ÿþ<html> <head> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1"> <title>OnlineColumnist&reg;.com: Putin Punishes Georgia</title> <meta name="generator" content="Adobe GoLive 4"> <style type="text/css"> .style2 { font-size: large; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial; } .style3 { height: 58px; } .style4 { font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; } </style> </head> <body bgcolor="white" vlink="black"> <center> <table cool width="624" height="2719" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" gridx="16" showgridx gridy="16" showgridy> <tr height="79"> <td width="133" height="118" rowspan="2" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0"><a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"><img height="110" width="62" src="images/discobolos.logo.transp.gif" border="0"></a></td> <td width="7" height="118" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="482" height="79" colspan="2" valign="top" align="left" xpos="140"><img height="75" width="450" src="images/banner.GIF"></td> <td width="1" height="118" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="1" height="79"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="79"></td> </tr> <tr height="39"> <td width="182" height="39"></td> <td width="300" height="39" valign="top" align="left" xpos="322"><a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"><img height="14" width="267" src="images/divisionofNEW.GIF" border="0"></a></td> <td width="1" height="39"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="39"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="624" colspan="6" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0" class="style3"> <table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="black" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td> <table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#99ffcc" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4"> <tr> <td align="center"> <div align="left"> <a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong>HOME</strong></font></a><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> &#149; <a href="articlesindex.html">ARTICLES</a> &#149; <a href="books.html">BOOKS</a> &#149; <a href="teflon.html">THE </a><a href="teflon.html">TEFLON</a><a href="teflon.html"> REPORT</a> &#149; <a href="mailto:letters@onlinecolumnist.com">REACTIONS</a> &#149; <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html">ABOUT DISCOBOLOS</a></strong></font></div> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr height="2"> <td width="133" height="2">&nbsp;</td> <td width="489" height="2576" colspan="3" rowspan="2" align="left" xpos="133" content valign="top" csheight="2573"> <p class="style2">Russia&#39;s Chokehold</p> <p><b><font face="Arial,Geneva,Helvetica">by John M. Curtis</font></b><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a href="books.html"><br> </a></b></font><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b>(310) 204-8700</b></font></p> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><i>Copyright September 13, 2008<br>All Rights Reserved. </i></font>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="style4">S</span>ince sending troops Aug. 8 to defend independent Russian provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the Russian army has not heeded calls to withdraw troops to pre-invasion levels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Russian President Dimitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin want Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili to apologize publicly for sending his army to annex Russuan provinces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Saakashvili played victim, initiating propaganda that Russia provoked the military confrontation, leaving the Georgian military de-fanged, splitting the country in two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>White House officials, including President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice mirrored Saakashvili s propaganda, blaming Russia for  disproportionate aggression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>GOP presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and vice presidential nominee Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin rubber stamped White House talking points.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Russia has no intention of pulling out its forces from South Ossetia and Abkhazia, despite withdrawing from the Black Sea port of Poti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Russia s Duma or parliament voted Aug. 25 to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, rejecting U.S. and U.N. demands to withdraw Russian forces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> They have fulfilled their commitment in a signed agreement brokered by French President Nicholas Sarkozy said Georgian Security Council Chief Alexander Lomaia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Lomaia admitted that Russian has some 1,200 troops stationed in 19 regions inside Georgia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Despite threats by the U.S. and U.N., Russia sees no reason to withdraw its forces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Staying in Georgia weakens Saakashvili and neutralizes U.S. influence that led to the original attack on South Ossetia and Abkhazia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Russia has no intention of withdrawing more than 7,000 peacekeeper stationed in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>White House sympathy to Saakashvili has antagonized Russia, hardening the position to permanently occupy Georgia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Medvedev and Putin won t consider withdrawal until Saakashvili steps down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Saakashvili s inappropriate public displays at an Aug. 16 press conference with Secretary Rice left Russia no other choice but to push for his ouster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Apart from the Caspian Sea oil pipeline running through Georgia, the U.S. has no national security interest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> For Palin to allow Saakashvili to win a U.S. military commitment crosses a dangerous line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Sixty-three years of hostile post-WW II relations has taken a turn for the worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Rice likes to talk about the end of the Cold War but U.S.