U.S. Continues to Meddle in the Former Soviet Union

Vice President Joe Biden recently expressed U.S. support for Ukraine's efforts to enter NATO (despite its own population being against it). Obama and his Neo-Con Lite foreign policy team are also cheerleading for Georgia's entry into NATO.

This is perhaps the dumbest foreign policy effort that the Obama Administration has engaged in so far, piggy backing on the damage in the U.S. - Russia relationship caused by the Bush Administration, and the Clinton Administration before that. Strategically it makes no sense. There are no good outcomes from this effort. None.

The best that could come out of this is a long-term chilling of relations between the U.S. and Russia; basically maintaining the status quo (not in the best interests of the U.S.). The worst that could come from this is a new arms race in Europe and a renewal of the Cold War...and a situation where military conflict (accidental or otherwise) becomes more likely....even more likely than the old NATO vs. Warsaw Pact days, when the two sides battled for influence in Europe and competed in other parts of the World (particularly Africa and Central America).

As I have written a million times before, expanding these kinds of treaties (NATO), particularly to include Countries that are politically, militarily, and economically unstable and are not at peace with their neighbors (and thus don't meet traditional requirements for NATO membership) would expose the U.S. and its military to unnecessary risks. NATO expansion would add more responsibility to a military that is already overstretched. Ultimately, this policy doesn't match up with Obama's efforts to focus more on domestic issues. These kinds of strategic moves overseas can easily derail his domestic agenda....an agenda that is already coming off the rails. Neo-Con Lite, despite what it says about improving relations around the World, seems to be deliberately testing Russia and appears to be willing to manufacture a crisis in Eastern Europe.

And what does the U.S. and NATO get for killing U.S.-Russian relations, taking on all these new responsibilities and risks, destabilizing Eastern Europe, and risking an arms race? Absolutely nothing of any substantive value. Georgia and Ukraine don't offer much militarily to NATO. In fact, the two Countries would be more akin to dead weight. Adding these Countries would be symbolic...another way for the U.S. to thumb its nose at Russia.... but this time the U.S. is dealing with a resurgent Russia. Such a move would only motivate the Russian Government, and its people (who once supported the U.S....but who now basically hate us) to do even more to work against American interests...whether in Iran, in the UN, on energy, North Korea, Iraq, the global economy and in other aspects.

I guess Neo-Con Lite and her 'reset button' nonsense was the gimmick that I thought it was afterall. That's exactly how the Russians are seeing it right about now.

The U.S. Still Seems to Be Itching For A Fight With Russia

NATO plans to hold major military exercises in Georgia next month - in a Country that just finished a war...and for all practical purposes is still at war. The exercises appear to be part of a continuing U.S. effort to instigate conflict in the former Soviet Union.

I was hoping that this madness would cease once Obama took office….but in the back of my mind I knew that there wouldn’t be much “change” on the foreign policy front, especially when it came to NATO and Russia policy.

The continued U.S. instigation in the Caucasus and the push to expand NATO will kill any efforts by the Obama Administration to reboot relations with Russia (which were just cosmetic efforts to begin with). As I stated before…the whole “reset button” nonsense was more photo op than real substance. In fact, these policies may eventually lead to a breakdown in relations altogether and to a renewal of the Cold War... or a rekindling of the Cold War that never really ended. If the U.S. continues in this direction regarding Russia Obama can forget about his dreams of a fresh nuclear arms reduction agreement, or the idea that Russia will help the U.S. with Iran and North Korea….or with any other major conflicts.

Worlds Most Dangerous Flashpoints for 2009

Here is my new list of the Worlds most Dangerous Flashpoints.

Here is the list from the previous year.... and it looks like I was pretty close on a few. In parenthesis below, you will see last years spot for each location or conflict zone. Notice which locations and conflict zones moved up.

