Russia Invades Georgia !

[BC]

Unfortenately you have had a really incompetent president for the last two terms that has been manipulated by the people that has a an interest in America beeing at war! The ones that had to pay the price for that is the avarage guy that has gone to war i a beliefe that he is doing the right thing!

The popularity of your country has also dropped to an all time low during the predidency of Bush. I think some surveys gave Obama about an 80 % support in Germany and about 90 % in Sweden and Finland. Off course it is not really our business, but it shows what most of the world thinks about Bush and his imperial politics.

Anyway, this is NOT an aggression towards the american citizens. But i think you have had a really bad president in Bush!

There were several Presidents involved with creating their 'pal' Bin Laden, planting seeds for  Al Qaeda. Carter, Reagan etc..

I'm not a Bush fan at all, but did support going after Bin Laden in Afghanistan, or anywhere else for that matter.  Strangely enough, the greatest military might in the world found Sadaam in a hole somewhere but seems to have lost interest in public enemy nr1.  Seems as long as Bin Laden is kept alive the effort can go on.. Once he is caught there is little left to justify current foreign policy..  I remember Bush stating 'dead or alive'.. but guess what.. he's worth more alive than dead.  That's where Bush went wrong.

History is interesting.. The fall of the Soviet Union was not due to war, but economics.. I believe the Bush administration has been the most expensive Presidency ever.. adding trillions to an already scary national debt in one way or other.. I begin to wonder if the US has the strength to survive in the mid to long term.

enough rant..

[wxman]

What always amazes me is when something bad happens in this world it's the US fault for being too active such as the middle east, and also at fault for not doing enough in Africa. Russia is putting the blame on the US for it's spat with Georgia, although they have been supplying arms to the South Ossetia separatist movement since the split of the Soviet Union. Russia criticizes the US for it's involvement in Kosovo and it's independence, but yet can actively arm and invade Georgia to separate South Ossetia from Georgia. In fact the President of Russia today came out today and said Georgia has now lost it's right to rule South Ossetia. Seems Russia is just using this as an excuse to expand and conquer all over again. The Soviet Union is not dead, it's just awakening again. I'm sure they will continue to ferment problems in Ukraine and South Ossetia is just a starter for retaking the Crimea. I imagine Ukraine is very worried about this development. If Russia can annex  South Ossetia so easily with it's majority Russian population, it won't be too hard to do the same with the Crimea and it's majority Russian population.  Again, it's always the fault of the US. The world wants the US to lead, as long as it can tell US how to lead.

[wxman]

Accidently did a double post.

[diverboy70]

What always amazes me is when something bad happens in this world it's the US fault for being too active such as the middle east, and also at fault for not doing enough in Africa. Russia is putting the blame on the US for it's spat with Georgia, although they have been supplying arms to the South Ossetia separatist movement since the split of the Soviet Union. Russia criticizes the US for it's involvement in Kosovo and it's independence, but yet can actively arm and invade Georgia to separate South Ossetia from Georgia. In fact the President of Russia today came out today and said Georgia has now lost it's right to rule South Ossetia. Again, it's always the fault of the US. The world wants the US to lead, as long as it can tell US how to lead.

We are a lot of people that want US to take the back seat for a while, and not get involved in every confligt on the globe!!!

[wxman]

We are a lot of people that want US to take the back seat for a while, and not get involved in every confligt on the globe!!!

Unfortunately it's because the rest of the world would just like to bury it's head in the sand. 

[diverboy70]

Wxman

You are simplyfiying and going on an easy propagrandapath here!

[diverboy70]

Your usual excuse for putting your nose were it not belong

[wxman]

The US is always asked to do the dirty work of western Europe. They want their energy from the Middle East, which mostly goes to Europe, but they want the US to be the ones to make sure the shipping lanes remain open and thus can blame the US if something goes wrong as it's not them that are over there. They want the US to stand up to Russia and appear to be the bad guy, so they can keep their trade going strong with Russia and act like they are not against Russia. Of course the big one, they want us to protect them with all our bases in Europe, and would have a fit if we just told them we were pulling out.

[diverboy70]

We have the UN, we don't need the US to be the "world police"!

Yes I know what you will say, the UN is ineffective! Yes but it is it for a reason, to find a global solution to crises is not an easy task. It is ineffective because it is trying to find a solution that is supported by the whole international community!

US going out and trying to play police without any support in the international community is the reason why the US has such a low regard globally today, You are not killing terorists you are breeding them!

