“We’ll see your Georgia and raise you Poland.”
In Washington, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the purpose of the system “is to protect our European allies from any rogue threats such as a missile from Iran” and “in no way is the missile defense aimed at Russia.”
Perino said she “couldn’t say” whether Russia’s attacks in Georgia spurred today’s final action on the agreement.
Since the Euro Weenies are so smart, they won’t mind if the USA tells them to go pound sand when they beg for assistance from a revived Russian Bear.
Screw the Euros, the worst allies anyone can have. Let the Russians rule the Germans and the French and the whole useless bunch.
They are not worth a single Canadian life. Our WW1 and WW2 cemeteries are enough support.
Never again.
I was just about to send you a link to that.
It’s going to get aweful interesting.
One has to wonder what Barak Obama would do if he was in Bush’s place at the present time?
We know what McCain would do, you could bet the farm on that scenario!
Obama would send mega-mouth Michelle to deal with the situation.
Perino said she “couldn’t say” whether Russia’s attacks in Georgia spurred today’s final action on the agreement.
You Bet!!! The new Russian Empire is a stiring.
Of course, on the other hand, maybe some of the stuff Washington was saying was not – how shall we say….umm…perfectly correct?
“Gates said later that some initial reports of the situation in George have proved incorrect. For example, contrary to some reports of destruction, “the commercial port at Poti is intact and usable,” he said. “And we think that the Russians never actually imposed a blockade.” Commercial ships stopped coming into the port because the Russians were there, “not because they were being prevented from coming in,” he said.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/14/AR2008081401611.html?hpid=topnews
Oh hi folks, it’s me again, Vitruvius, your friendly neighbourhood Stratfor monitor. For those of you who are interested in the strategy and tactics of what’s going on here, consider the following scenario.
We now know that Russia had been provoking Georgia for some time. We know that it’s weird that Georgia, considering that they are being advised by the west, “started” this chain of events, knowing that Russia had massed troops. But there’s another possibility.
What if Russia was planning some other strategy, and while Putin was away in China, things got out of hand in Russia? There are some reports suggesting that Putin is not at all impressed by Russia’s performance in these operations, nor by the mess Russia may have gotten itself into (those scenarios are, of course, developing).
Yet it could be that Russia has made a tactical blunder, upsetting its intended strategic plans, due to incompetent operations, while Putin was absent the helm. I certainly don’t know; it’s just more food for thought.
Good for the Poles. As ex-Soviet slaves they know where this is going. The poor souls are wedged between the Russians and the Euroweenies who would throw them under the bus for Russian gas in a heartbeat. With allies like France and Germany the ex-eastern bloc democracies have a lot to fear.
Is it just me or is that buffoon in Britain sitting out this issue? If there was a whimper out of Brown it sure had no gravitas or resonance to it.
We are living in very dangerous times.
as for Poland’s timing in signing onto this new missile defense agreement and Russian’s invasion of Georgia, perhaps additionally, it is Poland’s fear of what will come if Mr. Hussein is elected the new president of the USA?
That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve read in a LONG time. How can you aim a defensive system at ANYONE? That’s like saying “Yeah, my body-armour is aimed at stopping Iranian bullets, and not the Russian kind”.
While I welcome the Americans and Poles showing some backbone, there’s a part of me that wants to see the Europeans eat s**t from the Russians for a decade or so so that they learn to appreciate the US a bit more.
Instead, the US will have to back up Poland (who has been a good ally), and thereby once again bail out the Euroweenies at the US’ cost. All the while a bunch of useful idiots and genuine idiots will have peace parades, burn the US Flag, and burn McCain in effigy.
Unless of course, we have Obama in power. In which case the US will fold like a cheap suit.
Alex; yeh, and a non-existent one at that.
“I’m aiming my request for development funding right at your black heart, you @%^)$@!!!”
“We have mobilized 10 sets of blueprints and they will be moved to the front within hours.”