New list (for the coming year, 2009)


1. Israel - Iran (4) **
2. Persian Gulf/U.S. - Iran (3) (How will Obama’s Neo-Con Light Foreign Policy Team approach this situation? It bothers the Hell out of me…I have been let down by the signals given by Obama’s transition so far). **
3. Georgia (6) **
4. Pakistan (1)
5. Afghanistan (10)
6. Russia (13) (Russia can officially be called a dictatorship) **
7. Pakistan - India (14) **
8. Caspian Region (12) **
9. Ukraine- Russia (17) **
10. Darfur (Sudan) (5)
11. Iraq (2)
12. Somalia (22)
13. Chad (7)
14. Congo (15)
15. Turkey/Iraq border (Turkey's battle with Kurds) (11)
16. Chechnya, Russia (18)
17. Israel- Lebanon (9)
18. Israel - Syria (8)
19. China - Taiwan (16) ** (now that the Olympics are over... and with the global economy tanking, China may again make a push to take Taiwan. A Nightmare scenario. The good news is... a much less bellicose Government is now in charge in Taiwan-- the confrontational Pro-Independence Party was recently defeated-- which may decrease the chance of a conflict with China).
20. North Korea (the North Koreans have been waiting for a Democratic Administration… but with the Neo-Cons simply being replaced by Obama's Neo-Con Light, it is unclear how negotiations will play out.) **
21. Kosovo (23)
22. Thailand (new to the list)
23. China - Japan (26)
24. Poland - Russia /NATO vs. Russia (new to the list) Not so unthinkable anymore, thanks mostly to U.S. foreign policy. In fact, it’s more likely today than 30 years ago during the height of the Cold War. Eastern Europe is nearing powder keg status once again thanks to Bush's plan to place an anti-ballistic missile system in Poland- one of many Bush policies that Obama and his Neo-Con Light crew are likely to continue.
25. Israel- Palestine (new to the list) I typically think of this long never ending conflict as being isolated to the region. That's mostly true...but it still manages to heighten tensions and affect negotiations elsewhere.
26. Greece- Turkey (25)

Dropped from list: Myanmar/Burma, Sri Lankan Civil War, Venezuela

** = locations and conflicts of particular interest.

Georgia Was Not An Innocent Victim Afterall - Faces War Crimes Allegations

It looks like I was right about the Georgia-Russia War, while John McCain, Joe Biden and Barack Obama got it wrong. I hope this doesn't represent the start of a pattern for Obama/Biden in terms of being on the wrong side of history.

Just as I suspected, reports are now providing confirmation and consensus for the fact that Georgia was the instigator in its war with Russia over the Summer. With the meddling of the U.S. (co-instigator), the Georgians felt emboldened enough to start a war with the Russians. Beyond foolish!

Investigations by the New York Times, Human Rights Watch and others are providing a completely different picture from the one painted by Georgian President Saakashvili, John McCain, and even Barack Obama. McCain and Obama portrayed Russia as the aggressor and vowed to stand by Georgia; even though most reports at the time suggested that Georgia, with the backing of the U.S., instigated the war. This is one of the problems I have with Barack Obama. He is far too quick to jump onto the pro-war bandwagon, in an effort to look like one of the good ole boys. It's no surprise that he is already screwing up as President-elect. I'm already regretting my vote, and it hasn't even been a full week since election day.

It now appears that Georgia lied about the events that led to the war and their eventual defeat.

Listen to a brief story from Public Radio International (PRI).

From The New York Times

TBILISI, Georgia — Newly available accounts by independent military observers of the beginning of the war between Georgia and Russia this summer call into question the longstanding Georgian assertion that it was acting defensively against separatist and Russian aggression.

Georgia moved forces toward the border of the breakaway region of South Ossetia on Aug. 7, at the start of what it called a defensive war with separatists there and with Russian forces.

Instead, the accounts suggest that Georgia’s inexperienced military attacked the isolated separatist capital of Tskhinvali on Aug. 7 with indiscriminate artillery and rocket fire, exposing civilians, Russian peacekeepers and unarmed monitors to harm.

See more from the Daily Kos and from the full New York Times article.

Meanwhile, the Georgian public has begun to turn on their President. We can only pray that they decide to remove Saakashvili from office before his government is able to start anymore wars with the Russians. Saakashvili tried his damnedest to deliberately drag the U.S. into a direct shooting war with Russia. He used the U.S. for what he thought would be his own political gain. Even more troubling than that, the Bush administration actually seemed willing to oblige him, up to a point. Unfortunately Obama supports the typical pro-war Republicrat view of this conflict and pretty much signed on to the Bush administrations Georgia policy...vowing to continue it once he takes the oath of office.

