Comments on: Black Sea Brinksmanship

By: andrew

andrew — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:53:30 +0000

what the people of Ukraine really love is Russian TV, music, culture, and government. a minority of Ukrainians are intent on struggling against Russia, creating crises, and getting American aid in the process.

Ukraine was part of Russia long before the USA even existed – and Georgia is ruled by thugs, who appropriated non-Georgian territory after 1990 simply because they could, since the Russians were in no condition to fight a war. Abkhazians and Ossetians aren’t Georgians, since Georgia defines itself as a cultural nation. Russia, meanwhile, is a federation of republics, consisting of dozens of significant ethnic groups, which only see trouble when guided by violent extremists as in Ingushetia or Chechnya. Abkhazia and Ossetia fit right in, as is their wont as free people. They do not belong to Georgia.

By: w. aardsma

w. aardsma — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:13:29 +0000

It’s not just neo-cons who are “russophobes”, traditional conservatives like myself are as well – mainly because of my ability to sense problems before they smack me in the face. Whether called “Russia” or the “U.S.S.R.”, Moscow is intent in causing mischief in the world and needs to be stopped. I would support Georgia accordingly.

“What is America’s vital interest in all these quarrels?” – keeping the Black Sea Fleet bottled up and out of the way, which is why we brought Turkey into N.A.T.O. In fact, the Black Sea Fleet should have been turned over to the freedom-loving people of the Ukraine.

By: Lou

Lou — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:03:42 +0000

No this is exactly as it should be, well except for Ukraine and Belarus.

Europe is far to socialist and it is not going to defend US interests. Yes, there are shared trade and cultural connections but Europe will not defend US interests around the globle. Further, Europe itself has an existential crisis. Immigration for muslim countries that will be majorities in european cities within 20 years. A demilitarizing Britian, a demilitarized germany that is incapable of defending europe much less escapades outside europe and an eastern europe whose goals are still fearful of russia…leaving only France capable of having a european defence plan.

Further, europe needs russian resources and russia though they wont admit it needs help defending itself from central european muslims (remember afghanistan) and china and north korea).

The time is ripe for US to devolve into north ameria, european union to solidify its own defense security without the US and for Russia to stop being alienated from the US and Europe. IF THAT HAPPENS THE POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR ALL THE CHRISTIAN CIVILIZATIONS OF THE WEST TO UNIFY, NOT INTO A SINGLE UNION, BUT UNIFY INTO A PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE BEFORE THE COMING WARS IN AFRICA, THE MIDDLE EAST AND ASIA.

YES…THESE WARS ARE COMING.

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:17:03 +0000

Dear Pat,
You do not mention that Georgia is an independent state and not Russian colony. It has right to protect its territory and its territorial waters.
Are we obliged to support Georgia (or Ukraine) in their struggle to stay independent from Putin’s Russia? No, we are not. However, we should draw conclusions from the past. After WWI, US withdrew from the European affairs only to be forced to get back to Europe 25 years later, with hundreds of thousands of US soldiers giving their lifes in the process.
I hope you do not believe that retreating from everywhere and hoping for the best is the recipe for America’s safety and prosperity. The Great Wall did not save China, nor the Maginot line saved France in WWII. Sometimes facing the Evil is a better solution than trying to ignore it..

By: Matthew Cole

Matthew Cole — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:54:15 +0000

Good riddance.