Getting Georgia's War On - McCain goes berserk »
Posted By hyperbola 1 year, 3 months ago in News
The outbreak of war in Georgia on Friday offers a disturbing and
somewhat surreal taste of what to expect from John McCain should he become our nation's Commander in Chief.
Read Full Story at thenation.com »
13811 Views Share Story 72 Comments Report
Submitted By:
hyperbola
Military brat (14th generation American) with unassuaged wanderlust. By age 11, schools in four states and three foreign countries (in 3 languages). Left home at ...
Who Also Submitted:
RSS Join the Discussion
+ Add CommentShowing 245 of 292 Comments (view all)
-
71%
hyperbola1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
....McCain's call to NATO-ize the war is not only frightening, it's also delusional: both NATO and US forces are already stretched beyond the breaking point, even by Joint Chief of Staff chairman Michael Millen's own recent assessment.
Reply
But McCain's brain remains undeterred by reality, a fact that became painfully clear today in Des Moines when he also demanded, "The US should immediately convene an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council to call on Russia to reverse course."
The problem with McCain's bold demand about going to the UN is that Russia already tried doing exactly what McCain called for--and got rejected by McCain's neocon pals in the Bush Administration. Early this morning, Russia convened an emergency session of the UN Security Council, calling on both sides to immediately cease hostilities, return to the negotiating table and renounce the use of force--but the last part about renouncing the use of force is exactly what Georgia's president Mikhail Saakashvili refuses to do.
..... The meaning of this is clear: the United States and Britain are backing Saakashvili's invasion. Why would we back Saakashvili's reckless war, when last year even Bush was denouncing the Pinochet-wannabe's violent attack on his own people during a peaceful opposition protest in Georgia's capital, as well as shutting down the opposition media and exiling of political opponents? That would be a brain-teaser if the last seven years hadn't answered this question so many painful times already.
But with McCain, answering this is a little trickier. When he issued today's Des Moines statement calling for Russia to do what Russia already did a few hours earlier, you have to ask yourself: either McCain's short-term memory is totally shot, encased in an impenetrable tomb of aluminum-zirconium plaque... or worse, McCain simply doesn't give a damn about reality, he just wants to get Georgia's war on, as badly as Saakashvili does. ....-
19%
DropkickaLib1 year, 3 months ago
-
87%
Searchbeam1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
McCain is so ,much into the Cold War of the past that his vision seems frosted and his brain seems to be frozen in time.
Reply
Very, very risky choice. If we are ignorant enough to elect him, we can be assured of total nuclear annihilation. There will be no second chance!
Come to think of it, we came very close to that during the past eight years. A four-year replay would be Mutually Assured Destruction (M.A.D.).
Logic and reasoning seem to have left his loft! -
35%
coolslow1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Hyperbola, are you so blinded by anti-Bushism and enthralled with Obama that you can't see this as a total act of agression by Russia against a country that is miniture compared to Russia? Do you have any idea of the history that Russia has with Georgia and the control that Moscow has exerted over the past 300 years? Do you have any idea of what the Russians are doing in Moldova? Do you know that hte Russians in the past few years have cut off the supply natural gas to Georgia so that the population sat in the cold and dark for several winters? Do you know that the Russians have barred the improtation of Georgian goods into Russia, severely affecting the Georgian economy? This is the latest step in a long running campaign to exert control over Georgia. I think you probabably never heard of Georgia, Ossetia, Abkhazia, and know damn little about Russia. Let;s get Oboma out there and he'll fix it by getting everyone to unify and agree to change. Gimme a break. I am stunned by the tone and ignorance that you demonstrate.
Reply -
36%
MajJohn1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Nice cut and paste. Is there an original thought buried in there somewhere? First of all McCain "goes berserk". He asked for the UN Security Counsel to meet, exactly what Russia asked for. In McCain's case this is proof that he wants war. In Russia's case it wants peace. WHAT? Because McCain wants the same thing he has short term memory loss. So I guess anytime we agree with an action suggested by someone else we have a short term memory loss. WHAT THE! And get NATO involved! Why we can't do that, already stretched too thin. That's a double WHAT. Is there a suggestion that NATO's involvement would be military only? They can't respond in any other way! WHAT??
Reply
One of the biggest criticisms of Bush was going it alone and alienating our European allies. But if McCain tries it the leftists scream even louder. WHAT THE! Of course Georgia invaded a break away province, Russia did not invade. Why they're only defending their "loyal subjects in the Rhineland" against an ally, . Get my drift folks? Any response the West makes is wrong. And if McCain is involved, he's an old fool. I wonder if Obama took the same stand that he too would be vilified? if not then you can assume this is nothing more that an illogical hit piece. -
100%
icono11 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Opines on the current situation with Russia, Georgia ad the USA.
