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In Escalating Russian-Georgian Conflict, the Cold War is Back

As Russia stepped up attacks against Georgian moves to reassert control over the breakaway pro-Russian province of South Ossetia, and many civilians were reported killed and thousands displaced, I asked former deputy director of the CIA's Soviet and East Europe division Milt Bearden why Russia and Georgia had chosen to escalate their long simmering dispute over South Ossetia now.

"As far as Russia goes, it's easy: They're baaack!" Bearden said. "And the Russians are doing what comes naturally to them in their new mood. They know the Europeans don't want a face-off with Russia/Gazprom. They know the U.S. is so preoccupied with its own self inflicted disasters that it can do nothing but wring it hands. So why not now? It also would seem to stop NATO enlargement in its tracks. Just imagine Georgia inside NATO, and protected under Article 5!!"

"The US is helpless and Europe won't touch this," Bearden added. "Russia is feeling its oats. And yes, Georgia is George Bush's beacon for liberty in the Caucasus. What's he going to do? The Russians know one thing: how to count the cards. They know that not one of these chickens" will do anything.

I asked Bearden why pro-Western Georgia would have moved now to reassert control over South Ossetia, which at least in part seemed to provoke the Russian invasion. Was Georgia led to believe that the West would come to its aid in a military dispute with Moscow?

Bearden said it was pure miscalculation on Georgia's part. "Almost every conflict in the region begins with a huge miscalculation by one or more parties. The Georgians are fully capable of this miscalculation. They believed they were going to hear the bugles coming over the hill. They are not going to hear anything."

Update: Check out this Washington Post account of a UN emergency meeting on the Georgian crisis the US called yesterday. The US accused Russia of demanding in a confidential conversation with US Secretary of State Rice the removal of Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili. And the Russians? Russian envoy Vitaly "Churkin accused the United States of aiding and abetting Saakashvili, saying more than 100 U.S. advisers were providing training to Georgian forces on the eve of their military offensive against South Ossetia, and suggested that U.S. officials may have given Georgia the 'green light' to strike." Did the US give Georgia the green light to strike?

Meantime, Georgians on the run question the Bush administration's lofty rhetoric. "Where are our friends?" one retreating Georgian soldier told the Times. Former Clinton foreign policy hands Richard Holbrooke and Ronald Asmus weigh in here.

(Map of Georgia and the surrounding region linked from GlobalSecurity.org).






Comments

encyrclememt of russia and china had begun a decade ago.
afghanistan, palestine, and iraq was easy prey but china and russia is entirely another matter.
so, US is just toeing the water?
but if US keeps on building nato and posing perils to more countries, china/russia may form a soyuz.
russia had already vowed it will use wmd if attacked.
so, this means that nato, an evil org, will have to reach some kind of pakt not only with russia and china but also muslim lands.
us warfare for expansion must stop or we will perish. thank you

Posted by: bozhidar bob balkas on 08/10/08 at 2:00 PM  Respond

NATO has been a force for peace in Europe and an effective counter toward Soviet aggression during the Cold War. Russia has violated Georgia's sovereignty. It has a long history of dominating its neighbors by force. It is alarming that Europe is so dependent upon Russian gas and oil, and therefore in a weak position at this critical time. Russia's compulsion to act as an empire has returned.

Posted by: JMH on 08/10/08 at 8:37 PM  Respond

Who are we to harp on Russian aggression!? What in unfolding are the consquences of the decision to invade a soverign countrry, Iraq, in 2003. We don't have a moral leg to stand on so we should shut the hell up. Isn't this what the neo-con strists wanted anyway, a Russia that has now awaken from it's slumber to reclaim it's place on the world stage. Now the war machine here can justify the new weapons and suvallienc they are trying to ram down our throats. Dumbya got what he wanted, that is why you hear total silence coming fron the WH.

Posted by: donald on 08/11/08 at 6:11 AM  Respond

Where are all the [deleted] from ANSWER, Not In Our Name, and Code Pink? I dont see any protests or human shield actions on this one.

Posted by: Ragin Hillbilly on 08/11/08 at 7:19 AM  Respond

European media deceived people and announce information which they recieve only from georgian, so huge part of population defrauded. They deliberately do that to show that russia is agressor, but it's wrong.

UN is a fcking marionette which play only one role- to point facts from only one side and simulate blindness to other.

p.s. You know USA occupied Iraq and saddam hussein was executed. Saakhashvili is the same criminal, but u defend him...
sry for bad english

Posted by: Vladislav on 08/11/08 at 7:34 AM  Respond

"We will drink Russian blood," said Badri, one of the contingent newly arrived from Iraq. The Georgians are vampires. They must be dealt with accordingly. Mother Russia is right. America must support mother Russia in solution to vampires.

Posted by: Ivan from Hollywood on 08/11/08 at 8:05 AM  Respond

Even though Iran has close historic cultural connection to Georgia, we should recognize that our friends the Russians need our support and that the government in Georgia is a traitor (by wanting to become a member of the Nato), to our reign and must be made to pay for her treachery.

"We will drink Russian blood," -

Never a good thing, not on an empty stomach.

Go Russia teach them a lesson.

When has the White House not lied. US sending in military advisors to instigate conflict is unusual? Sure sounds like a toe in the water. The US has had it's 'toe in the water' for decades all over that part of the world. Is it hard to believe now?

Posted by: nakis on 08/11/08 at 11:53 AM  Respond

Another conflict that proves the Kissinger maxim:

“It is often dangerous to be an enemy of the United States, but to be a friend is fatal.”

Posted by: dsc on 08/11/08 at 11:59 AM  Respond

JMH you wrote
NATO has been a force for peace in Europe and an effective counter toward Soviet aggression during the Cold War.

