I can see it happening. Hey, this bastard administration has proven themselves below reproach.

Putin accuses U.S. of orchestrating Georgian war

SOCHI, Russia (CNN) — Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has accused the United States of orchestrating the conflict in Georgia to benefit one of its presidential election candidates. [...]

Gee… Wonder just who the hell that would have been?

“U.S. citizens were indeed in the area in conflict,” Putin said. “They were acting in implementing those orders doing as they were ordered, and the only one who can give such orders is their leader.”

Would be absolutely fair terrible if Putin were to see George Bush as George Bush saw Saddam Hussein… invade America and hang his ass.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino blasted Putin’s statements, saying they were “patently false.”

“To suggest that the United States orchestrated this on behalf of a political candidate just sounds not rational,” she said.

Yes, bitch, we know. Don’t suggest anything negative about overlord Bush, or you’ll step out of the shadows and squawk and be shrill on command.

“No surprise, folks. When you ask old men old questions, you get old answers.”

KNOXNEWS Opinion Columnist Thomas P.M. Barnett has a great piece up regarding the Bush administration’s recent attempt to bring back the cold war. A very good read!

What reviving Cold War will end up costing us

The West’s re-demonization of Russia is in full swing, with aging advocates barely able to conceal their glee in resurrecting the “good old days.” It’s a sad commentary on our grand strategic thinking that we so blithely add back the Cold War to our already full plate of global security interests. [...]

Osama bin Laden must be laughing all the way to his cave tonight. Nothing suits his long-term interests better than renewed East-West tension. When the next 9/11 happens, and the inevitable questions arise, it won’t be enough to say, “But we were busy making the Caucasus safe from Russian imperialism.”

In our supreme lack of strategic imagination, we’ve said no, choosing instead to expand NATO right up to Russia’s doorstep and - just now - to get Poland’s agreement to install missile defense. NATO, we tell ourselves, began as an anti-Russia military alliance, and so it must stay. Instead of building something new that could include Russia, we’ve hung onto our Cold War safety blanket, inserting thumb in mouth.

Republicans happily (but falsely) claim that Ronald Reagan ended the cold war. If that were the case, then why try to revive it?

I’m no big fan of Pat Buchanan, but I think he gets it right in this interview with Russia Today

Did US officials know about Georgia’s plans to attack its breakaway region? The issue deserves a special hearing in the US Congress, according to American political commentator Pat Buchanan.

More news from the Georgia/Russia war:

Fuel train explodes after running over landmine

U.S. warships deliver humanitarian aid (and who knows what else) to Georgia

Georgia was tricked, but by Russia or U.S.

Now, if you dare, here’s Russia Today’s interview with Richard Armitage:

Why brief McCain……he’s in no position to do anything but shoot his mouth off and pretend he’s the president. We’ve already seen that doesn’t work out too well. What morons…….

Sen. Lindsey Graham said Friday that his visit to Georgia, Ukraine and Poland, at Sen. John McCain’s behest, persuaded him that the United States and its allies must take tough steps to prevent further Russian military aggression against its smaller neighbors.

Graham, a South Carolina Republican, called on NATO to “stop war-gaming on tables in Brussels” and to begin military exercises in Europe to show its commitment to protecting member nations.

More at McClatchy

Putin tells Bush: Blow me George!

President Bush warned Russia on Saturday against trying to pry loose two separatist regions in Georgia and said Moscow must end military operations in the West-leaning democracy that once was part of the Soviet empire.

Bush told reporters at his Texas ranch that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s signing of a cease-fire plan with Georgia was “a hopeful step.” But Russia’s vision of Georgia without the provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia was a nonstarter, the president said.

“These regions are a part of Georgia and the international community has repeatedly made clear that they will remain so,” said Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at his side. “There’s no room for debate on this matter.”

More at Yahoo News

The Scotsman has a good article with questions and answers in regard to the conflict and international law.

“Georgia accuses Russia of executing a long-planned war with the aim of taking control of the pipeline that carries Asian oil to Black Sea ports.”

QuestionGirl was right. It was about the oil!

Georgian breakaway city in ruins

TSKHINVALI, South Ossetia (CNN) — Tskhinvali, the capital of the separatist Georgian province South Ossetia, lay in smoldering ruins Sunday after three days of fighting between Georgian troops and Russian forces.

Russia’s deputy foreign minister said at least 2,000 people, mostly South Ossetians who claim Russian citizenship, have been killed in Tskhinvali.

The fighting had spread well beyond South Ossetia, with Russian airstrikes on Georgian cities and with thousands of Russian troops in the breakaway province of Abkhazia.

The United States warned Sunday that “disproportionate” actions against Georgia could have a “significant long term impact on U.S.-Russian relations.”

Due the Russia/Georgia conflict, Georgia’s 2,000 troops will be withdrawn from Iraq to return home and help with that conflict. They have been stationed in an area southeast of the capital to help interdict supplies being smuggled to Shiite extremists from Iran. Athough the U.S. military is playing down the removal of these troops, it’s likely U.S. troops will have to replace them, which is significant because it’s a dangerous area and it’s on the Iranian border. Five Georgian troops have been killed in Iraq. Georgia has had the third largest number of troops in Iraq. They sent more troops in last year at a time when most countries were withdrawing.

Sources: Juan Cole, and the AP

Fair question. We illegally invaded Iraq and killed hundreds of thousands for oil. Well, that deserves some clarification. It wasn’t for the oil, in general. It was for the big oil companies, so they can get to the oil… it’s a “my-bestest-buddies / for-profit / greed” thing.

Georgia declares state of war with Russia

TBLISI, Georgia (CNN) — Georgia declared a state of war Saturday as fierce battles with Russia military over the breakaway region of South Ossetia entered their second day.

Russia has launched a full-scale military invasion of Georgia, President Mikhail Saakashvili said during a brief news conference Saturday afternoon.

President George W. Bush is “deeply concerned.”

“We are dealing with absolutely criminal and crazy acts of irresponsible and reckless decision makers, which is on the ground producing dramatic and tragic consequences,” Saakashvili said.

Saakashvili compared the Russian invasion, which he called unprovoked, to the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Just what the world needs right now, another conflict. At least we’re not responsible for this one, right?

Please, God, don’t let ‘decider’ offer any help!

Russian tanks ‘rolling into Georgian breakaway’

TBLISI, Georgia (CNN) — Russian television Friday showed a convoy of Russian tanks and said they were heading into the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia as escalating tensions over the region threatened to boil into full blown conflict.

The move came after Russia denounced as “aggressive” a Georgian troops military offensive to regain control over the province, vowing to respond. [...]

“The Georgian leadership has launched a dirty adventure,” a statement from Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Friday. “We will not leave our peacekeepers and Russian citizens unprotected.”