NATO: A Roaring Mouse

C.T.

With the post on the 18th, Russia pushes and US is starting to push back. , I sure am glad I put in about the Euros cow towing to tyrannical lunatics. Unfortunately for me, my hopes were dashed upon the rocks. I figured the Europeans would gather some strength from US support against the despots in Moscow, well I was wrong. Again, this is going to be singularly up to the United States, with the Euros shouting insults at the Reds from behind us.

I don't think the Russians are to worried about the, "No, business as usual." NATO and the Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer issued. Here is the Russian ambassador to the UN, Dmitry Rogozin's response.

"The mountain gave birth to a mouse." [1]

Here is where the Euros fail miserably.

Although the allies said they would not convene any more meetings of the NATO-Russia Council until Russian troops withdraw from Georgia, they bowed to concerns from Europe — which depends heavily on Russia for energy — and stopped short of adopting specific long-term steps to punish Moscow for its actions. [1]

Fortunately, the news is not all bad. There are some doors that are still open for Georgia, NATO, and the United States.

In a small victory for the United States, NATO foreign ministers did agree to show support for Georgia's pro-Western government by creating a NATO-Georgia Commission to oversee the former Soviet republic's bid to join the alliance and begin providing military training to its army. [1]

There is still vehement US support for Georgia's entrance into NATO.

Rice maintained the alliance had rallied firmly behind Georgia by agreeing to stick to a December timeline to reconsider the country's NATO membership and by deciding to send specific technical assistance to assess damage and help reconstruct critical infrastructure like power networks, airports and hospitals. [1]

Most pro-isolationists and apologists in America will cry foul and say that this is attempt by the government to further isolate Moscow and antagonize them. What they fail to see is the timeline of Russian aggression that brought about the decision to propose Georgia's entrance into NATO. This is not something that the Russians just woke up and decided to do, it has been planned by the Kremlin for awhile.

Unfortunately, Georgian entrance into NATO has potential holes in it. Besides inevitable eroding European support, there is the possibility of an Obama Presidency with a Democratic controlled Congress. I really do not think I have to elaborate on that outcome.

C.T.

[1] NATO: Penalty Against Russia

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Russia pushes and US is starting to push back.

C.T.

Poland has now ratified the missile defense shield with the US, NATO is having a nice little get together to discuss what to do about the Rooskies, and Condi is getting ready to go on the warpath. Seems, the pieces on the chessboard are being positioned by NATO (the United States) to push their agenda through despite Russian overt aggression in the Caucus region. If this plays out like I think it will Russia has made a very grievous strategic error, not only has it not accomplished their goal of isolating the Caucasus, but it has caused the NATO agenda to speed up and gain more international support than ever before. The idea of a Balkan or Caucus state becoming a member of NATO would probably have been treated by most people as a novelty or a quaint sign of a changing world. Now that is not the case, the limited or full membership of these nations into NATO has moved to the forefront of the geo-political scene and is on the mind of most people around the world. The attitude displayed by Condi Rice is somewhat surprising and antagonistic. Quite a breath of fresh air, actually.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday that Russia is playing a "very dangerous game" with the U.S. and its allies and warned that NATO would not allow Moscow to win in Georgia, destabilize Europe or draw a new IronCurtain through it. [1]

I really liked this one.

This "is a very dangerous game and perhaps one the Russians want to reconsider," Rice said of the flights that began again with frequency about six months ago. "This is not something that is just cost-free. Nobody needs Russian strategic aviation along America's coast." [1]

Remember, all this tough talk is coming from the American Secretary of State, not from the other members of NATO. Despite what my theory on the outcome might be, there is always the Western Europe factor of sucking up to a tyrannical government to consider. The chips can still fall for Russia if NATO chooses to take a lame or weak stance.

At Tuesday's meeting, the NATO ministers will consider a range of upcoming activities planned with Russia—from military exercises to ministerial meetings—and decide case-by-case at the meeting Tuesday whether to go ahead or cancel each. [1]

Puppet..er.. President Medvedev, of the Soviet...er..Russian Federation had this to say to "foreign powers."

President Medvedev of Russia yesterday promised a “shattering blow” against any foreign power that moved against Russian citizens. [2]

Now, there is the Russia I remember; a total lack of cognizance, ignominious, and childishly imprudent.

The threat will compound the fears of former Soviet states, which are concerned that they could be next after Russia’s attack on Georgia. [2]

This analysis is only half right, the fear of looming Russian attack will be there. But, where the small Caucus and Baltic nations run for protection and support is a whole other point of contention. Even money would bet on NATO and the States, especially if NATO allows some sort of interim membership for the fledgling democracies and provides military assistance to these regions. Granted, the US and NATO failed Georgia miserably, but so far, they are stepping up to the plate to correct the situation and drawing a line in the sand with the Russians. The meeting on Tuesday will more than likely be a window into how NATO will be dealing with the Russians in the future.

C.T.

[1]NATO won't let Russia succeed in Georgia: Rice
[2]Cross us and we will crush you, warns Medvedev

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Ghost Recon Predicted Russo-Georgian Conflict?

C.T.

With all the tensions and stress in the Caucas region, I found a little something ironic and slightly humorous. If you have ever played Tom Clancy's, Ghost Recon, then you might be slightly versed on the geography of the conflict. This is why.

The South Ossetia war, which began on August 7, bears a close resemblance to events portrayed in the 2001 Xbox and Playstation 2 game "Tom Clancy's GhostRecon," the first level of which takes place against the backdrop of a struggle between Georgian rebel forces and the legitimate Georgian government in the South Ossetian region. [1]

Talk about life imitating art, or in this case gaming. Or maybe Tom Clancy is a mad genius who is clairvoyant. This is even spookier, notice the timeline.

Ghost Recon's plot follows these skirmishes with a full-scale Russian invasion of the region, a subsequent evacuation of US forces, and ultimately the fall of the Georgian government. Ghost Recon almost got the timescale right, too: the game's imaginary events begin in April 2008, just a few months before the real war kicked off. [1]

But fear not, everyone will participate in this victory over tyranny and aggression, even a teenager with a joypad.

If Ghost Recon's uncanny trend continues, we can expect the South Ossetia conflict to culminate in a dramatic assault on Red Square and the Kremlin by NATO troops -- spearheaded by an elite US special forces team under the control of a pimply fourteen-year-old with a joy pad. [1]

Hopefully, Tom Clancy just got lucky, cause I don't even want to think about any of his other games playing out for real. Gotta love it!!

C.T.

[1]Georgia-Russia conflict predicted in 2001 video game

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