You mast be F**kn joking,, obviously you know nothing about your country and its parasitic nature


JMH, Russia has violated Georgia's sovereignty.

LOL, inject your self with knowledge its good for you it stops you from making an a** of yourself.


JMH, It has a long history of dominating its neighbors by force. It is alarming that Europe is so dependent upon Russian gas and oil, and therefore in a weak position at this critical time.

And of course you believe that invading Iraq was an act of liberation right? Lol hahahaha

Russia's compulsion to act as an empire has returned.

That is right what are you going to do about it?
ha?
Nothing right?
Because you can not even handle a country like Iraq so go elect a president worth something.

Who says colonialism is dead! tiff between Our SOB's has escalated to the point that one sponsor (Russia) has to entered into fray. West's our SOB (sorry product of Rose revolution and flowering of Western Democratic thoughts)Sakashivelli is financed and owned by the west. Yet the same folk would pontificate to the world about democracy and they have it. Their children sing hymns of democracy, adults thump their chests "we get democracy!", their politicians threaten us in the name of democracy and their armies kill us all in the name of democracy. Democracy!, Democracy!, Democracy! is all what we hear, and it is the biggest con perpetrated on the world. The fact is that former colonials have new modus operendi. Install and Our SOB, anoint it with democracy and voila! you have a virtual colony. Add to the list of our SOB Musharraf, Husni Mubarak, Iraqi shia group and you have an empire.

Posted by: ThirdWorldCharlie on 08/11/08 at 12:08 PM  Respond

Unfortunately Georgia is a pawn in "big game" of west.

Posted by: Vladislav on 08/11/08 at 12:15 PM  Respond

I think either side could have looked upon this as an opportunistic situation. The pleading by the President of Georgia for the aid of the united states seems like such a reach. Its like Georgia picked a fight with a bully and ran behind their big brother to protect them.

Posted by: Frankie on 08/11/08 at 12:48 PM  Respond

It's this just another country trying to obtain oil control in another country?

Posted by: Mr. Oil on 08/11/08 at 1:04 PM  Respond

Israel can learn a lesson from this if they dare go it alone with Iran, hoping to bring the US into clean up their mess. The US will not do anything to save Georgia because they attacked without first getting a US commitment to send American troops to die for the Georgians.

Posted by: No more wars for Israel on 08/11/08 at 1:11 PM  Respond

This is a direct result of the insecure cowboy syndrome that the bush administration has perpetuated. The Russians should lose the winter games in 2014. Let the province[Russia can pay some cash to Georgia] leave and the people can live under Russian rule,they can learn the hard way.

Posted by: Shaman-125 on 08/11/08 at 1:41 PM  Respond

WHEN IS THE UNITED STATES GOING TO STOP STIRRING THE POT. REMEMBER HOW WE FELT WHEN THERE WERE RUSSIAN MISSLES IN CUBA??????????
FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, CUT OUT THE COWBOY MENTALITY.

Thanks for stopping by to shout at us, A. Forrest.

Posted by: Tom Servo on 08/11/08 at 2:56 PM  Respond

Wondering why the mainstream media only repeats the same old tag lines from the AP, what happened to original journalism, was it all marginalised by the speed of the internet or was it the end of free or un-embedded reporters in the shock & awe stages of GWII?? Also how could we even be remotely shocked by a two front war in little ole Georgia, when we got Big A and Big I going right now 7 years and running. HELP me out here peeps, didn't Russia want Afgani. for some reason way back when?

This abomination committed by the Russian leadership against Georgia was in a sense woven into the fabric of an incompetent American foreign policy—it was something that could almost be read from the signs and the signals being sent by Moscow itself and yet just as they have done for 8 years, the American intelligence services were sleeping behind the wheel. That is the consequence of a politicized intelligence service, now all conveniently tied together by a single head—the so-called Intelligence Czar. The job of this Czar is to tell his master exactly what he wants to hear—but when some intelligence agency actually has the gall to go rogue and say something “undesired” then all the administration has to do is say, “nonsense”, remember Iraq and the entire criticism vanishes like it was covered by “magic dust”. Still Georgia invasion is a vague mirror image of the American invasion of Iraq, and a more clear mirror image of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. (the US at least presented a case before the UN—Russia and Israel have raped the opponent nation)

This form of American intelligence stupidity works great until something real and consequential actually occurs in the world that disrupts the afterglow of self proclaimed greatness—like say the banks go bust (the Bush method of creating more opportunity for the poor to buy homes = fraud), or Iraq collapses into complete chaos and the price of oil skyrockets or a nuclear armed Islamic power crumbles towards a state of anarchy and suddenly a real possibility exists where nuclear weapons could not only fall into the hands of terrorists but where it is truly conceivably that they could take control of the country—the people who have created this mess are the people who the American Media are painting as “strong on national security”. Thus the most famous POW in American history, John McCain, is sold as being “knowledgeable” about foreign affairs—yet we must ask critically, “What does it mean today to be knowledgeable about foreign affairs in the USA?” Obviously not much! Still it is necessary to inquire into why Obama was well received on his visit to Europe while McCain wasn't. That indicator ought to say something to even the most indoctrinated FOX news broadcaster.