Reply
http://www.newsweek.com/id/152087
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/world/europe/12diplo.html?_r=2&th&emc=th&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/11/AR2008081100482.html?nav=rss_email/components
Enjoy.
-
-
48%
bigurn1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
This article is stunning in its wrongheadedness.
Reply
Georgia is a sovereign country. South Ossetia is a province in Georgia; it belongs to them.
Russia is bombing and killing Georgians; it is an act of war.
Georgia was expected to become part of NATO, and the only reason they haven't yet is timing.
South Ossetia trying to cecede from Georgia is an internal problem for them, not for us. We've intervenced politically, and we are Georgia's allies.
McCain has it exactly right. NATO leaders should immediately be called together to formulate a potential response to this. As I'm typing this, Russian tanks are moving on Georgia's capital, Tblisi. They are at war.-
92%
dissent1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
South Ossetia: Politics, Diplomacy and War
Reply
2008-08-11
"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." (Groucho Marx)
The United States and the European Union are very concerned over the conflict between Russia and Georgia, fearing an escalation in the fighting that may affect the entire region.
It might be useful to examine the root cause of the conflict.
During the period of the Soviet Union, citizens of the nations it contained lived throughout its geographical territory. When the USSR collapsed, nationalisms strained the newly sovereign States.
South Ossetia is populated primarily by Russians holding Russian passports.
In 1990, South Ossetia held elections but the Georgians living there boycotted the elections. The Russian majority easily won and declared South Ossetia an autonomous Republic. Then, 98 % chose to unite with Russia, in 1991. Georgian attacks followed and Russian peacekeepers entered South Ossetia, on 14 July, 1992, to protect the lives of the Russian citizens and preserve stability.
South Ossetia’s independence has never been recognised by the U.N., the U.S. or the E.U. So much for the much vaunted ideal of Democracy.
This weekend, Georgian forces attacked South Ossetia and Russian forces naturally responded.
If we lived in a world where Democracy was truly practiced, the “Ossetians” might be able to decide what THEY would like.
http://www.unobserver.com/index.php?pagina=layout5.php&id=5035&blz=1
just on that last point, it looks the "ossetians" already did in their 1991 elections but georgia didn't like it so they attacked. looks like they've done it again -
80%
MajJohn1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Russia had better get used to NATO countries on its border, Georgia is not the only nation. Putin's nose does not need much to be tweaked. What you're missing here is oil, the pipeline to the Caspian Sea. The Russians want control so it can blackmail its former "colonies".
Reply -
100%
Georgia501 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Gee, I feel completely like the odd man out here. Let me point out several things.
Reply
1. This is not a partisan issue native to the US.
2. We warned Georgia NOT to tweak Putin's nose.
3. Given Russia's experience with the West since Napoleon, it needs to be understood that there's no way in hell they're going to allow what they perceive to be a contrary (much less hostile) sovereign nation or NATO member on their border.
I'm all for Georgians pushing sovereignty to the max, but there are historical realities and Russian paranoias that will ultimately play a role in where that max is.
My fellow conservatives are going to lamblast me, I realize. Maybe I'm missing something, so feel free to clue me in. But for godsakes don't call me a hyperbola clone....that'd be piling on.
-
-
68%
nikkibabe1 year, 3 months ago
-
-
44%
Endoscopy1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
nikkibabe
Reply
Russia under former KGB leader Putin is trying to regain the areas lost when the USSR collapsed. That is part of what is happening here if you don't understand it. Then all you can do is talk about Iraq in ignorance of what is happening in the world.
Muslim terrorists abound.
Russia is currently attacking the capital of Georgia.
Death and destruction in several countries where genocide or close to it is going on.
You only want to comment about Iraq when it is getting more peaceful as more and more terrorists are being killed more and more by Iraq troops and police. The US has pulled out most of the surge and as things get better the plan is to remove more as the situation warrants. Gee that is Obama's plan now since he went there. He is saying the same thing as McCain now.
-
-
37%
buckncindykill1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
You got that right Ranch. His first statement was the Obama 'generic condemnation of violence in the World' template, unedited. It could have applied to any conflict, right down to the neighborhhod kids in fisticuffs on the schoolyard.
Reply
The second statement was indeed after someone explained to him that this was not Georgia, the state, and found the right chapter in Cliff Notes for the 'Foreign Policy for Dummies' book for him. -
81%
Searchbeam1 year, 3 months ago
-
36%
buckncindykill1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
"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."
Reply
Guess who said this. And just how will he back these statements up when Russia flips him off? By saying please? -
-
-
-
79%
nikkibabe1 year, 3 months ago
-
23%
buckncindykill1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
A slip of the tongue nikki, much like Obama said we have 47 contiguous states or something like that.
