia "must stop and must stop now," Rice said.
Rice said Moscow already faced "quite significant" diplomatic consequences over its conflict with Georgia before Tuesday's cease-fire agreement, which calls for Russian and Georgian troops to return to pre-conflict positions.
Bush said reports he had received were contrary to Russian assurances that it had halted military operations. Bush said he was told the Russian military had blocked Georgia's major east-west highway, and had soldiers at the main port at Poti. There were reports that some ships had been attacked, he said.
Russia has likely moved additional troops into the disputed Georgian provinces and into Georgia proper over the past several days, several administration officials told CNN on Wednesday.
The officials said the United States now believes Russia may have 15,000 or more troops in the region. That would be an increase from the 8,000-10,000 the U.S. government estimated when the fighting began. A Bush administration official stressed that the scope of Russia's military effort remains unclear.
Any violations of the cease-fire would call into question Russia's "suitability" as an international partner, Rice told reporters before leaving on a diplomatic trip to Europe.
Bush administration officials told CNN the United States and its European allies were considering kicking Russia out of the G-8, the group of the world's largest industrial economies, and other international organizations as punishment for its actions in Georgia.
Rice discounted concerns that Moscow would no longer assist Washington on thorny diplomatic issues such as efforts to halt nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea, saying it had its own interests at stake.
"Let's be very clear whose interests are being served by the partnership that Russia and the United States have engaged in on Iran or North Korea," she said. "Again, it's not a favor to the United States."
Russia's move into Georgia came amid a struggle between the United States and Russia for influence within Eastern Europe. From Russia's point of view, American support for Georgia is a direct threat to its influence.
By striking heavily in Georgia, Moscow is sending a signal to other former Soviet republics, such as Ukraine and Moldova, said Sarah Mendelson, the director of the Human Rights and Security Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
"If I were a neighbor of Russia and I saw what Russia had done in Georgia, I would be very nervous," Mendelson said. "I think those countries that are leaning toward the West are very nervous today."
Wild Thing's comment..........
Hmmmmm Russia to U.S.: Choose us or Georgia.....ok .......answer is Georgia.
Next question please.
The choice is not Russia or Georgia, but Tyranny or Liberty. So they are giving us a choice; to live on our knees as a slave or fight like free men and women. Well, for at least the next 4 1/2 months I know what the answer will be.
For us democracy is a universal project. That's exactly why it frightens the rulers in the Kremlin.
Posted by Wild Thing at August 14, 2008 04:50 AM
Comments
The choice is simple. Georgia which has supported us in the war on terror, or Russia which has supported our enemies. The trouble is that only America will back Georgia. The UN and NATO are less than useless in this situation, as usual.
Posted by: TomR at August 14, 2008 10:05 AM
Tom is right, besides with Democrats in power we've ensured the world of our fair weather friend status. As it stands we'll support Georgia in verse and prose and do nothing. We have a serious problem in Iran, Russia wants to succeed in making them nuclear , Putin opens a new front in Georgia. Diversion? Putin wins either way as we equivocate. As a nation we have to choose between the two threats. Europe is too stupid to realize the same events happened 70 years ago by the same aggressors and the liberal indoctrination centers haven't taught history in 50 years, Socialism disguised as 'Social Studies' has dumbed down most Americans. The reality of it is that the UN and NATO have facilitated this through past and present inaction. We can't even protect our own borders against invasion, as proven world wide through our own media outlets. Please Simian Moon lets us help our Georgian ally, pretty please.
Posted by: Jack at August 14, 2008 10:32 AM
Putin go home and leave Georgia THE HELL ALONE--give people a break - Nobody ask for you to act like a damn dictator - Go hold Chavez's hand- ya want to have a tator hole buddy!!!
Posted by: Cheryl Zee at August 14, 2008 12:15 PM
Tom, yessss as usual, when the time comes to show why the UN and Nato exist they show time and again why they are useless.
Posted by: Wild Thing at August 14, 2008 03:10 PM
Jack,I agree so much, and this too.....
"We can't even protect our own borders against invasion"....yes and the world see that too.
Posted by: Wild Thing at August 14, 2008 03:13 PM
Cheryl, yes Putin and Chavez what a pair they are.
Posted by: Wild Thing at August 14, 2008 03:14 PM
You have not enough killed of yours the soldier in Iraq, Afghanistan... When the terrorists have blown up your towers, 3000 men were lost, I cried... And when at us for one night have killed 1500 men, you are ready to dance on their tombs? I do not understand you
Posted by: ag at August 14, 2008 04:09 PM
ag , you are located in Russia so I can understand why you want to be for your own country. But what they are doing is wrong.
What you said about our soldiers, we feel badly any of our soldiers get killed or injured. I wish only the terrorists would be killed and no one else.
You say you do not understand about Russia and Georgia but think of this. Putin has been asked and told to stop this insanity he is doing to Georgia and Putin will not stop. At least at the time I am writing this Putin is not stopping his attack.
Georgia is our friend, they fought by our side in Iraq NOT Russia. Russia ( Putin) has been more concerned with making frineds with Iran and their building their bombs and weapons.
I hope this helps you to understand.
Your commnets will remain where I have to approve them because I am very careful in not allowing anyone to bash our military. You need to know that.
Posted by: Wild Thing at August 14, 2008 05:06 PM
I choose Democracy whichever state embraces it.
Posted by: Les at August 14, 2008 05:15 PM
Choose Russia? A decrepit, pitiful, degenerate thugocracy? The question is ridiculous. We'd slime ourselves.
Posted by: Rhod at August 14, 2008 05:48 PM
And the more I think about it, the less sorry I feel for a people who allowed themselves to be crushed from 1917 to 1989, and when given the chance to be free, allowed that rat's ass hairball Putin to take over. They deserve what they've gotten.
Posted by: Rhod at August 14, 2008 05:51 PM
Choose sides? What is this, Kentucky Fried Chicken? Right now, I'd pick Georgia, but then Russia would take offense and do something really stupid.
Posted by: Lynn at August 14, 2008 08:19 PM
Rhod thanks and I agree 100%.
Posted by: Wild Thing at August 15, 2008 12:03 AM
Lynn, LOL exactly! The nerve of that man to even say that to us.
Posted by: Wild Thing at August 15, 2008 12:04 AM
If OBL had hit Moscow and the Kremlin on a 9-11-01 attack, the Pakistan caves would have been compost and cat litter soon afterwards! I remember when terrorists took a theatre of musicians hostage for a day, and good ole Vlad pumped nerve gas into the theatre, and a few bullets into the sleeping terrorist's skulls...
That's right W, Vlad has a soul? Now our C-17's are doing a Berlin Airlift deal all over again, and the Europeon Eurabian Union isn't doing a damn thing! I love history folks...
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at August 15, 2008 12:25 AM