The inability of American leadership to comprehend just what the source of American power really is in relation to other powers became obvious when the response to 9/11 was made clear—9/11 was to dominate all politics for the next 8 years and beyond. The Bush administration defined what it meant by a “distinctly American Internationalism” when it chose to not just wipe out terrorist bases in Afghanistan but rather to occupy the country under the absurd pretext that it would do “nation building” and establish “democracy”. If we think back to around 1640 when Oliver Cromwell took on the English Crown and by use of a civilian military actually defeated the King until the US actually established a democracy in 1776 we are talking about 136 years and this is with people who do not envision themselves in terms of “tribes” but rather who see themselves as “the people” and whose inner most desire was to create a government whose nature is by and for the people. This “will” to be master of that which rules over one's life is not existing in Afghanistan and it does not really exist in the Middle East in general—they are still lost within the realm of Islam and theology while within this theology there exists major conflicts between sects—conflicts so great that they are deadly, even grounds to war over. It is in the West the conflict between Christian religious sects turned into a major force to subdue and remove the church from its position of power—it is because of the church telling people how and what God meant that ultimately led to the castration of the church and its position in politics (today we see in the Republic Party the consequence of Alzheimer's in relation to the shady history of the church—where things are so bad that they actually want to teach children in biology class that women came from the rib bone of Adam—gee how biologically retarded can we get?)

Still the point is that by invading and occupying Afghanistan and then a year and a half later by invading and occupying Iraq, it was obvious that the present administration saw American Power in terms of the military and not in terms of an economic and political power. That the relationship between the US dollar and what it means in terms of world power did not exist in the mentality of US leadership, nor did the principle of stability and why stability is the major enemy to terrorism.

Today we see that thanks to the idea that it is the military that is our power, we find ourselves powerless. We are bogged down in two wars both of which control us instead of it being we that control them—reemphasizing that it is not military might from which US Power is derived. The reasons for this are obvious. Because of the war we have incurred enormous debt and yet we have “no spoils” running into the state's treasury that will payoff the debt. Thus the cost of remaining in Iraq and Afghanistan expands at least at the same rate as the rate of inflation—which is increasing rapidly. So costs will merely rise, but at the same time we find that our purchasing power has been halved because the value of the dollar has been halved and thus we have wasted half of our ability to influence the affairs of the world via our purchasing power because of the deficit of the war—the mechanics of warfare do not increase ones power unless the use of the military actually wins some form of real income—or booty. In terms of a cost analysis there is no way that these wars could be seen as serving American interests because they have only inflamed the cause of the fanatics, and they have divided our allies (meaning they weakened not only our political influence but our military power as well). Most critical is the fact that by destabilizing the value of the dollar the administration destabilized the entire world economy. By creating conditions of instability and corruption the Bush administration freed Oil from the constraints of market forces, which in turn forced the price to double, triple, quadruple, quintuple and beyond before it has recently started to fall but its price remains outside the principles of the market. The major consequence of the Bush foreign policy has been that while Bush fights the wars the booty has gone to the Russians whose power has skyrocketed thanks to the Bush administration.

It will be interesting to see whether the price of oil goes up or not? If it does then Russia knows that further excursions into the heart of Europe will increase their income via Oil pricing. Still for many EU nations this invasion will offer them a solid ground to remove their military from both Iraq and Afghanistan—thus increasing the costs to the US who will be forced to raise the troop levels, if the European allies pull out. Europe will have to respond by moving its Navy into the North Sea, the Baltic, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. They will have to activate their Air Force to be airborne 24 hours a day and to take up a well defined war stance and they will have to get President Bush to get off his butt in China to at least pretend like he actually knows what is going on—this is not hurricane Katrina Mr. President but the first major military operation by Russian forces since Chechnya and it will demand a convincing show by the US—a failure will mean that Bush is nothing but talk in regards to Ukraine or in regards to central European states in general. Still I expect that we will witness Bush the “appeaser” who will fail to draw a defined line. (I have to admit that I hope we see Bush the “appeaser” because there is not a single military action taken on part of the Bush administration that has been convincing—the US military is sabotaged by conflicts between “private” and “the real US military” which undermine the effectiveness of the real military) From another perspective Russia appears to have an advantage over the Europeans because it supplies them oil—but the flip side to this is that Europe supplies Russia with 70% of its foreign currency while Russia supplies Europe with 30% of its energy needs. There in lies the means to break Russia through containment—remove their ability to export their oil and they will go bust quickly—Europe must cut down on its use. Vladamir Putin must realize that unless Russia develops a sophisticated economy—they will remain a supplier of raw materials and their ability to hold sway over the world non-existent.

Since we sit in the midst of an economic catastrophe—due to the complete mismanagement of the economy, and because we have weakened our key alliances and because we have lost face in the eyes of the world as a nation that stands for human rights and justice, and because we have placed our military into a situation for which it was not designed, we find ourselves incapable of responding to a direct threat to our national security—the invasion of Georgia is an act of aggression against a sovereign state that is situated in the backyard of our most important military ally and economic partner the EU and the Power responsible for this act of aggression said that it would use military force to stop the deployment of rockets in Poland—so the threat was advertised but the means to meet this threat were never even conceived of by the Bush administration. Strong on national security my ass!


Posted by: kirilovslogic on 08/12/08 at 1:46 AM  Respond

Jewish Georgian Minister Temur Yakobshvili on Sunday praised the Israel Defense Forces for its role in training Georgian troops and said Israel should be proud of its military might. It is clear that the Jews have a long standing grievance against Mother Russia and encouraged Georgia to attack Russian defenders of people.

Posted by: Boris on 08/12/08 at 6:18 AM  Respond

I thought everything wrong with the world was because of Israel. Now everything that occurs on the planet is the fault of President Bush and the USA. How ignorantly convenient!

Remember 1 thing: of all the conflicts we've engaged in around the world we have not aquired a speck of sand to add to our borders. Wake up and stop letting fear make you into whining scared brats.

Posted by: noone on 08/12/08 at 9:02 AM  Respond

You are right noone. "Remember 1 thing: of all the conflicts we've engaged in around the world we have not aquired a speck of sand to add to our borders." That is what happens when we go to war for Israel, it only benefits Israel. Look at Iraq. Sadaam was a threat to them. Sadaam was our loyal friend(he had oil, Israel has none). This goes to show the power of Jewish money on Congress. Now they want us to go to war with Iran.