Reply
But really, calling for NATO to convene and discuss options is no worse than calling on the UN to impose sanctions is it not? Actually, do we really think the UN will do anything? At least NATO has some teeth, and by accepting Georgia membership into NATO (which is what the talks would accomplish) might just make Russia back off. -
30%
Endoscopy1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
nokkibabe
Reply
ROTFLMAO
Apparently you didn't know that McCain has been there. He has done extensive travel around the places in the world where US interests are. By doing that he understands what is going on in a lot of the world. But don't let facts bother your far left view of things.
-
-
-
-
-
airwick1944Comment removed: Retracted by user
-
-
-
76%
donald511 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Dumya couldn't condemn Israel for escalating to all out war, but he can condemn his friend - Putin!
Reply
Well, Dumya let his friend Musharraf pardon the greatest black marketeer of nuclear technology (Kahn) in our time too !
No scruples, no conscience and no rule of law from the repugs, the true terrorist party of America and the world!-
-
14%
Endoscopy1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Donald you are being silly. Some facts that you obviously don't want to look at. Israel has Muslims living in it including one who is on their supreme court. Palestinians have always wanted to remain separate from the rest of Israel. They lob rockets into Israel, send bombers and assassins out into Israel. Terrorists from Lebanon fire rockets into Israel. Israel made sure that Obama visited one of the leveled villages that the Palestinians had sent a lot of rockets into. He made no comment.
Reply
You of course think that should just be the way of life if you are an Israeli. No retaliation needed. Every time they concede anything the Palestinians get worse. Your bias is showing.
Russia has tanks on the outskirts of the Georgian capital. Then you act like he should not condemn this action because he likes Putin. Gee an man putting his counties interests first and wanting the world to be safer and nicer over his possible friendship with a foreign ruler. What a concept. Your hatred is showing.
You think that we were supposed to control the ruler of Pakistan. What a concept. Bush just let him do things. When did Pakistan become part of the US?
Your last sentence is just pure liberal hatred of anything not liberal. There can be no other kind of thought. Only liberal thought. You must hate the first amendment. It guarantees freedom of speech. Things are to be openly discussed. I know you hate that idea since you favor shutting down the radio from political commentary and you made the statement that all people expressing the conservative point of view should be expelled from the US. Such views shows your obvious hatred of anything contrary to your point of view. It must be nice to have such perfection of thought. -
33%
Georgia501 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Israel did not escalate. War is the situation when armed men cross a border, capture soldiers, then retreat across the border under Lebanese military and UN protection. Israel merely responded to the situation created by the Lebanese terrorists.
Reply
-
-
29%
Ruggaboo1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Russia is seizing an oppurtunity to crush a rival...to smash a developing democracy.
Reply
The Russian's have done nothing in years...excepting oppress and enslave their neighbors,
spread a commie agenda across the globe and ruin ASIA.
Georgia struck against it's own territories...not Russia.
Russia is the same old goon show run by KGB criminals and thugs.-
75%
Ratskii1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
I thought your hero, Reagan, crushed the communist soviet union? Now you're saying it isn't so? Interesting.
Reply
By the by, as the article says, Ossetians have had problems with the Georgians from long before there was such a thing as communism. -
-
-
-
79%
Tcaros1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
It took 40 years to end the cold war and McCain about 40 seconds to start it.
Reply
People we are dealing with a real psycho with McCain. Does he even think before he talks or is he too busy asking for ideas and saying "gee, what can I say to make it sound like I'm an authority." -
-
-
70%
nikkibabe1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Why my comments on McCain reverberates with a Obama line? I am just calling the shots on an old ignorant hypocrite and his antics out of PURE ignorance combined with early signs of ALZEIHMERS.
Reply
McCain looks like the guy who drives the courtesy shuttle at the car dealership.
McCain looks like the guy who fights with drivers over Handicap parking spots
McCain looks like the guy who keep gazing at the pendalum in a grandfather clock
McCain looks like the guy who sits at the information desk at a geriatrics center.-
0%
Endoscopy1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Must be nice to have such a clear image of people like yours. You looked at the issues like the fact that McCain travels to all parts of the world while Obama had to be goaded into making a campaign trip the several countries in a week. But McCain is ignorant and Obama is all knowing. Such insightful commentary.
Reply
You must be one of the beautiful people who rate people on their looks. You can understand what a person is by looking at them. Such intuition. Maybe you should go to the UN and give them your expertise. -
0%
BB641 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Do you often judge books by their cover?
