Appeasement In Our Time?
RFFM.org Special Report by Daniel T. Zanoza
Earlier this week, Russian troops pushed into the sovereign nation of Georgia, virtually cutting the country in half. Many believe Prime Minister Vladimir Putin used the diversion created by other world events to solidify control of one of its former satellite nations which broke away from the former Soviet Union nearly 20 years ago.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, after visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy, was headed for the Georgian capitol of Tbilisi to meet with that nation's President, Mikheil Saakashvili. Saakashvili reportedly has been critical of the slow response by the U.S. to the Russian attack on his country and many believed Rice's trip was meant to demonstrate an air of solidarity between America and Georgia.
However, some say Rice's message to Saakashvili may have more to do with appeasement than solidarity. According to sources within the U.S. State Department, Bush told Rice to try to convince Georgian leaders to agree with another cease fire agreement which would leave Russian military forces permanently ensconced within Georgian territory.
At the moment, Russian troops have captured Gori, a city located on the major East/West Georgian highway. The highway, which links Black Sea ports with the rest of Georgia, is currently blockaded by Russian troops in Gori and many U.S. citizens are now trapped in a region of Georgia which has become isolated from that nation's capitol.
Experts had believed Rice was sent to Tbilisi to discourage Russian forces from launching an all out attack on the Georgian capitol while the U.S. Secretary of State was present in the city. The move by Bush is expected to bring harsh criticism from Georgian leaders. The equivalent would be if Canadian troops annexed part of the state of Maine and the President of Mexico suggested America tolerate Canadian military presence on U.S. soil as part of a cease fire agreement. Also, Rice's words will send a chilling message to other former Soviet Union territories, like the Ukraine and Estonia. Obviously, these sovereign nations will question whether the United States is willing to stand up to Russia in the future, if their nations suffer the same fate as their Georgian neighbors.
Many have gone so far to call Rice's mission a sad reminder of one conducted by Neville Chamberlain nearly 70 years ago when the British Prime Minister bargained away parts of Europe to Adolph Hitler and then declared the mission a success by exclaiming we have achieved "peace in our time."
Rice's mission seems to contrast the strong stand Bush took earlier in the week when he promised to continue economic, humanitarian and military aid to the Georgian government. In addition, members of the U.S. State Department inferred strong sanctions would be taken against Russia, including possible removal from the Group of 8.
Barack Obama, in a speech given on Thursday, August 14, 2008, offered an even more futile proposal by suggesting the United Nations enact a U.N. resolution meant to impose sanctions on Russia. The only problem with Obama's so-called solution is that Russia is a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and would immediately veto such a motion. Unless the Russians are willing to sanction themselves, the Democratic Party's presumptive presidential nominee, is either naive or ignorant of the workings of the United Nations and its Security Council.
In the mean time, Russian-occupying troops continue to solidify their position in Georgia and a free people may not be free for long.
** For more on this issue, read Dr. Laurie Roth's column, "Same song, second verse…Welcome to the Communist take over again!" at: http://newswithviews.com/Roth/laurie127.htm and "Russia Attack on Georgia: Bush Looked Into Putin's Eyes, What Did He Fail To See?" by Dan Zanoza at: http://rffm.typepad.com/republicans_for_fair_medi/2008/08/russia-attack-on-georgia-bush-looked-into-putins-eyes-what-did-he-fail-to-see.html
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"Millions for defense, but not one penny for tribute." Seems most in Washington City did not read the same history books I read as a child. Not surprising policy however, as this same lack of resolve has been our policy here through several presidents. A few days ago, I read of Mexican Soldiers holding a US Border Patrol officer at gun point on our side of the border. Millions of illegals have crossed out borders or over stayed visas, a large percentage committing violent crimes here. Yet our recent presidents can not bring themselves to park a few hundred tanks and APCs on the border, with orders to fire at invaders? History is no longer a guide to our policies. I would hardly expect BO to understand the workings of the UN, the law school he went to did not even bother to inform him we have a Constitution, or read it to him. Our population seems unable to separate the wheat from the chaff in the elections. Freedom is not a gift, but a costly treasure that must be defended.
Posted by: Charlie | August 15, 2008 at 08:56 PM