Posted by: Tito on 08/12/08 at 9:33 AM  Respond

unfortunately we know no facts here in the west other than what media has given us. also, unless you are an ossetian rus u know nothing either. I feel that IF the georgians have slain as many ossetians as I have gathered than I completely support the fedarations move. the georgian president has deceived the western leadership into giving his country a possible seat at the UN while he is no more than another genocidal balkan mad man like milosevic. I believe the international leadership, especially the US, to be very hypocritical trying dissuade the displacement of the georgian president, and his military. his leadership has dug it's own grave. I agree fully with the post stating that it seems he has picked a fight believing that he would be backed by the US. what a fool. but you must wonder, is this the excuse that russia has ben waiting for to wage its own war for oil supplies, not that it needs more. or, is the ex kgb general prime minister and his obvious pawn medvedev moving to return mother russia back to its glories bringing with it the intimidation tactics of the cold war? alas, as I stated, if we only knew the facts. I guess we'll know when when the tanks stop, either with ossetia or will all of georgia fall? scary s***.

Posted by: ameri rus on 08/12/08 at 9:45 AM  Respond

kirilovslogic you wrote

Although I hear how angry you are for the inability of your country (USA) to do anything to defend your interest namely to support the Georgian government in its undemocratic insistence to maintain hegemony over reigns of a land that has long been occupied by others namely Russians, I also recognize your somewhat ironic longing for your country to adhere to the principals of its constitution and in as much as you recognize the almost criminal departure from that path I have to say I respect you
And the posting you have left here on this site is one of the best of its kind I have seen from any one in a long time.

I should have said;

Responding to kirilovslogic

Although I hear how angry you are for the inability of your country (USA) to do anything to defend your interest namely to support the Georgian government in its undemocratic insistence to maintain hegemony over reigns of a land that has long been occupied by others namely Russians, I also recognize your somewhat ironic longing for your country to adhere to the principals of its constitution and in as much as you recognize the almost criminal departure from that path I have to say I respect you
And the posting you have left here on this site is one of the best of its kind I have seen from any one in a long time.

nooneYou wrote.
“I thought everything wrong with the world was because of Israel. Now everything that occurs on the planet is the fault of President Bush and the USA. How ignorantly convenient!”
First let us be clear you are a Zionist Right? And as such your assertions here has nothing to do with the roll of US in the central Asia and has everything to do with maintaining the ever complex manipulation of the American ppl in believing that Israel is their stanch supporter. But you and I know that that is not true right??
Also in respect of your stupid propositions above you are wrong in both account. No one believes everything wrong with our world is because of Israel, you only say that because you intend to make your critics look stupid and anti Semitic and of course we are not. We are only ever interested in admonishing Israel for its criminal racist acts against the Palestinians and the ppl of the reign in respect of their positions and discriminatory and criminal policies of the said Zionist (Jewish only) state.
And of course your second proposition is even more inaccurate than the first. President Bosh does not have the intellect to be at the rote of all the problems of our planet.
So there goes your logic, as usual, another Zionist in pursuit of deception
You wrote,” Remember 1 thing: of all the conflicts we've engaged in around the world we have not aquired a speck of sand to add to our borders. Wake up and stop letting fear make you into whining scared brats.”
I understand how you mast be longing to go and build settlements on the Mexico border just like you are doing on Palestinian land. And finely is it your bravery that makes you kiss America’s ass all day long OR….????

OR….???? You like the taste of s***.

bahman, please don't use the "S" word. You may use the word "crap". The "S" word has not been approved by the FCC.

Posted by: Dr. Webster on 08/12/08 at 12:34 PM  Respond

Are you kidding me?

OK, from now on I will refer to the brown and goie substance as “Crap” and not its user friendly unapproved name s….T.LOL
Thanks

We were told that we must fight the Soviet Union to destroy Communism & now that the Soviet Union is gone but in order for the Military industrial complex to survive,
WARS must be created & what's better than bringing the cold war back in order to make REAAAAAL money !
WE DON"T REALLY WISH TO END THAT WAY ! DO WE ?
There's very high price to pay
if you wish to be an Empire,
Enough to learn from history
by ourselves,WHAT happened to the Roman,Spanish,French,Portugues
And the British Empire? and let's not forget about the Soviet Union !

Posted by: massimo on 08/12/08 at 3:29 PM  Respond

When MoJo wants to analyze something like this PLEASE talk to someone we can trust! As soon as you say CIA I don't believe a thing they say. The CIA has been spreading terror, assassination, manipulation of elections, toppling of elected leaders, installation of corrupt, cruel, brutal right-wing dictators who will support the US/CIA corporate capitalist exploitation, and lies, lies and more lies.
And to the poor soul who actually said, in all seriousness, I guess, that NATO has been a source of peace etc. since WWII do some reading other than the typical right-wing, cheerleading US media. Read this (among other things): http://globalresearch.ca/articles/GAN412A.html
about NATO, the US, CIA, among others and their campaign of terror and murder to promote right-wing agendas all over Europe for 60 years! Google "Gladio" which is the Italian name for the right-wing paramilitary hit/terror squad created by NATO et. al. NATO is a US puppet. The US is the ONLY country to have used WMD, has been spreading terror and misery around the globe for decades and invading and neo-colonizing countries to install US corporate- friendly governments, usually at the expense of the people of those countries (the US has even had a "School of the Americas" to teach these US puppets how to torture & murder their own people - the people fighting for democracy and freedom). The US has absolutely no place to be telling anybody else about human rights, democracy or weapons of mass destruction. The whole world sees the US as a bully and a hypocrite and is amazed by its arrogance, as if no one knew about what they were really up to and have done around the globe. Too bad the US "news media" are so nationalistic, "patriotic" and afraid to tell the people the real truth about the actions of their governments, both Dems & Repubs. Reporters Without Borders ranks the US news media 52nd in the world for freedom of the press and expresses "alarm" at the rapid decline in press freedom (some of it self censorship) in the US. Nationalism is a social disease no matter whose it is. It's time the US citizenry wised up and started taking a more realistic view of the world and quit waving their silly flags and shouting we're number one. Maybe then they could become citizens of the world and become a force for good for real, instead of just talking about it.

