[Peace-discuss] who ARE they kidding?

Fri Aug 15 18:12:14 CDT 2008

Bush accuses Russia of 'bullying and intimidation' 
By TERENCE HUNT, AP White House Correspondent8-15-08

President Bush on Friday accused Russia of "bullying and
intimidation" [...]
Rice said all Russian troops "must leave immediately" [...]
"Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected," said Bush, speaking just outside the Oval Office.
[...]
Bush said that Russia, with its air, sea and land attacks in
Georgia, had damaged its relations with the United States and other
Western powers.
"Bullying and intimidation are not acceptable ways to conduct
foreign policy in the 21st century," the president said. [...]
"[...]Russia
must respect the freedom of its neighbors," Bush said.[...]
"We need to see where this all ends up," White House deputy press
secretary Gordon Johndroe said on Air Force One, flying to Texas with
Bush. "[...] Right now
their actions have been inconsistent ... with the fundamental
principles of a Europe whole, free and at peace. [...]"

Even before the crisis in Georgia, tensions between Washington and
Moscow have been rising over disputes such as the independence of
Kosovo, NATO's expansion toward Russia's borders and U.S. plans for a
missile defense system in Eastern Europe. Moscow was infuriated when
the United States and Poland reached a deal Thursday to install a U.S.
missile defense base on Polish territory.

[...]Bush said, "The Cold War is over. The days of satellite states and spheres of influence are behind us."
The United States has rushed humanitarian aid to Georgia, using U.S.
military planes that put American forces in the midst of the showdown
with Moscow.
"Moscow must honor its commitment to withdraw its invading forces from all Georgian territory," Bush said.
The president said Americans might be perplexed why the United
States had drawn a line in the sand in defense of Georgia, an
impoverished country that is largely unknown on the world stage.
[...]
Aligning itself firmly with Washington, Georgia sent troops to
Afghanistan and Iraq. [...]
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