Russia dismembers Georgia

If anyone thinks Russia isn't looking for a new war, all they need to do is pay attention to whats going on in Georgia, & whats being said in Moscow & the U.N. They know the US Military is stretched right now, & we'd be hard pressed in defending our selfs, or any other country except Iraq, & or Afghanistan. If they plan to attack, they'll do it before The missile defense shield has a chance of getting into place. Before 9/11 we could have defended our selfs in a fair fight (If there is such a thing anymore), but not now. All our money has been put everywhere, BUT to maintain military strength. All of Russia's new money has gone into building up their military. Do the Math..

Ruminating Over Russia.... 1. Let's see if I got all this Russia stuff straight in my mind. Please bear with me; I'm just an old soldier, and there's such a huge avalanche of orchestrated spin to wade through. >We make such humongous sacrifices over decades of the last century in big wars and small to "win" the "Cold" War, just so we could have our kids do it all over again in the next century. >We ignore George Washington's dire warnings about permanent alliances just so we can, like fools, continue providing rich Old Europe's defense against an imaginary enemy called Russia, and then are surprised, shocked!, that a necessarily resurgent Russia regards that anachronistic alliance as a very real threat to its security. >We scoff at Russia's fear of "NATO" missiles in Poland and Czechoslovakia, and new "NATO" members everywhere on its western borders, as an "excuse to make trouble", because we, of course, would actually believe the "assurances" and remain silent about a Warsaw Pact that wanted to place missiles in Canada, and bring Cuba, Mexico and Guatemala into its membership. >We stubbornly grant independence to a break-away province in the former Yugoslavia that wants to join Old Europe over Russia's strong objections, but get all flustered and indignant when another break-away province in Georgia wants independence so it can join Russia. >We can sanctimoniously rant and rave at a Putin who reacts to a nitwit Georgian president's stupid provocation that counted on the US cavalry running to his rescue in a contested area on the border already patrolled by Russian soldiers– in the same decade when we went halfway around the globe to invade not one but two countries and threatened to bomb the daylights out of two more – because we are "special" and therefore can do whatever we want. "Do as I say, not as I do." Right. Got it. Not!! How, in the name of all that's sane, did we get from there to here - right back where WE started?! What demented, self-serving, twisted logic is operating here? Where did such brainless arrogance originate? We have for the past sixteen years been "led" by total morons "Inside The Beltway" concerning Russia - the largest country on Earth with the greatest concentration of natural resources, and now plan on making a choice for a new "leader" between a young inexperienced Pied Piper spouting emotional platitudes and an aging gung-ho fly-boy still fighting last century's "Cold" War -- neither of whom have even thought to ask the right questions about Russia and both of whom are all about FOLLOWING polls of uninformed voters. The most important question of all is: Who lost Russia?! (more)

Ruminating Over Russia.... 2. At the most critical moment after the fall of the Warsaw Pact we somehow ended up with a Secretary of State refugee from Czechoslovakia who was all about using the US military to stick it to her hated Soviets at every turn, who was all about looking backwards when we should have been focused solely on the future. And then we end up with an academic "Soviet expert" as Secretary of State who STILL thinks in terms of the "Cold" War Soviets, without understanding anything at all about Russians or Russia, to lock it all in stone, to close the circle. A once-in-a-century Golden Opportunity was simply allowed to sink, ignominiously, into oblivion. All the self-serving "spin" arguments I've seen so far on this subject are childishly all about shifting blame to Russia. (No one beats us at the blame-shifting game anymore.) In the end, quite obviously, we got the "muscle-flexing" Russia WE wanted all along. Such a Russia, first and foremost, provides some small measure of sorely needed validation for that asinine "NATO" that keeps the dumb Americans providing rich Old Europe's defense two decades after it should have ended. Wouldn't it have been far better for our kids in the 21st century to retire NATO with honors when its mission was completed in the early 1990s, and immediately forged a new alliance tailored for a new and totally different century around a US-UK-Russia core of equals - an alliance actually designed for the Real World of the 21st century- similar to what we did with Germany and Japan? There is no better way to influence the development of a country's internal policies and its global view than working WITH it on common objectives as respectful equals, and most especially in a military partnership. Or does that make too much sense for Americans anymore? Would that have solved too many of the world's problems far too easily? Do we, simpletons that we are, actually NEED the "East-West" conflict scenario because it's so much simpler than the far more complicated Real World of today, and, besides, our fathers already taught us how to live with it? (more)