Posted by: Freethinker on 08/13/08 at 3:40 AM  Respond

NOONE, your naivety would be funny if it weren't the typical attitude of the typical ignorant brainwashed US citizen. Get real and do some reading. (see above for article about US/CIA/NATO war of terror against European peoples and countries since WWII and there are plenty more resources for that out there. http://globalresearch.ca/articles/GAN412A.html
) The US has been assassinating leaders, overturning even elected governments, installing right-wing pro-US/Corporate pillaging and meddling dictators, bullying and threatening smaller countries, throwing elections (see if you can find MoJo's award-winning article from the 80's about the Reagan admin. sending the CIA into Australia to throw an election that was set to be won by a very popular candidate that paranoid, ignorant Reagan and his far right handlers didn't like because he was a "socialist"). And do not forget the US is the only country that has dropped nuclear bombs (TWO!) over two civilian targets killing hundreds of thousands. Talk about an Evil Empire. You say the US hasn't taken a grain of sand (maybe you should ask Mexico about the half of it the US stole in another US make-believe "war").I assume you are saying the US just invades and forces its own agenda of corporate capitalism and then just leaves. Do you think that is OK? It is called "Neo-Colonialism". It means the US is the lone imperial power in the world today, but does not actually rule all their conquests directly like the Brits etc. did, but installs dictators/right-wing (always) governments who run the countries according to US/Corporate Big Business interests and the US taxpayers keep the dictators' pockets filled with money - from Chile to Guatemala, from Zaire to Iraq. The problems we are having in Iran even today are a direct result of US/CIA intervention in overthrowing a legitimate leader and replacing him with a brutal dictator - the Shah - in the 1950s all the while manipulating the once-free news media there! We are suffering from "Blowback" from all this US/CIA interference over the globe for decades (Al Queda, the Taliban, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Africa, all of Latin America, Europe etc.). Read the book "Blowback" by Prof. Chalmers Johnson, "Confessions of an Economic Hitman", by John Perkins (ex-CIA), "Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance" and "World Orders, Old and New", both by Noam Chomsky for starters. You & your fellow citizens' ignorance is why the US governments have been able to terrorize the world for so long and continue to do so now in support of Big Business, Big Oil, Robber Barons, War Profiteers and the military-industrial-congressional complex. Before Bush invaded Iraq, the only middle eastern country that probably didn't allow "terrorists" to operate from its territory, Iraqi women had equal rights and could have education and professions, Christians were not persecuted or discriminated against, now post BushII invasion, Islamic fundamentalists are taking over Iraq (who Sadaam Hussein kept under control), Iraqi women now must wear the veil and are subject to beatings and even are murdered when they go out without being covered. Christians are persecuted, discriminated against and their churches bombed. (Look at the great strides we've made in Afghanistan where Muslims converting to Christianity are executed - there is no religious freedom, fundamentalist Islam rules etc., but who's making the money - Haliburton (Cheney's company), The (Bushs') Carlyle Group and other war-profiteers). Sadaam H. was a brutal dictator, but he never killed anything like the number who have died because of the US invasion. And Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, but Saudi Arabia was the source of all but one of the 9/11 "terrorists", as well as one of the most repressive, anti-democratic regimes in the world who allow zero religious freedom, free speach or thought and, yet, Dubya (who was paid many millions by the Saudis - and the Taliban - to lobby Bush I) hugs and kisses them and never says boo! about human or civil rights or democracy, except a little to placate a few US critics. US troops are stationed in Saudi to protect their lazy, repressive butts and they keep US segregated so we won't pollute their holy Islamic soil and culture. Your ignorance is no excuse and your support of governments which promote the "interests" of US corporations, the military-industrial-congressional complex and war profiteers (look at who's getting rich off the war in Iraq with US taxpayer money) will sooner than later bankrupt the US and continue to cause invasions, wars, police actions, coups, assassinations and death and misery for millions (who don't even matter in all of this). And the taxpayer will continue to pay while the US declines further, the infrastructure collapses, millions suffer from no health care. But the Robber Barons will continue to grow rich and powerful. Get informed! The only presidential candidate who is not on the payroll of the corporations and has a platform that make the US stop all this neo-colonization and aggression is Ralph Nader. Why do you think "they" don't want him to be heard?

Posted by: Freethinker on 08/13/08 at 4:35 AM  Respond

Freethinker, you have it all wrong. It is a world wide Zionist conspiracy that is also involved in the groups that you mention.

