Misblog

Originally Published August 14, 2008; Updated and Republished August 18, 2008; Updated and Republished August 28, 2008; Updated and Republished September 01, 2008:

Web:

• UPDATED 09/04/2008 AFP, Cheney visits Georgia as US unveils post-war aid Rumor has it that Cheney will invite Medvedev and Putin to join him and Saakashvili for a hunting trip.

• UPDATED 09/02/2008 AFP, Russia regrets EU talks freeze

  "We hope the relevant countries properly resolve the issues through dialogue and consultation" --China Foreign Ministry, Jiang Yu--

• UPDATED 09/01/2008 Reuters, EU threatens to postpone talks on Russian pact
• UPDATED 09/01/2008 Reuters, France and Italy urge dialogue with Russia

  "Either we want to relaunch the Cold War, point our finger at Russia, isolate it and stamp on it as was the case for a decade -- that is not the choice of France or Europe -- or we choose the option of dialogue,"--French Prime Minister Francois Fillon--

  There is sooooooo much more we have to work on, together, than relaunching a new and insane Cold War!

  We must remove from power all our leaders and elites who cannot figure out how to lead our nations away from the use of force, toward dialogue and the Rule of Law! Hint: Begin with all leaders and elites showing disdain for our existing international institutions, as flawed and imperfect as they may be. Next, remove from power all leaders who run nations like KGB-CIA thugs and mafioso.

• UPDATED 09/01/2008 Reuters, EU struggles for unity on Russia

  Can't wait to hear the "diplomatic explanation(s)" how it is that Russia gets sanctioned for its illegal, non-proportional, and unacceptable use of force against a provoked and attacking Georgia while we (America) get a pass for our illegal, non-proportional, and unacceptable use of force against a non-provoking and non-attacking Iraq?!

  Both Russia and America¹ and their (ir)responsible leaders must be nationally and internationally sanctioned (and prosecuted) for their illegal, non-proportional, and unacceptable use of force in Georgia and Iraq, respectively.

• UPDATED 08/30/2008 Times Online, Kremlin announces that South Ossetia will join 'one united Russian state'

  Wonder how many times in the last 22 days Georgia's Mikheil Saakashvili has been called a "loose cannon"?

  Georgia's (ir)responsible leaders must be nationally and internationally sanctioned (and prosecuted) for their illegal, non-proportional, and unacceptable use of force in South Ossetia.

• UPDATED 08/28/2008 UPI, Russia condemned by fellow G8 members

  "We deplore Russia's excessive use of military force in Georgia and its continued occupation of parts of Georgia."--G-8 Nations, minus Russia--

• UPDATED 08/18/2008 We keep hearing a lot about democracy and very little about the Baku-Tiblisi-Ceyhan (BTC) and Baku-Tiblisi-Supsa (BTS) oil-gas pipelines?

  Oh well, just in case you're interested here's a map which might help you better understand the latest use of force.

  Somehow our leadership, such as it is, repeating "Russians are dangerous and bad—Georgians are safe and good" seems a bit too juvenile, at best! (courtesy of our Energy Information Agency, Caspian Sea Energy Data, Statistics and Analysis - Oil, Gas, Electricity, Coal (600K pdf)):

  

  Here's a short background congressional research report, Russia-Georgia Conflict in South Ossetia: Context and Implications for U.S. Interests (150K pdf), courtesy of Federation of American Scientists, Secrecy Project (Steven Aftergood).

• UPDATED 08/15/2008 AP, Georgian signs draft truce on strife with Russia.

• UPDATED 08/14/2008 NYT, Russia Vows to Support Two Enclaves, in Retort to Bush.

  “If Russia does not step back from its aggressive posture and actions in Georgia, the U.S.-Russian relationship could be adversely affected for years to come.

  ...I don’t see any prospect for the use of military force by the United States in this situation. Clear enough?” --Secretary Defense Gates--

  Secretary of State Rice said:

  “It is time for this crisis to be over.”

  But she's not planning to go to Moscow to tell the Russians!

  What diplomatic school is teaching our diplomats to say this drivel—go to Moscow, tell the Russians, not the reporters! (Germany's Merkel is traveling to Moscow and may be carrying a joint representative message?)

• UPDATED 08/13/2008 US plans aid to Georgia as Russia rolls into city.

• UPDATED 08/12/2008 AFP, Russia and Georgia agree to peace plan: Sarkozy. Nice to see Europe so involved in its own security:

  "There is a text. It has been accepted in Moscow, it was accepted here in Georgia. I have the agreement of all the protaganists," --Nicolas Sarkozy--

  To bad today's breathless Secretary of State Rice wasn't involved over the prior two years diffusing Russia-Georgia as they danced a circle like grade school bullies provoking and taunting each other.

• UPDATED 08/12/2008 NYT, Cyberspace Barrage Preceded Russian Invasion of Georgia
• UPDATED 08/12/2008 Moscow Times, Sarkozy Clinches a 6-Point Plan for Peace
• UPDATED 08/11/2008 CSM, Roots of Georgia-Russia clash run deep
• UPDATED 08/09/2008 NYT, Taunting The Bear. Hopefully the NYT will begin updating and expanding their reporting Rolodex beyond Kennan legacy, Kissinger, Kagan, Cohen, Gates, and Rice et al?
• US tells Russia to halt attacks in South Ossetia [Georgia]

-----notes-----

1. There may be other secret and thus, as of yet, unknown incidents of illegal, non-proportional, and unacceptable use of force, for which America and its leaders must be held nationally and internationally accountable. (e.g. application of force for the purpose of extra-judicial and extra-ordinary renditions of a suspected terrorist.)

It seems useful to note that ordinary renditions, those renditions made pursuant to nationally or internationally recognized judicial processes may require the application of deadly force (e.g. a suspect engages in a shoot-out with apprehending forces).

It also seems useful to note that entities which have credibly (imminent and certain ability to conduct war) declared war upon America, like al Qaeda, and for which our Congress (not Executive) has reciprocally and publicly enacted a declaration of war (aka declaration of non-understanding/ignorance—not a use of force or covert action resolutions) may, by definition, require the use of deadly force against any non-surrendering opposition forces during the period of declared war (i.e. declared ignorance and non-understanding).