I just hope you will get a president with a little more sence the next time!

[diverboy70]

The US is always asked to do the dirty work of western Europe. They want their energy from the Middle East, which mostly goes to Europe, but they want the US to be the ones to make sure the shipping lanes remain open and thus can blame the US if something goes wrong as it's not them that are over there. They want the US to stand up to Russia and appear to be the bad guy, so they can keep their trade going strong with Russia and act like they are not against Russia. Of course the big one, they want us to protect them with all our bases in Europe, and would have a fit if we just told them we were pulling out.

Get your head down from the clouds

[wxman]

Get your head out of the sand 

[diverboy70]

The EU is today building its own international army. About not wanting to do the dirty work, the EU maybe thinks twice before deploying troops! You know ir is not the easy solution of every international crisis!

[diverboy70]

Ok wxman maybe we can agree on to disagree on this one!

Cultural differences!

[wxman]

The EU is today building its own international army.

And you find that acceptable? Soon the EU will stick it's nose where it doesn't belong, just as you say about the US, but that's ok, as long as it's a EU army.

[wxman]

Ok wxman maybe we can agree on to disagree on this one!

Cultural differences!

Yes. It ok to disagree. See we didn't have a war 

[diverboy70]

Nope, we allready has that army. But it's not so visible since we decide to not have such an aggressive profile that the US recently has had

[diverboy70]

OK wxman!

I like a good argument fight, as long as it is fair and building on arguments 

I just don't want to offend anyone!

[diverboy70]

... too much 

[I/O]

Seems as long as Bin Laden is kept alive the effort can go on.. Once he is caught there is little left to justify current foreign policy..

BC: So how do you respond to the theory that Bin Laidoften was taken out in the first 5 minutes and only remains as ghost emanating from an ice box?

I/O

[Lit_1nce]

BC: So how do you respond to the theory that Bin Laidoften was taken out in the first 5 minutes and only remains as ghost emanating from an ice box?

I/O

Watch for him to be thawed out as an October surprise ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_surprise

[BC]

BC: So how do you respond to the theory that Bin Laidoften was taken out in the first 5 minutes and only remains as ghost emanating from an ice box?

I/O

I kinda doubt it.  With all the video and audio 'verification' since.. wouldn't make sense if the freezer was in Guantanamo or in a cave somewhere. but then again nothing surprises me nowdays.. maybe I'm getting too old.

[deccie]

Of course the big one, they want us to protect them with all our bases in Europe, and would have a fit if we just told them we were pulling out.

With what aircraft? Since the JSF and F-22 are yet to enter service in significant numbers (I think there are less than 100 F-22's in service so far)  the F-16 and F-15 remain the current majority US fighter aircraft. F-15's are being retired at an accelerated rate due to problems with the wing spars and many other aircraft are being retired due to them running out of airframe hours. If you look at the average age of an air force aircraft today it would probably exceed 20 years. Most of the planes the Air Force flies today have their origins in the 1960's and 70's and need replacing urgently.





I beleive even the F-117 is almost out of service now.

[BC]

The US is always asked to do the dirty work of western Europe. They want their energy from the Middle East, which mostly goes to Europe, but they want the US to be the ones to make sure the shipping lanes remain open and thus can blame the US if something goes wrong as it's not them that are over there. They want the US to stand up to Russia and appear to be the bad guy, so they can keep their trade going strong with Russia and act like they are not against Russia. Of course the big one, they want us to protect them with all our bases in Europe, and would have a fit if we just told them we were pulling out.

There have already been massive drawdowns of US troops in Europe since the 90's.. Not many complaints so far and it continues.  I've seen major bases over here turn into ghost towns.  The local merchants and landlords complain the most.

http://rawstory.com/news/afp/No_decision_on_keeping_40_000_troop_11212007.html

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=57981&archive=true

Expansions are usually met with protests.

http://www.peaceandjustice.it/g-dal-molin.php

No one here has any fear of a RU invasion.

[cloch]

The facts of the matter are that those two regions had an independently free monitered referendum in the 90's about being  independent. Georgia commited a war crime-Russia is quite justified in helping it's compatriots. I find it laughable the comments of some posters from the US- if anyone should be in the Hague it should be Bush for his completely illegal war in Iraq-but of course the cowardly americans won't even sign upto the international courts for justice and a country that is supposedly democratic sees nothing wrong with imprisioning people without trial in g.bay! And they wonder why they are so unpopular over the world.

[steviej]

a