Posted by: LOL on 08/13/08 at 7:54 AM  Respond

I guess the defeat of Hitler, Pol Pot, Tito, Mussolini, etc. was done to further the interests of US corporations. Naive? The typical brainwashed US citizen today is not brainwashed by the US gov't, they're brainwashed by the concerted efforts of foreign interest bent on upsetting and undermining the foundation of this once great peacful secure republic. This began almost 2 generations ago and is finally starting to take effect. Your statements are reflective of this (assuming you are American)
The self professed "revolutionary" thinking of the 60's initiated with the help of Communism has developed into a communal self loathing of this nation. It also stems from some ethnic guilt that was fabricated and imposed on the average American who happened to be of European descent at the time. Political correctness has also forced mainstream America to lower its voice allowing "progreesive" thinkers like yourself to be heard above the rest. I dont trust the gov't any more than you do, howver I believe in the system of Democracy and Capitalism we have here. And if the majority wants to elect corrupt leaders then they will suffer the consequences. The avergae voter has been reduced to a sheep dumbed down due to biased media reporting and prozac. They are lead around by a carrot known as govt' programs (welfare) left with no choice but to continue voting for those corrupt individuals. However, none of this is American at its core. The system has been infiltrated by those seeking to destroy what is American. It is up to the people to take it back. Which is why I say "stop whining like scared brats". Things may not be great but they are better here than anywhere in the world. Thats a fact. And it is because of what we did in the past. So obviously something went right.

Posted by: noone on 08/14/08 at 8:58 AM  Respond

Thank you for demonstrating the type of thinking I am referring to. I rest my case.

Posted by: noone on 08/14/08 at 9:04 AM  Respond

Bahman:


Thank you for demonstrating the type of thinking I am referring to. I rest my case.

Posted by: noone on 08/14/08 at 9:06 AM  Respond

Ragin Hillbilly: Back off on the Liberal-hate. It just shows what a tool you are, programmed to think that everything under the sun is the fault of the child-raping, porn-pushing, drug-selling, nun-cussing Liberals. You've got too much O'Rielly on the brain, and can't THINK anymore, just knee-jerk react.

THIS crisis, if any, should show you that Boy Coward and Condi shake in their shoes, when confronted by an opponent who could care less for arrogant bluster. To their (slight) credit, they at least know when they are outmatched, and aren't going to take even the first steps to counter this (and future!) aggression by the newly reborn Soviet Union.

Instead, Bush will gamely send humanitarian aid, and "trust" (WHAT???) Russia to hold to its word (its WHAT???) to let the aid through. And for her part, Condi is running to sternly confer with- Putin? Oh, sorry, no. She's going off to talk it over with Nevile Chamberlin, er, Sarkosy.

No, there are no US guts involved whatsoever; but remember who you elected to be in the hot seat when these things happen. You really have only yourself to blame for America's non-response.

1) Ossetia is a ninety percent Russian area. Georgia has made repeated efforts to ethnically cleanse the region. Russian peacekeeping troops have been in Ossetia for years and were approved in international agreements so as to protect the citizens of the region from attacks by the Georgian military.

2) Georgia, not Russia, started this war. Georgia invaded Ossetia trying to take control of the region and ethnically cleanse the Russian population.

3) The Georgian Army, commanded by their Minister of Defense (who is also an Israeli citizen), launched a surprise invasion and attack that caused the deaths of at least a thousand people in its first 24 hours. This attack was committed while the attention of the world was on the Olympics.

4) In the wake of Georgia’s military invasion and massacres, Russia responded by battling to protect the Ossetian people and fighting the Georgia military so it could not continue its invasion and assault. Thousands of Ossetian civilians became refugees from the Georgian assault.

Posted by: Bill on 08/14/08 at 2:46 PM  Respond

noone,

I have made two extremely accurate assertions about YOU which I believe to be 100% True,

First in the statement you made asserting that, I guess People like me, (Critics of Israel and its illegitimate and criminal influence in US politics) those who believe the murderess gang in Tela-vive, are destroying the reputation of this once “Grate” and promising nation, with their constant agitations about anti Semitic behavior of the nations and governments around them (the illegitimate and criminal government of Israel,) to suggest that the gerrymandering ethnically cleansed Jewish only sate is under “existential threat” absent of any provocation from the Jewish settlers and a near half century of the most despicable genocidal policies regarding the once indigence people of that land namely the Palestinians by means of expropriation of land and political rights Ect ect… to procure for that nation (Israel) the unquestioned support of the worlds only supper power
Through bias and complex manipulation of the American ppl by the Jewish Americans is only stating what is a FACT. In any case it is my opining stated very clearly.

I am as you can see happy to demonstrate for you and every one else, otherwise, why would I so openly and unambiguously state my opining

I believe that my opining is for the good of this nation I believe that America has a lot more in common with nation of Iran than it does with the criminals that run the Jewish only sate I believe even the Jewish people deserve a better relationship with America than their current leadership has in mind for them.

I believe the antagonistic approach towards the Iranian nation is only going to prolong and exacerbate the xenophobia that has paralyzed the development of political democracy in Iran and in fact in every other instance around the world you care to mention political bulling (Jews believe if they don’t demonstrate that they can respond forcefully to events it will be take as sign of weakness and therefore extremely dangerous for them)which is the stated approach of the Zionist government has produced nothing but antagonism and has lead to profoundly entrenched positions that do not advance the interest of Enlightenment, open society or the proms of American experiment and its constitution.

So yeh, when you make stupid statements like-

“I thought everything wrong with the world was because of Israel. Now everything that occurs on the planet is the fault of President Bush and the USA. How ignorantly convenient!”

You need to be told that people are becoming wiser to the Jewish strategy and they are no longer willing to just let them continue.

Israel is making America weaker, since 9/11 American influence around the world though at some point could have been developed to surpass any past period in history has suffered an unrecoverable setback directly because of Americans taking the same attitude as the Israeli. Cheering the Americans as they entered Iraq and later lies after lies about Iran every one remembers how every six months the Jewish only state would provide the world with yet another “assessment” of the Iranian Bomb. lies after lies. now look at the result for this nation

Today not only Russia will not really care what the Americans think about entering in to another country no one else does either the Iranians are defying every resolution every threat and to my best judgment the war that Israel wanted for America has made this country so week that no one really thinks America can do anything to help them let along defend them.

As I have mentioned in the past the Iraq war is to America what the boor war was to the British the beginning of the END.

