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August 26, 2008

Nice harder

Both houses of Russia's parliament urge their government to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The independence of Georgia, not so much. Needing no particular encouragement to be getting on with, the Kremlin mocks the West with a threat to Moldova as a by the way. Don't they understand Canada wants to be friends? Let's try being nice harder.

The Kremlin on Monday said it was more than happy to be locked out of international institutions as it poured scorn on Western attempts to punish Russia over its invasion of Georgia.

Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian president, said he was not bothered if more than a decade of post Cold War rapprochement with Nato was halted altogether. "We are ready to accept any decisions up to halting relations altogether," he said. The president also issued a chilly warning to Moldova of a military response if it followed the Georgian example of trying to regain control of its own breakaway region of Transdniester, whose rebel leadership has long been backed by Russia.

They are not much bothered about the WTO either.

* Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman consider the strategic implications of Russia's move -- more hotels on the board, please -- saying Russia's aggression is not just a threat to a tiny democracy on the edge of Europe.

In crafting a response to the Georgia crisis, we must above all reaffirm our conviction that Russia need not be a competitor or an adversary. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Democratic and Republican administrations have engaged Russia, sending billions of dollars to speed its economic recovery and welcoming its integration into the flagship institutions of the international community. We did this because we believed that a strong, prosperous Russia can be a strategic partner and a friend. We still do.

The sad thing is, we in the West really do want to be friends of Russia and still believe saying it more vigorously is going to change anything. All I am saying is, give anti-aircraft and anti-armour systems a chance. Our previous forbearance has failed the people of Georgia and, by extension, liberty itself.

* Stephen Harper heads back to the Arctic. Shame he is not packing a military ice breaker or two to take with him.

* Not clear on the notion Russia is a member of the G8, the Canadian government intends to "consult with its allies" in NATO and... the G8. Here's an idea: Take it to the United Nations Security Council. No wait...

* Michael Totten: The truth about Russia in Georgia.

"We've been trying to tell the world about this for months. If you go back and look at the archives you'll see plenty of calls from the Georgian government saying they're really worried. Even some Russian commentators agree that this is exactly what happened. Don't forget, they sent in a lot of irregulars, Chechens, Cossacks, Ossetians, Ingush – basically thugs. Not normal Chechens or Ingush – thugs. Thugs out for a holiday. Many Western camera crews were robbed at gunpoint ten meters from Russian tanks while Russian commanders just stood there smoking their cigarettes while the irregulars...that happened to a Turkish TV crew. They're lucky to still be alive. Some of the Georgians were picked up by the irregulars. If they happened to be female, they got raped. If they happened to be male, they got shot immediately, sometimes tortured. Injured people we have in hospitals who managed to get out have had arms chopped off, eyes gouged out, and their tongues ripped out.”

RTWT.

Posted by Ghost of a flea at August 26, 2008 06:17 AM