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The issue here is McVain, thinking the world wants to know what he thinks/
What Does Conflict in George Mean for McCain?
Conflict in Georgia Could Spell Trouble for McCain Campaign
McCain Campaign in Chaos Over Russia/Georgia Skirmish
McCain Appearing Weak on Confrontation with Russia
McCain Calling for Diplomacy with Russia (Kinda Like Appeasing Hitler)
The Bush administration has been purposefully ratcheting up tensions with Russia for years -- unilaterally dropping the ABM treaty, the attempts to place missiles in Poland and other Eastern states, and the attempts to recruit former Warsaw pact members into NATO. What did these people expect Russia would do? The people of South Ossetia carry Russian passports, and see themselves as part of the Russian ethnically Ossetian province.
So with no diplomatic credibility left, the US and NATO have no options left but to either suck up Putin's expansion into greater Georgia, or declare war on Russia. Of course, some of the greatest of the administrations thinkers have made up their mind.
Georgia's section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline was constructed by a joint venture of France’s Spie Capag and US Petrofac Petrofac International. The Turkish section was constructed by BOTAŞ. Bechtel was the main contractor for engineering, procurement and construction.
http://www.tiraspoltimes.com/news/arms_build_up...
11/Nov/2007
Georgia is preparing for a US-financed war against Abkhazia and South Ossetia. That is what the country's military build-up reveals, according to a leading journalist and political analyst from Geneva. Since the current regime took power, Georgian military spending has effectively increased by over forty times and now has the highest growth-rate of any country in the world.
A journalist, who is a regular contributor to Le Monde Diplomatique, points out that since the "rose revolution" of 2003-04, Georgian military spending has effectively been increased by over forty times. The majority of Georgia's arms purchases are financed directly or indirectly from Washington. Salaries for Georgian soldiers have also repeatedly been paid for by American taxpayers.
" - The recent announcement in Tbilisi to increase Georgian military participation in Iraq from 850 to 2,000 comes at a time when most European nations have already started withdrawing their troops, and the Bush administration is under political pressure in Washington to come up with its own schedule to decrease troops," explains Cheterian. He also points out that another 150 Georgian military serve in Kosovo. This is an area where NATO-led troops keep Serbia out, and where the United States State Department is actively pushing for the right of self-determination to override the territorial integrity of a metropolitan state, Serbia.
The pipeline cost US$3.9 billion. Approximately 70% of BTC costs are being funded by third parties, including the World Bank's International Finance Corporation, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, export credit agencies of seven countries and a syndicate of 15 commercial banks.
It has been proposed that oil from the BTC pipeline may be transported to eastern Asia via the Israeli oil terminals at Ashkelon and Eilat
Follow the money, pay attention to the players.
This is the story and it has been all along: getting the BTC pipeline laid to Israel ports. To accomplish it, Lebanon was destroyed, Syria was neutralized, Iran is next.
"Somebody" on the Georgian side fired the first volley, and I doubt they were Georgian nationals....
They kicked the Bear in the balls, and now he is mad. What did they expect?
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/radio/20...
Parts of McCain Georgia speech were plagarized... from Wikipedia!
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/politicalinsider/20...
I tried linking one earlier, but Glasses Guy said link didn't work out. But good background stuff on recent US-Georgian military exercises in July, and oil pipeline geopolitics.
I cannot believe how irresponsible is Cheney et co. They will do anything to achieve their goals vis-a-vis Iran, and that includes stirring up trouble on an almost inconcievable scale. Can you imagine US reaction if Russia had started joint military exercises in Canada, and afterwards left hundreds and hundreds of 'military advisers' , plus weaponry after that exercise was over?
Check out Huffpo and Kos for the details.
And are now encircling Atlanta.
Bush is useless, but a Senator has no business making the bellicose statements he has been making because he is NOT the Pres, NOT the Sect of State, NOT the ambassador to Georgia, he needs to STFU.
Again, just imagine if Obama had put himself into this mess the way McCain has. Presumptive would be kind.