As a Jew are you proud of what you have done and are doing for this country?

So yeh, when you make stupid statements like-
noone,

I have made two extremely accurate assertions about YOU which I believe to be 100% True...

Could you have made two extremely accurate assertions about someone that were NOT true?

You're admitting to the possiblity with the statement that you only believe them to be 100% true.

If belief made falsehoods true, 'Reality' would be an absolutely unmanagable mess, Thor would be causing thunder and lightning would come from Zeus.

Just something to think about.

Posted by: Silliness In Anti-Jewishness on 08/17/08 at 1:23 PM  Respond

Haha,

You have a point, I should have previewed my post I guess I missed that one.

Thank you

It appears that the dominant (US-Gov) empire with the help of Israel have underestimated the old Russian giant, believing they could manipulate Asian/Middle East and in this case Georga elections and gov into a back-door operation for caucasus oil-fields supplying Israel and Western nations.
Now the back-door may not only slam loudly shut, but the old bear may come out of hibernation.
Same old same old, the mentally deranged play games, and everyone else suffers.

Posted by: DeWayne on 08/17/08 at 6:39 PM  Respond

You are exactly right DeWayne,
Here, president warns Russia against sharp escalation of “VIOLENCE” yet in the past five years his administration has done nothing but to sharply increase violence every where every one remembers how his administration did nothing whilst his idle Mr. Sharon had pined down Yaser Arafat (the president of the Palestinians) for almost 2 years yet no one here in US said a single word to stop them just some BS public relations nonsense about caution and restraint makes you sick. And later after the Arabs had been driven to acts of despicable brutality whether by suicide bombing or terrorist attack on WTC on 9/11 they the administration acted like OMG no one could have predicted that what kind of BS is that why does it take so much knowledge and foresight to understand these simple things in this country.

Just a few days ago he (the president) was lecturing the Chinese about human rights I mean honestly is that not laughable His administration is shipping people all over the world for torture and he is talking about due process what kind of double talk is that makes you F** sick .

The administration refuses to sign the treaty banning the use and stockpiling of chemical weapons yet they go around talking about WMD they talk about civilian death yet they refuse to ban the use and manufacture of mines which are to this day responsible for so much misery for innocent ppl this administration deserves to be impeached and it most certainly would have if our politicians ware not so scared of the Jewish lobby.

In very recent times the Israelis claimed that one of their soldiers had been kidnapped across the border into Lebanon. They used that as an excuse to devastate the civilian infrastructure of the whole nation of Lebanon.

For a whole month the Jews bombed from the air and flattened by bulldozers apartment blocks, bridges, sewerage works, water reservoirs, buses and fleeing refugees, etc, etc.

It was a repeat of the devastation the Jews had wreaked on Lebanon in the 1980’s when they destroyed civilian infrastructure and murdered thousands of Lebanese. They even attacked and slew thousands of miserable refugees as they huddled in refuge camps.

By contrast, the Russian military has come to Georgia to protect Russian people, 2,000 of whom had been murdered by the Georgians using military weapons supplied by the Jews.

The Russian army is now destroying only military equipment, not the civilian infrastructure as is so often practiced by Israel.

Is it really possible that the war criminal George Bush, his poodle, Condo Rice, along with the whole western press, have not thought to compare the mild actions of the Russians, with the brutality meted out by the Israelis, not only in Lebanon, but in Palestine since 1948?

Posted by: Mustafa on 08/18/08 at 6:15 PM  Respond

Hey Mustafa

OR, the catastrophic consequence of going to war on a pretext of liberation and spreading of “DEMOCRACY” (as if democracy was margarine) you all remember Paul Wolfowitz the Jewish arms dealer working in stats department
Well he did a fine Jobs on the Americans its astounding how able and competent the Israelis are when it comes to manipulating the Americans

You may believe that all the pro-american eastern european countries and their pro-american presidents are just your government´s toys, but here it´s usually the choice between pro-american and pro-russian, and when we get to choose between a country that had occupied our country for fifty years and tried to assimilate our nation into non existance and one that really despite all the disadvantages has done nothing at all to harm us, guess who are we going to choose.

Posted by: headless chicken on 08/25/08 at 12:06 AM  Respond

Bahman

You have addressed nothing of what I stated, but continue to use any opportunity to attack Israel and the US. Once again you have shown yourself as who you are discrediting your statements which amount to nothing more than narrow minded opinions embellished with a lot of fluff text. You cite random articles from Canadian sources. But other than that, no facts. You are wrong, I am not a Jew. Remember, Jews are not the only ones who support Western ideaologies.

Now my turn:
You are a Muslim living in Canada because someone in your family thought it was wise to flee your birth nation. (I wonder why?) And look where you ended up. In the Western hemisphere. I guess it's not that bad here after all. Your hypocrisy runs deep.

Posted by: noone on 08/27/08 at 6:03 AM  Respond

noone, Israel has been criticized for "discrimination in personal and civil status matters against non-Orthodox Jews.” Israel only recognizes Orthodox Rabbis for the purpose of marrying couples, not allowing Reform or Conservative Rabbis to perform the ceremony
In 2003, the Knesset made an amendment to the Nationality and Entry into Israel law which prohibited Palestinian married to Israelis from gaining Israeli citizenship or residency. Critics argue that the law is racist because it is targeted at Israeli Arabs who are far more likely to have Palestinian spouses than other Israelis. The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination unanimously approved a resolution saying that the Israeli law violated an international human rights treaty against racism. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel filed a petition to have the law struck down but it was upheld by a High Court decision in 2006. In June 2006, the United States Department of State issued a report which stated that "the Government of Israel does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and has failed to show efforts to address conditions of involuntary servitude allegedly facing thousands of foreign migrant workers. Israel has been criticized for its policies and enforcement of laws on sex trafficking. Women from the former Soviet Republics are brought into the country by criminal elements for forced labor in the sex industry. Amnesty International cites hardships placed on women in the Occupied Territories by the State of Israel .