Ruminating Over Russia.... 3. And now all the fear mongers are out there screaming about "empire" Russia. Pure blather. That nation, under a very smart leader, is simply doing what it must, what is responsible for its own self-interests and survival down the road. It is trying, any way it can, to secure its future against both a burgeoning Western military alliance breathing down its neck and the coming Chinese threat, an exploding China salivating over all those natural resources in a totally demoralized nation with a very rapidly declining population too small to defend it all. American spin doctors, campaign advisors, defense contractors, politicians, former policy makers, newstainment talking heads, academics in vacuums, street corner fools, chattering class nitwits,... everyone is out there trying to gin up ways to profit from a "mean 'ol Russia" -- completely ignoring the fact that for sixteen years WE did all we possibly could to absolutely ensure that mean 'ol Russia finally got mean again. Seems I remember a similar story with Germany between WWI and WWII.... We have become, without doubt, the dumbest people on the planet. Doesn't ANYONE know how to think anymore? The day of actual leaders in America apparently are gone. Now all we get are slavish followers of polls of naive uninformed voters, myopic people ruled by ruthless greed and rigid ideology, and a chattering class pontificating only on what dances in front of their noses. I spent almost all of my life after college fighting the Russians, one way or another, on the ground up close and personal, from the 1960s through the 1990s, from Berlin to Saigon, from Helsinki to Hong Kong, and just about everywhere in between, militarily and diplomatically, AFTER I had learned very well the lessons of my dad - who fought both the Germans and the Japanese. Today I would MUCH rather fight WITH the Russians, against ALL comers – more so than with almost any of the cardboard "soldiers" in continental Old Europe. As an American I would much rather stand WITH a very smart and forward looking Putin than with any other current or potential "leader" on the planet. Vladimir Putin is solely dedicated to the future of his nation and his people, to those who will follow him. The others are far too focused on what's dancing in front of their noses, and how they can profit from it, to see the bigger picture or further down the road. Putin's methods may be less than ideal, but his purpose is unassailable. Furthermore, independent polls show that he enjoys an approval rating of over 84%, and rising, among Russian citizens. He even told "NATO" in Budapest last April exactly what his thinking was about break-away provinces and, further, that no responsible leader could ever base his nation's security on the empty "assurances" of others, especially when all other indicators completely contradicted those assurances. Sounds perfectly sane to me. (more)

Ruminating Over Russia.... 4. And here? Ka-ching! Money for everyone - who is able to spin things their way. Fan the fear! Ignore the incompetence, the total lack of vision, the brainless coasting, the reacting to whatever jumps up and slaps us in the face. Like The Three Stooges. Apparently, when you're hiding behind a super-high-tech hyper-power military, you don't HAVE to think. You can even pretend not to notice that that hyper-power has now been fighting, for longer than it took our grandparents to defeat the combined German and Japanese juggernaut, a Third World enemy without a single ship, plane, tank, drone or satellite. Obviously, for the past sixteen years, the lunatics have been running the asylum. The surest way to loose a chess match, like a war, is to fail to see the board from the other player's vantage point. Sadly, seeing things from the other side is a lost art in the US, so it's all about "Me" and "Now" and to hell with our kids. Makes me thoroughly ashamed. Worse, it makes my life, and all those who served with me during the last century, a waste. Whatever happened to our sense of responsibility to those who follow us? Does it only come with great sacrifice, while others are free to play in the sandbox espousing only their countless "rights" as they profit from the requisite "spin"?

I doubt that Russia is looking for a war, but they are working hard to diminish their standing in the world. Don’t start waving the white flag just yet, “foreverapessimist.” Any Russian military attack on the US, or a NATO member state would result in an overwhelming military response from NATO. In case of a nuclear arrack, it would likely mean the disappearance of Russia from the world map. Of course there would be no winners in a nuclear exchange, and the Russian leadership understands that. One would hope that the Russians are not crazy enough to believe that they could win under those circumstances. You wrote: “All our money has been put everywhere, BUT to maintain military strength. All of Russia's new money has gone into building up their military. Do the Math..” That’s just not an accurate statement. The US has a huge defense budget and not “all of Russia’s new money has gone into building up their military.” By not getting your facts straight, you are spreading misinformation and fear.

Putin is not an evil dictator. If he appointed oblast governors, it is because the old ones, every one of them, was corrupt. Some of the new ones will not be. It's called progress. Before Putin arrested billionaire robber baron Khordokovsky, Western media complained of Russian mega-thieves, that they were allowed to steal and launder money. After Putin arrested same robber baron for laundering money, Western media complained of lack of freedom and unfair treatment of innocent businessmen. Russia granted independence to Chechnya once already. The new Chechnyan government responded to this gift by infiltrating terrorists into (Russian) Dagestan. They slaughtered 300 children at Breslan. Therefore, the Russians decided to take control of this situation. Not a bad idea, to take control of an out-of-control situation, but the media probably thinks these bloodthirsty terrorists are "freedom fighters." Western media doesn't see what a joke it is to the rest of the world. It's just too much to comprehend, the stupidity of the Western press and their believers. This is much worse than the days of Pravda in the old Soviet Union. At least in the old USSR, the people knew it was a pack of lies. Just today, it blabs out "Russia recognizes Georgian Rebels." Why not "Russia recognizes Abkhazia"? Every single TV station and newspaper in the US has the same wording. Talk about a totalitarian, politically correct press! But when Kosovo declared its independence, shattering the territorial integrity of Serbia, they did not shout about "US recognizes Serbian rebels," did they? No, it was "US recognizes Kosovo." They twist and pervert the truth until the truth looks like a pretzel. Such hypocrisy. It is no wonder Russia has a bad reputation. If anyone believes in these this Condoleeza Rice is turning out to be a moron. "The Russians are doing what they always have done." What sort of diplomat speaks such a sentence before beginning communications in a dispute. Sounds like the US has no desire to even begin to communicate or ever achieve any understanding. What's that thing in the corner, looks like roadkill? Oh, it's my country's integrity.