Reply
Barry looks like one of those smart whine and cheese eating guys that does nothing but blame America for all of the world's ills. Putin invades a sovereign nation, it's Bush's fault. Gas goes up to $ 4.00/ gallon, Bush's fault. China gets the Olympics, Bush's fault. Bret Favre gets traded to the Jets, Bush's fault. Edwards has an affair, Bush's fault. Okay, I know I went way overboard. But you know what I'm talking about.
I'm not a McCain fan, but at least I have some idea where the man stands. Barry on the other hand hangs out with defendants, racists and former terrorist. He votes only along the Chicago DNC party lines. Has never crossed the isle to use the restroom much less to talk to a non-DNC member. He's clearly not an agent of change.
-
-
31%
jesh1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
He said that the UN should be involved isn't that what we should do. Condemning aggression and saying they should with draw. How many times have I heard a commander and chief say that? I didn't hear anything that could be described as “McCain goes berserk “the person that wrote it wouldn't be an Obama supporter could he????
Reply -
28%
lloydm651 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
There is no comparison between McCain,and Obama.An american leader vs a Chicago street organiser.McCain will lead not falter, Obama by nature is a pacifist,except when attacking america's values.He,and his crowd have condemmed america for WW2,Korea, and all other conflicts.A president who can't embrace our historical past,and recognize how, and why we struggled for our independence,and gave aide to other countries to breathe free needs to do what he does best.Street organiser,
Reply-
88%
quackpot1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Please substantiate this atatement of yours.
Reply
"He,and his crowd have condemmed [sic] america [sic] for WW2,Korea, and all other conflicts"
Note that America should be capitalized for maximum patriotic effect
Obama has been a consistent supporter of issues that are of importance, while McCain has consistently voted against benefits for Vets. Their respective voting records are FACT and are CLEAR. -
-
-
-
-
91%
thoughtforsale1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Mr. Saakashvili would have been an extraordinary fool, if he had dared to stand up against Russia and try to avoid Georgian seperatist efforts, without having an American promise of support backing him. Saakashvili was a protegee of the US, who calculated with the Olympic peace and was let down at the end. I don´t really know, why John Mc Cain ignored Russia´s appeal to the UN, just to make the same proposition. Perhaps, he wanted to demonstrate that there won´t be any more exclusive military actions by the US. Perhaps, he wasn´t able to accept that Russia did the right thing just a little bit earlier? All I wish for the Caucasian region is peace, as soon as possible. There already seem to be some signs of goodwill, so hope is the last to die! The roots of the conflict go much deeper. They might have something to do with a damaged Russian self-esteem, but there is time enough to analyze the reasons, when the weapons are laid down!
Reply -
21%
ningyo1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
the dems were all against what they called our illegal war and occupation of a country that didnt attack us and posed no threat to our security--where is this same rhetoric directed against russia for invading georgia--oh right ...its a communist country ...they must have a good reason...it must be our fault for trying to protect a democratic pro-western ally by letting join nato---
Reply-
71%
ConsAreNonGrata1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
More of the Cons' Culture of Lie and Incompetence.
Reply
Cons, once more, Georgia STARTED it. Russia is FINISHING it.
Don't like it? Too bad. You set the precedent for a nation to push its interests by invading another.
The chickens have come home to roost, Cons.
Time to reap what you sowed.
-
-
31%
lorenvic71 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
McCain has it right and we need to wake up the world is not a goo-die good place it is a very dangerous place. wake up remember vladimer ptin is a self appointed dictator and is from the KGB as you can see who is running this war and the Russian news media with a plan to revive the old soviet empire and this was planned months in advance.
Reply -
-
75%
jayfred1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
For Georgia to invade South Ossetia with Russian troops and tanks clearly massed near the border verges on idiocy, or a dependence on neocon Bush administration assurances to go ahead with our backing. Which also verges on idiocy. Given the history of the region, that's like walking up to a bear and kicking it in the ass. It will not end well. And let's not forget, Georgia gave the world Josef Stalin and about 50 million dead Russians.
Reply -
-
43%
Endoscopy1 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
No military goes into action without:
Reply
1. Planning
2. Logistics
Both take a while to set up. You don't send people into an attack without fuel, food and ammunition among other things to support them. For them to be attacking the capital of Georgia that all had to occur. It doesn't happen over night. -
100%
BB641 year, 3 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Knowing the Russian military and their "terrific" abilities, this would have had to be planned and supplied way in advance. The forces that hit here were very large, not a small striker battalion. This would have required logistical support for food, fuel and equipment. Normal front line bases typically wouldn't have enough supplies to complete a full invasion like this.
Reply
-
-
-
jovialComment removed: Spam
-
Add a Comment
Sign In With Your Propeller Account
Please keep your comments relevant to this story.
To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br /> tags.