I’m no fan of Russia. In fact, I’m somewhat obsessed with the excesses of the Soviets, Holodomor, etc. But the unanimity and savagery with which Big Media has condemned the Russians, makes me think they’re at least partially innocent – for once. Whenever Big Media tells you to hate someone, you should seek other sources. In this case, the Indy press has been quick to point out the rest of the story.
The rest of the story is well expressed in yesterday’s “Blowback From Bear-Baiting” by Patrick Buchanan:
“Mikheil Saakashvili’s decision to use the opening of the Olympic Games to cover Georgia’s invasion of its breakaway province of South Ossetia must rank in stupidity with Gamal Abdel-Nasser’s decision to close the Straits of Tiran to Israeli ships. . . Saakashvili’s blunder probably means permanent loss of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
After shelling and attacking what he claims is his own country, killing scores of his own Ossetian citizens and sending tens of thousands fleeing into Russia, Saakashvili’s army was whipped back into Georgia in 48 hours.
Vladimir Putin took the opportunity to kick the Georgian army out of Abkhazia, as well, to bomb Tbilisi, and to seize Gori, birthplace of Stalin.
Reveling in his status as an intimate of George Bush, Dick Cheney, and John McCain, and America’s lone democratic ally in the Caucasus, Saakashvili thought he could get away with a lightning coup and present the world with a fait accompli.
Mikheil did not reckon on the rage or resolve of the Bear.
American charges of Russian aggression ring hollow. Georgia started this fight – Russia finished it. People who start wars don’t get to decide how and when they end.
Russia’s response was “disproportionate” and “brutal,” wailed Bush.
True. But did we not authorize Israel to bomb Lebanon for 35 days in response to a border skirmish where several Israel soldiers were killed and two captured? Was that not many times more “disproportionate”?
Russia has invaded a sovereign country, railed Bush. But did not the United States bomb Serbia for 78 days and invade to force it to surrender a province, Kosovo, to which Serbia had a far greater historic claim than Georgia had to Abkhazia or South Ossetia, both of which prefer Moscow to Tbilisi?
Is not Western hypocrisy astonishing?
When the Soviet Union broke into 15 nations, we celebrated. When Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Kosovo broke from Serbia, we rejoiced. Why, then, the indignation when two provinces, whose peoples are ethnically separate from Georgians and who fought for their independence, should succeed in breaking away?
Are secessions and the dissolution of nations laudable only when they advance the agenda of the neocons, many of whom viscerally detest Russia?” (Read more from antiwar.com)
Spinning the issue:
–Georgia loses the fight with Russia, but manages to win the PR war.
–From the Jerusalem Post: “As the Russian bear plunges its claws into the heart of its much smaller neighbor Georgia. . . .”
–From BBCnews: “[Ossetians] are very clear who they blame: Georgia’s President Mikhail Saakashvili, who sent troops to re-take control of this breakaway region. That effort has clearly backfired. The pro-Russian sentiment I experienced on my last visit four years ago has become far fiercer as a result of this conflict.”
–Bush Says Russia Must Stop ‘Bullying’ Georgia.
–from NY Times: “Russians Push Past Separatist Area to Assault Central Georgia”
–from CNN: “Commentary: Russian bombs’ message is ‘this is for America'”
–from Al Jazeera: “Russian forces sink Georgian ships”
–from Pravda.ru via indybay.org: “Georgia’s Aggression and Atrocities: US presidential runoff John McCain said that Russia should not interfere in the conflict in South Ossetia. The pro-Georgian propaganda in the US media testifies to the same opinion. It brings up the idea that the Georgian aggression against the unrecognized republic of South Ossetia has been coordinated with the US administration.”
–Despite our call for peace and a unilateral ceasefire separatists continued the shelling of Georgian villages,” it quoted Mamuka Kurashvili as saying. “We are forced to restore constitutional order in the whole region.”
–Hezbollah Leader Nasrallah: ‘Failed’ IDF generals caused Georgia defeat in war.
The US connection:
–Both McCain and Obama’s advisors want war in Georgia
–McCain Adviser Was Lobbyist for Georgia
–Troops from Atlanta will train in Republic of Georgia(Jul 14)
–U.S. Military Instructors Command Hirelings in Georgia (Aug 11) “Thousands of mercenaries are fighting for Georgia in this burning conflict with South Ossetia. They are commanded by the U.S. military instructors, RIA Novosti reported with reference to a high-ranked officer of Russia’s military intelligence.”
–US troops still in Georgia (Aug 12)
–U.S. to take control of Georgian ports: Saakashvili (Aug 13)
The Israel Connection:
–Georgia president denies Israel halted military aid due to war
“‘The Israeli weapons have proved very effective,’ he said at a press conference at his office. When asked whether the Israeli arms played a role in the military successes he claimed the Georgian army had achieved, he joked: ‘Are you asking me as a representative of Elbit or of Israel Aerospace Industries?’
To a reporter’s question about Jews who have fled the fighting and come to Israel, he said: ‘We have two Israeli cabinet ministers, one deals with war [Defense Minister David Kezerashvili], and the other with negotiations [State Minister for Territorial Integration Temur Yakobashvili], and that is the Israeli involvement here: Both war and peace are in the hands of Israeli Jews.’
Yakobashvili is actually not an Israeli citizen. Saakashvili’s statements are part of his government’s attempt to bring other countries into its war against Russia.”
–exerpt from Haaretz.com: “Brig. Gen. (Res.) Gal Hirsch was the commander of the Israel Defense Forces’ Galilee Brigade when reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev were abducted by Hezbollah on the northern border, sparking the Second Lebanon War. He operates a privately-owned Israeli military contractors that recently trained Georgian security forces .”
About Ukraine:
–Ukrainians wonder what Georgia crisis means for them
–“Ukraine threatened to blockade the Russian Black Sea Fleet yesterday in an act of solidarity with Georgia that risked escalating the conflict.” I worry this escalation, along with the issue of Sevastopol might bring Russian “peace keepers” to Crimea.
Misc:
–PHOTOS from the conflict (graphic)