-Russian relations have deteriorated under Bush s foreign policy since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Palin suggested to ABCs Charlie Gibson that the U.S. could go to war to protect Georgia.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>White House plans to charge ahead with missile defense systems in Poland and Czech Republic sets the most dangerous collision course since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>There s a clear linkage between Russia s response in Georgia and Bush s plans to ignore Russia s warning about installing missiles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Secretary of State Condoleezaa Rice blasted Russia for returning to the Cold War, despite U.S. plans to place missiles on Russia s borders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>U.S. claims that missile defense is needed to combat rogue nations like Iran from threatening Europe is laughable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>No U.S. ally or foe believes that Iran, any rogue regime or terrorist group poses a missile threat to Europe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Russia used Saakashvili s blunder attacking South Ossetia and Abkhazia to assert its power in its own backyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Russia rejects the idea that European Union monitors need to keep the peace in the region.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>GOP nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) talks about a dangerous loss of prestige should the U.S. pull out of Iraq.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>In reality, Russia and Iran know that U.S. involvement in Iraq has paralyzed the U.S. from effectively projecting its power in Georgia or elsewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>McCain and his running mate Palin talk tough about the Russians knowing full-well that the U.S. military is stretched so thin that opening another front would be unthinkable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>When the Kremlin announced it recognizes the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, it served notice that Russia would ignore calls for its complete withdrawal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Economic sanctions against Russia would drive Russia to form more global alliances with renegade regimes like Iran, North Korea, Cuba and Venezuela.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>More harsh words from the White House remind the Kremlin about U.S. hypocrisy, especially the Iraq War. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Looking at the big picture, Russia refuses to allow the U.S. to lecture it about respecting the integrity of sovereign nations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Miscalculations in Iraq have robbed the U.S. of moral authority and weakened national security by spreading the military too thin to intervene elsewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>As long as the White House blames Russia for the problems in Georgia, the U.S. can expect more deteriorated relations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Mutual interests outweigh some disagreements, said Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, kicking the ball back into the U.S. court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> They spoiled them, let them improve them, blaming the U.S. for spreading propaganda and taking Georgia s side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Before letting U.S.-Russian relations get beyond repair, the White House should soften its rhetoric and reconsider the decision to install missile defense in Eastern Europe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Allowing Saakashvili to sabotage U.S.-Russian relations makes no sense.</p> <p><b><u>About the Author</u></b><br> </p> <p><b>John M. Curtis </b>writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He&#x2019;s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of <a href="books.html">Dodging The Bullet</a> and <a href="books.html">Operation Charisma</a>.<br> </p> <p></p> </td> <td width="1" height="2576" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="1" height="2"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="2"></td> </tr> <tr height="2574"> <td width="133" height="2574" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0"><img height="172" width="111" src="images/johninframe3.jpg"></td> <td width="1" height="2574"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="2574"></td> </tr> <tr height="1" cntrlrow> <td width="133" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="133" height="1"></td> <td width="7" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="7" height="1"></td> <td width="182" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="182" height="1"></td> <td width="300" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="300" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"></td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" width="597"> <tr> <td><font size="1" face="Arial,Geneva,Helvetica"> <hr noshade size="1"> </font><a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong>Home</strong></font></a><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> || <a href="articlesindex.html">Articles</a> || <a href="books.html">Books</a> || <a href="teflon.html">The Teflon Report</a> || <a href="mailto:letters@onlinecolumnist.com">Reactions</a> || <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html">About Discobolos</a></strong></font> <div align="left"> <p><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">This site designed, developed and hosted by the experts at</font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"> <a href="http://www.cmeonline.net" target="_blank"><img height="30" width="138" src="images/cmelogoANIM.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"></a></font></p> </div> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">&copy;1999-2005 <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html">Discobolos Consulting Services, Inc.</a><br> (310) 204-8300<br> All Rights Reserved. </font></td> </tr> </table> </center> </body> </html>