Stormy Weather - Sunday Update

This Isn't the Return of History

-Fareed Zakaria, Newsweek

The Georgia attack will go down not as the dawn of a new era 

of Russian power but as a major strategic blunder.

Europe Must Back Ukraine for Peace

 - David Miliband, The Guardian

It is not an act of hostility towards Russia for Europe to

support Ukraine, but a positive move towards lasting peace

Ex-Soviet States Fear Russia
- Otto Luchterhandt, Der Spiegel 

Moscow's recent offensive in the Caucasus region has former Soviet republics worried.
They see it as a return to old imperialist policies and fear they could be the next victims
of Russian aggression. How much at risk are Ukraine and Moldova?

 

Palin Made Impression from the Start
- Washington Post

Far from being a last-minute tactical move or a second choice when

better known alternatives were eliminated, Palin was very much in
McCain's thinking from the beginning of the selection process,
according to McCain's advisers. The 44-year-old governor made every
cut as the first list of candidates assembled last spring was slowly
winnowed. The more McCain learned about her, the more attracted he
was to her as someone who shared his maverick, anti-establishment instincts.
 

Joe Biden's deep (but mythical) blue-collar roots
-Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune


Joe Biden once got in trouble for plagiarizing a speech and inflating his academic record.
So it will not surprise you to find that his famous working-class background turns out to be mythical.

But it may surprise you to learn that Biden isn't the one who has trouble with the facts.

The Audacity of Hype
- William Safire, NY Times

BY choosing the venue of a vast outdoor stadium as John Kennedy did for
his “new frontier” acceptance, and by speaking on the anniversary of
Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” address, Barack Obama — whose
claim to fame is an ability to move audiences with his words — deliberately
invited comparison with two of the most memorable speeches of our recent history. 

What a mistake.

Two Big Ones Coming, but They're Not Gustav and Hanna

Two Big Ones Coming, but they're not Gustav and Hanna...

The situation in Georgia is not going away....not for a long time.....if ever.  For a very longtime, Putin and his KGB team have had the objective of regaining as much of the old Empire as possible, and like the professional hunters that they are, waited for the most opportune season; allowed their target to be lulled by their inaction; sealed off avenues of escape and rescue; then provoked their prey into action, and sprung the trap.

With their latest slap to the face of the world by declaring South Osettia to become part of Russia, is there any doubt of their original intention, and their strategy?

The Western Press is ignoring this issue.  Why?  Can it be that the press realizes it's complicity in not sounding the alarms when Putin eliminated the free press in Russia; when he stole the investments of major Western investors; killed his opponents?  Can it be that they recognize that what would be their usual response of proposing negotiating with the Russians, is absurd in the face of Russia's heavy handed and aggresive use of force, and they're incapable of suggesting any other alternative?

Along with Russia's main fist in the face of the West, their partner Iran (with Russia's help) is jabbing at another sensitive spot, and this may actually turn out to provoke the biggest reaction.  Iran's announcement of even more centrifuges able to produce weapons-grade nuclear material, has resulted in Israel announcing that it will not let Iran achieve nuclear capability.

So far, it appears that the US, Europe, and the rest of the world are are only tsk, tsking.  But, unfortunately, we all know that has no effect on bullies.

Kremlin announces that South Ossetia will join 'one united Russian state'

The Kremlin moved swiftly to tighten its grip on Georgia’s breakaway regions yesterday as South Ossetia announced that it would soon become part of Russia, which will open military bases in the province under an agreement to be signed on Tuesday.

Tarzan Kokoity, the province’s Deputy Speaker of parliament, announced that South Ossetia would be absorbed into Russia soon so that its people could live in “one united Russian state” with their ethnic kin in North Ossetia.

EU to consider Russian sanctions
The EU will consider sanctions against over Georgia, as Russia's allies fail to give support, and POWs are released.



Black Sea focus for Georgia tension
U.S. and Russian ships in separate missions in the Black Sea have been a symbolic focus of continuing tension over Georgia.




Fallout from Georgia conflict widens


Diplomatic ties, and sanction and retaliation threats take centre stage in the aftershocks of the conflict in Georgia.



Georgia says Russia troops blocking refugee return

GORI, Georgia (Reuters) - Russian troops deep inside Georgian territory are stopping thousands of refugees from returning to their homes, a Georgian official said on Saturday.


Russian soldiers were still manning checkpoints in Georgia and patrolling a Black Sea port even after Moscow pulled back much of the force it deployed three weeks ago to crush Georgia's attempt to take back separatist province South Ossetia.



Report: Israel won't allow a nuclear Iran

Israel will not allow Iran to attain nuclear capability and if time begins to run out, Jerusalem will not hesitate to take whatever means necessary to prevent Iran from achieving its nuclear goals, the government has recently decided in a special discussion.

Iran says it has 4,000 centrifuges working on enrichment

TEHRAN: Iran has increased the number of operating centrifuges at its uranium enrichment plant to 4,000, a top official said Friday, pushing ahead with its nuclear program despite threats of new UN sanctions.