The last thing in the world these people want (Russians) is a war. I have read comments on this and many other forums all over the world. Not once did I see any Russian forum or article commentator express idea of war. But US commenters - they seem to be hungering for war, let's bomb Russia, shoot their tanks, kill 'em before they kill us. In order to justify their anger/fear at Russia, they read in the newspaper how evil it is. Yep, yep, same old Russia! That gives them reasons to distrust and hate. Russians do not do Prozac, Ritalin, Cocaine or any other psychotropic drug in large numbers, but the US has millions of users. Such drugs feed paranoia and is a likely source for US paranoia about Russia. Russians dance, they have city fireworks several times a week (the custom is for weddings to have fireworks in the evening). They love old American Rock-n-Roll. They love to celebrate. Every restaurant turns into a party late in the evening. Yes, they drink, but they are, at heart, a humble people. There is not a happier place in the world, than Russia (released from the soulless grip of frigid winter) in the summer. Russia is not looking for a war, they are on the road to becoming a rich country. The avergae income has quadrupled in the last 6 years. They are much more interested in having a new Lexus, BMW, or Chevy SUV, a new apartment, a big-screen plasma TV, than in slogging off to some US-inspired war. Confrontations between US and Russia are creations mostly of the media, a media which refuses to changes its anachronistic 1950's "We will bury you" view of Russia, and US "diplomats" stupid enough to fall for their bucketloads of baloney, a media which enriches itself by attracting readers/listeners through raw appeals to fear and anger. Russia, and US, have nuclear submarines. One such sub has, perhaps 20 missiles. Each missile is a MIRV, or equipped with 10 warheads. So each submarine has 240 nuclear warheads. I call them "continent burners." One such submarine could effectively wipe out a fair-to-middling continent. Russia has some really huge nukes - 25 megatons. I call them "State burners". One of them could wipe out, say, Pennsylvania, or North Carolina. And remember, each side has many of these submarines. And so does China. Ukraine is still receiving Russian oil at $60 a barrel, $50 below world price. Yet to get even this price rise - from $30 to $60, they had to endure hysterical Western media to this day screaming about Russian "extortion" and "economic blackmail."

Hey Foreverpessimist, why so paranoid? Russia is not looking for a war, but at least they have the integrity to defend their own citizens, when such citizens are being attacked by tanks and their apartment blocks are being riddled by artillery shells (weapons provided courtesy of US government). Did the US get its 4 Humvees back? I guess they were "on loan" to Georgia. Just like the "Georgian" stinger missiles that downed Russian planes and the tanks that shelled Ossetian apartment buildings. Good training, US, but when I was in the Army, I must have slept through the training sessions about shooting monuments in the park and targeting townhomes. I wonder, is the US planning to file a lawsuit to get back its humvees?

Hey Betsy what's with the headline, "Russia dismembers Georgia"? "Dismember" means to "cut off or separate the limbs of." Like in an 8-month abortion, the fetus must be dismembered before leaving the womb, otherwise he/she might survive. So you are trying to get across the idea, for us less-intelligent-than-you readers, that what Russia did is akin to tearing a body, limb-from-limb? Clever. Now I know how the proper way to refer to American actions in Southeastern Europe: The "Disembowelment of Serbia."

Mexico takes over formerly American Southwest. Bush administration eggs it on. Do any readers see the similarities?

RWZ: What have you been smoking? I'll bet you think you could do better you're so bright. Unfortunately just having a second grade education won't cut it.

Russia doesn't want a war, but they are prepared to fight one to rebuild the Russian Empire. As far as those who think Putin isn't an evil dictator they need to wake up and face reality, Putin is Czar of all the Russias in all but name and everyone else in their government is his puppet.

WOW,after reading all the comments I believe we have many(they call themselves Americans) that believe what Russia did to a democratic country was right because what Mr. Clinton did in Kosovo/Serbia! Hey,this is totally different.Just read the truth in papers such as the Washington Times,NY Post Fox news etc. God Bless America.

A comment on fairbro's comment: We Russians don't need Prozac, Ritilin, & etc. We have Vodka.