Barack Obama should put an end to the efforts to include Georgia in NATO and he should put an end to NATO expansion altogether. I don't expect him to do so because he is nothing but a puppet at the moment, taking direction from Clinton era advisers who were advocates for NATO enlargement. This was also the policy of the Bush administration. Obama has already indicated that he plans to continue most of the Bush administrations foreign policy initiatives, despite running on a platform (a questionable platform) of "change".

_______________________

See previous posts on Georgia

Georgia Back In Play?

Apparently the early voting in some areas was not taken into account.

The plot thickens.

If Obama can pull that off....

Meanwhile, in Missouri...the difference ended up being around 5,000 votes.

I wonder how Obama would have done if Missouri allowed early voting. Over the last few days... the Republicans began running those nasty ads... that could have scared a few folks.

Update:

After a closer look... McCain has such a huge lead in Georgia that the early voting won't likely change the outcome.... Obama would have to win the outstanding votes by more than 2 to 1. Highly unlikely.

Colin Powell Discusses Georgia Conflict

Powell joins the World of the sane with his assessment of the conflict in Georgia. He hinted that McCain's response was hasty.

Bush Administration Attempting To Provoke Conflict With Russia

The U.S. is reportedly sending a Coast Guard ship to the Georgian Port city of Poti, which is under the control of the Russian armed forces. This appears to be a clear attempt on the part of the Bush Administration to provoke a military confrontation with Russia. The U. S. knows full well that Russia has numerous ships in the Black Sea, in and around Georgia as part of their ongoing military operations there. This effort by the Bush Administration appears to be designed to create the environment for a “Gulf of Tonkin” or German U-Boat style incident. The Bush administration is using the guise of a “humanitarian mission” to send the ships into the Black Sea. There are also other NATO ships in the Black Sea conducting operations.

The Russians are already responding militarily and they have indicated that they will attempt to confront and search any Western ships entering the conflict zone. (This is the scenario that I was referring to last week).

Two other ships, including a Navy Destroyer, were earlier assigned to a different Georgian port- The port of Batumi- where no Russian troops are stationed. But one Destroyer, the McFaul, and possibly others may now head for Poti, a port that was not believed to be under consideration prior to today. The McFaul has been assigned to the Black Sea to conduct military operations after its “humanitarian mission”.

So why is the Coast Guard ship (and possibly more to follow) being sent to Poti, when other ports are available? Why use ships at all, when humanitarian aid can be moved into Georgia through a variety of other means, including by land and air? The U.S. has the greatest airlift capacity of any nation in the World. Why use a U.S. Navy Destroyer (the most powerful combat ship in the U.S. Navy’s arsenal) to ship humanitarian aid, when the U.S. military has access (contracts) to private merchant ships and its own Navy cargo vessels? This is the most bizarre fact of this whole thing. Why even use the military at all for this? The EU, UN, and NGO’s had been handling the real humanitarian effort and they have the know-how and expertise to best distribute any such aid.

This is an effort by the U.S. to flex its military might in what has become the biggest flashpoint on earth. U.S. & NATO warships in the Black Sea is provocation enough. But the use of a port that is part of ongoing military operations of another nation is a clear attempt by the White House to try to insert the U.S. directly into the conflict. There is no logical reason to use the Poti port or any other zone under Russian control, especially when other options are available. And it reveals the entire “humanitarian mission” as the fraud that it really is.

Contact peace advocates, diplomats, UN representatives, NGO’s/Peace Groups, and government representatives to put a halt to this reckless irresponsible schoolyard brinksmanship, before a new conflict and a new much larger crisis erupts.

I predicted this problem in my posting from last week, and suggested that the U.S. was using "humanitarian aid" as a way to get involved in the conflict.

Russia and the U.S. - An Essential Discussion

Hear an excellent discussion regarding U.S. - Russian relations from the On Point radio program.

The panel includes Strobe Talbott (A former Clinton Hawk, playing more of the neocon role in this debate), and Stephen Cohen, a great foreign policy analyst who has a more sane approach to U.S. foreign policy and seems to have a better grasp of where U.S. - Russia relations have been and where they are headed.