Europeans are stupid by and large, that’s for sure.
My Question is, what are we protecting Europe from?
I am still waiting for McCain to redo Hillary’s “it’s 3 a.m. and who do you want to answer the phone” commercial. He should showcase how he was ready with a strong and detailed response to the Georgia-Russia crisis and Obama was not.
Poland:
Lech Walesa
Pope John Paul II.
Both are guys who kick communist ass. And Putin is a communist ass.
I assume the requisite international poisoning will be forthcoming.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/gerard_baker/article4534358.ece
I usually despise the TimesOnline, but this column by Gerard Baker is good. To quote, regarding Sarkozy’s “peace in our time” deal with Putin:
This, remember, is the same EU that wants to take over foreign and security policy from member states, an institution that is always eager to pump itself up at the expense of democratic institutions in those member states, but which crumbles into puny submission when faced with authoritarian bullying overseas.
Lots of other great quotes in that article. Give it a read.
Mac will be there to take that three am call and the best part he wouldnt have been asleep as he was up going pee for the third time.
Please spare me the Obama wouldnt do this and Obama wouldnt do that garbage is there proof what Obama would do?…no. Is that a reason for not electing him?…sure. I can agree with that point of view, but to assume is just foolish.
My hat off for this agreement today though, good work by Bush.
Why are all you guys who don’t trust the MSM swollowing it all hoock line and sinker?
This’ll kill ya.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8XI2Chc6uQ
The Guns of August ?
Time to read that book again methinks.
Shawn; the Russians came in to rescue them? Why don’t the Ukrainians and Poles believe this? Could a 12 year old girl be being prompted to save her relatives in Russian held territory?
A lot of questions, yes?
A line from The King of Siam: Be careful of your allies; they may rescue you from all you own (or words to that effect).
lilli; try “The Winds of War” by Woulk. A very frustrating read until you start comparing the dumbfound idiocy of the author’s characters to real life ones.
In the book a Jewish fellow dallies the time away in Italy waiting (for the Nazi occupation?). In real life a 12 year old girl wiles the time away on vacation in Georgia as Russian troops mass on the border.
alex
THE defencive system are rockets, and rockets are usually AIMED, thusly the aimed reference
now body armour is not a system
capice
Like everything else, I’d take the girl’s reporting with a grain of salt, after all she is of Russian stock and her family are in Ossetia, a region that want independence from Georgia.
Also, how did she know they were Georgan bombs? She didn’t see any bombs(her words) but knew who to blame, or at least she listens and belives her aunt.
I read (someplace) where the Ukraine wants to revoke the agreement that allows the Russian Black Sea fleet to use a Ukraine port for their main base. The agreement was to expire in 2017 and the Russians have been working on a new agreement to lengthen this timespan.
“THE defencive system are rockets, and rockets are usually AIMED, thusly the aimed reference”
~GYM
ABMs are “aimed” straight up for launch then vector toward incoming targets while in the air.
Lori said: the US will have to back up Poland (who has been a good ally)
That doesn’t necessarily get you anything other than being thrown under the bus:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_II_Corps
http://www.buchanan.org/pa-97-0829.html
I’m still waiting for the “no blood for oil” protetsts at European and North American cities.
Maybe I should hold my breath while waiting? Not.
The only similarity I see with Cold War is that our MSM gives Russia a free ride for the invasion of a sovereign country (Czechoslovakia, Hungary, for example).
I’m also waiting for the UN Security Council emergency meeting to censure Russia. No, I’m not holding my breath on that one either.
OTOH, GWB’s speech about no more satellite states and spheres of influence does strike me as quite hypocritical.
Gordon G. Chang, Russia’s Nuclear Threat
Today, Russia threatened to use nuclear weapons against Poland, which signed a missile defense deal with the United States yesterday…
Charles, your link underscores why military/bureaucrats should not comment on foreign or domestic policy.