Posted by: Ivan on 08/27/08 at 7:11 AM  Respond

Mikheil Saakashvili started this war with his barrage attack and occupation of South Ossetia. Russia's war of retribution was far less violent or excessive than the U.S. bombing of Serbia for 78 days over Kosovo, or our unprovoked war on Saddam Hussein's Iraq, which has brought death to scores of thousands, or Israel's 35 days of bombing of Lebanon for a border skirmish with Hezbollah.Russia must get out now, adds Bush, for South Ossetia and Abkhazia belong to a sovereign Georgia. But when did Bush demand that Israel get off the Golan Heights or withdraw from the birthplace of Jesus, which Israelis have occupied for 41 years, as he demands that Russia get out of the birthplace of Joseph Stalin, which Russia has occupied for two weeks?
As Israel was provoked in 1967, so, too, was Russia provoked.

Russians died in Saakashvili's attack, as American died in Pancho Villa's raid on New Mexico in 1916. We sent "Black Jack" Pershing, future Gen. George Patton and a U.S. army 300 miles into Mexico to kill Villa. Was this proportionate?

Posted by: The Professor on 08/27/08 at 2:22 PM  Respond

noone

First of all let me tell you I have no idea what you are talking about when you say I have made reference to some Canadian article. Are you suggesting plagiarism if so please prove it.

Secondly, I don’t live in Canada.
As far as living in the western hemisphere is concerned look first of all you are not that free.
Second, the freedom I fill is in my sole not in your constitution. Although the constitution is a grate help. That is if I was living there. lol

Thirdly. The various statements I have made here on this site can be supported with facts except you are not a strong enough debater to argue for your point of view so as to require any mention of facts to supports my assertions.

Look here you go I help you!!

What is western ideology?

And if you are not a Jew why did you say;

“I thought everything wrong with the world was because of Israel. Now everything that occurs on the planet is the fault of President Bush and the USA. How ignorantly convenient!”

How can you support ethnic cleansing in Israel?

Why do you think supporting the racist policies of Israel is relevant to the security of US?

Also tell us why did the president of Georgia ordered an attack on the Ossetian do you know?

And one more please, what is America’s interest in Georgia. LOL

bahman, think about the massive failure of the US media to report truthfully. The United States, bristling with nuclear weapons and pursuing a policy of world hegemony, has a population that is kept in the dark--indeed brainwashed--about the most important and most dangerous events of our time.

The power of the Israel Lobby is an important component of keeping Americans in the dark. As a result of the US media’s one-sided coverage, few Americans are aware that for decades Israel has been ethnically cleansing Palestinians from their homes and lands under protection of America’s veto in the United Nations. Instead, the dispossessed Palestinians are portrayed as mindless terrorists who attack innocent Israel.

If one reads Israeli newspapers, such as Haaretz, or publications from Israeli organizations, such as the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, one gets a radically different view of the situation than the propagandistic version delivered by US media and evangelical pulpits. The failure of the American media is again evident in the coverage of the Georgian-Russian conflict. The US media presented the conflict as a Russian invasion of Georgia, whereas in actual fact the American and Israeli trained and equipped Georgian military launched a sneak attack to kill and to drive the Russian population out of South Ossetia, a separatist province.

Posted by: Aaron S. on 08/29/08 at 11:12 AM  Respond

Aaron
I am most certainly aware of your point here and could not say it better myself.

Also quite heartened by the efforts of some (small but notable) brave and conscientious Jews that are doing a lot more than any body else to shed light on Israeli atrocities.

As for the US I think you have said it most eloquently.

I wrote this in another thread some time ago. Here is my take on it.

The outrage and a sense of indignation expressed by William J. Astore is the recognition perhaps, maybe for the first time a trickling of realization by military as well as ordinary Americans that there is something seriously wrong with what is going on in this country. It did not start right after the 9-11 but 9-11 created the best condition for the new military approach to the Americas problems but the change in perception and tactics for the world most important democracy has been happening a long time its geneses is of course Americas secrete wars or should I simply say Americas secrets which of course by definition means the usurping or the expropriation of the American ppl from the process of decision making. Completely unconstitutional no matter how these Jewish American lawyers justify it.

Right there when your government thinks you don’t know what is good for you, right there when logically it is not possible to understand why US is so invested in Israel or any other unusually entrenched so called “American Interest”
Right there is where the actual infestation the corruption and the expropriation of Americans rights and privileges takes place these rights remember ware in fact fully paid for by your ancestors you have a right to know what is going on in your government and any attempt to usurp that right is absolutely unconscionable any attempt to make you feel that for your own safety it is imperative to keep you out of the loop is absolutely illegal in my judgment based on my understanding of the what was intended in the constitution.


Thank you for your contribution, thank you for recognizing what an important issue this is for the Americans

What a farce! The magazine calls itself "Mother Jones", and it's one of the few media around to even claim to be left wing. Nonetheless, what kind of content do they put out? Interviews with CIA honchos! You know, I feel more sympathy for Bearden, because he at least knows he's part of a global empire and can act with that in mind. You media "liberals" are too, but have no idea!

Why don't you provide real, independent analysis, even if it's off the cuff? There is not a voice in the media which truly and consistently opposes the dangerous expansionism of the US government. Saakashvili is a US client, pumped full of dollars and itching for a fight. And yet, even Mother Jones won't dissent from the chorus - the Russians considered the only imperialists around!

Posted by: PS on 09/28/08 at 12:46 AM  Respond

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