Anyone have any thoughts on the current situation in Georgia? Should be an interesting test of international policy for McCain and Obama.

First the Union Army and William T. Sherman in 1864, now this...Stupid confererates. Don't they know slavery is wrong?

I'm thinking Florida is next..... if they can get through the Atlanta traffic.....

It is a very, very interesting series of events that left the US and EU with hands mostly tied...

In all honesty, I just became worried. My cousin is married to a russian gal, and they are in Russia right now scheduled to fly back home on Thursday.

I've been trying to find it on the map...

But it is kind of hard to find on maps.google.com, and I am too lazy to figure out how to tell it to search for a country instead of a state.

Try "Repubic of Georgia".

I am in no way defending Russia.
But this is how soldiers fight when their nation has the will to win.
It is wrong on many levels. But that is the way to do it when you want to insure victory.
Swift, hard and complete in results.
It is the tactic we should have used in parts of Afgan and Iraq.
Many in this country would have cried and whined to deafening db.
Civilians and innocents always are harmed that is the truly sad reality.

Without the quotes it took me to a Banana Republic in Peachtree City, GA.

With the quotes it took me to a Republic of China Info Division in Atlanta, GA.

Google must be in the future, where Georgia no longer exists because it got what was coming to it.

Well for starters, trying using something other than google maps.

doh!

Insure victory? Who does that? Geico?

It's a sad reality that children die in indiscriminate bombings. Do you have children? Would you like to hear a blast and find them in pieces where their side of the house used to be? Because, well, "that's just how war is." Sorry to be graphic, but that's the sad reality. Swift, hard and complete in results! Rah, rah. Go, Team, Go! Bomb! Bomb! Swift! Hard! Complete! State terrorism is what it is.

Let's see...which branch of the service did you volunteer in?

Find Turkey. Go north to the Black Sea. Follow the coast line to the east and you'll find Georgia.

You're welcome.

Solitude,
I was in the Air Force.
I have children.
I have witnessed horrible things.
I started the post by saying I in no way defend Russia.
Russia started this and needs this conflict.
Their population and economy requires that they flex their muscle in order to deter their neighbors in taking them for granted.
The Republic of Georgia is very pro western.
That is a concern on their border.
NATO and the west have trained with the Georgians.
This event is very predictable given the election cycle as well as other items one should not mention in a public blog.
The point I was making is this. There is a vast difference in the way our men and women conduct themselves in combat.
WWII had entire civilian populations leveled as the primary target of opportunity.
I am not a cheerleader for what the Russians are doing.
Simply making an educated and experienced observation.

Russia is after the oil pipe line that flows thru Georgia. I believe Russia will try to regain Georgia as there own. Putin, imo, wants it all back, all that gorbachev's (gave away). i hope i'm wrong, but i think this is the beginning of something terrible. europe needs to do something, don't ask me what because i don't know.

NativeOkie,

If you served in the Air Force, surely you think about what's 30,000 feet below? Should your children pay a price for the actions of a president you may not even like? Basic questions about war, but it's reality. Your words, "Swift, Hard and Complete," made me cringe as I thought of what you were actually saying in human terms.

WWII definitely saw civilians massacred in the name of warfare. That makes it right? Can you say "Dresden?"

Russia did not start this. Georgia sent its military into South Ossetia, a disputed territory for almost 20 years now. Over-reaction by Russia and Medvedev/Putin? Yes. But Russia did not start this conflict. So much for an "educated" response.

It is an educated response.
Russia has had loyalist in that disputed region for a long time.
Much like the British Loyalists in the American Rev.
They push the button of the Georgian President. (which is not hard) He typically speaks with out weighing the results of his words.
Georgia reacts, Russia Counters.
All right on time and on script if not this year certainly within the next 2.
There are reason as to why now.

As far as thinking about what is below 30000.
You think about it. This is why as Americans we use technology to reduce Collateral damage. My original point is that the Russians will not do so. USSR and China are some of the most cruel and repressive societies to ever exist.
Nazi germany had nothing on Joe Stalin.

We found something to agree on and I'll leave it at that.

I hope Bigjkt's family gets out, safely.

I also wondered about the Georgian pipeline. That has always been a very strategic area with access to the ports.

The Russian history that I've read is horrifying in its viciousness for centuries and centuries. That is their heritage and colors their world view.

I tend to agree that they are just doing what armies do - going in hard, fast and ruthlessly. At least at this stage. You can't fight a war with your hand tied behind your back. War is monstrous. So much misery.

People forget and engage in saber rattling (and I am not just talking about countries) and forget that words frequently lead to actions. After every war, people involved, including the soldiers, hope to never see it, again. Before too long, another generation that doesn't understand how horrible it is comes along and here we go, again. I doubt that will ever change.

Unfortunately, we live in a society that has so equated militarism with patriotism that "Shock & Awe" is seen as cool.

This country is a cream puff compared to many.

Our military prowess has made us be able to avoid a lot of conflicts and have kept many other countries from overflowing their banks and destroying their weaker neighbors. Man's inhumanity to man is part of the human condition. I am so thankful to our military because without it, a lot of people would be sliced and diced simply in land grabs.

I personally don't see militariam as cool and I live in an area that is filled with military folk. They take it deadly serious and are well aware of what a sacred trust it is. What always amazes me is the willingness of the military rank and file to lay down their lives for people, like myself, who sleep in soft beds and fill up at starbucks. I am so grateful that I was able to raise my children without the fear that someone would be knocking down my door in the middle of the night or that my house would be blown to smithereens because a local warlord wanted to expand his power. I feel so sorry for weaker countries who are out there at the mercy of predatory nations and evil men.

There is no "law" between nations, no courts, no judge, no jury. It is all about force, ultimately, if the nations don't want to be civilized. Absent the risk of being swatted by a bigger, more powerful nation, there is not much out there to keep one predator from destroying its neighbor. The fear of war has its place. So while I am as horrified as the next person at the death and destruction, part of me hopes that the silver lining will be that predators will see that and think twice, or three times, before being aggressive.

If it wasn't for our strong military, Canada would invade any moment.

Which sort of proves my point that we are a peaceful nation - if we wanted to invade we could take 'em like THAT! .

But seriously, surely you aren't comparing Canada to a lot of those thugs in the old country? Canada can be silly but they are a good neighbor and a nice country.

I'm just pointing out.. how the nation that needs defense the least has the most of it.

We wouldn't even need a military to defend against an invasion from our neighbors, our local whackjob militias are strong enough.

I'd love to see Canada get past the Detroit police, especially if those officers knew they could get away with anything.

If you'll look on a map you'll find that Canada is already south of Detroit.

Ron Paul called it, in 2002.

But I am sure the voters were correct in picking McCain, a better leader by far.

Anyone have proof that McCain even knew there was a country called Georgia, in 2002?