The U.S. Is Playing Russian Roulette In Georgia and Beyond

And the Sane people of the World, myself included, cannot understand why.

The Bush Administration Seeks To Insert The U.S. Into the Conflict

Why is the military always the answer to every problem for the United States? It is always the first thing U.S. leaders think about in a crisis. It’s as if no other options exist for these people.

Well, it appears that the Georgian conflict could eventually escalate. The Bush administration has announced that it will send humanitarian aid to Georgia via the U.S. military. The Bush administration also says that it will take control of Georgian ports. The question is - how are they going to do this without a possible confrontation? They know that Russia has blockaded Georgian ports, taking full control of most of them.

The following is from the International Herald Tribune:

On a day the White House evoked emotional memories of the cold war, a senior Pentagon official said Wednesday that the relief effort was intended "to show to Russia that we can come to the aid of a European ally, and that we can do it at will, whenever and wherever we want." At a minimum, American forces in Georgia will test Russia's pledge to allow relief supplies into the country; they could also deter further Russian attacks, though at the risk of a potential military confrontation.

"We expect Russia to ensure that all lines of communication and transport, including seaports, airports, roads and airspace, remain open for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and for civilian transit," Bush said. "We expect Russia to meet its commitment to cease all military activities in Georgia, and we expect all Russian forces that entered Georgia in recent days to withdraw from that country."President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia, who has sharply criticized what he called a failure of the West to support his country, declared the U.S. relief operation a "turning point" in the conflict, which began last Thursday when Georgian forces tried to establish control in the breakaway region of South Ossetia, only to be routed by the Russians.

And what did the Russians do right after the U.S. came out with these statements about keeping Ports and rail lines open? They re-captured a Western port, took more prisoners, and blew up the rail line between Tblisi and Gori, cutting off an important link. And that was simply to prove a point and it allowed the Russians to thumb their noses right back at the U.S. .....you see, everytime that the U.S. makes these grand statements and demands that Russia do something (instead of talking to Russia, listening and truely negotiating in good faith about solving these wider issues once and for all) it only complicates the situation. It makes it more difficult for EU and OSCE diplomats to mediate.

Complicating matters even more....John McCain issued a statement last week stating that if he becomes President, he would push hard to have Georgia included in NATO. Thanks a lot John McCain. Essentially he is saying that he wants to all but guarantee a U.S. conflict with Russia if he is elected, as if we need any new wars, not to mention a war of that magnitude. The U.S. can't handle the two wars that it is currently entangled in. Complete madness!!!

Amazingly Barack Obama, the so-called "change" candidate, followed suit... saying that Georgia should be a part of NATO. That was the last straw for me in terms of how I view Barack Obama and his candidacy.

I knew that the longer this conflict dragged on, there would be a greater risk of the Bush administration doing something stupid like sending in the military's "humanitarian aid". Why in the world would the U.S. send troops (of any kind) to a conflict zone like Georgia unless it was seeking confrontation?

The danger with this situation is that a misunderstanding could lead to a larger conflict. We are dealing with 3 irrational government leaderships - In Georgia, Russia, and the United States. Increased involvement by the U.S. will only increase the risk of an incident. No one will be able to say that it was unforeseen if an incident occurs.

This new U.S. mission may be a deliberate attempt by the Bush administration to inject the U.S, further into the conflict. This “humanitarian” mission in Georgia may also be an effort by the Bush Administration to get the U.S. involved in a war without seeking Congressional approval. The guise of “humanitarianism” is always a convenient tool for avoiding Congressional approval for wars. Why a large humanitarian mission now in the absence of a permanent peace deal? And why is the U.S. so eager to take the lead role, when the EU had already taken this responsibility?

I also find it interesting that Bush is sending a humanitarian mission via the military so soon in Georgia. It all seems so disingenuous. If the U.S. were really concerned about humanitarianism, then why in the Hell hasn’t he sent significant help to Darfur, where there is a real genocide underway….responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Africans, and displacing hundreds of thousands more?

What is really going on here is that the U.S. seems to be itching for a fight with Russia. At the least, the U.S. wants to continue poking Russia in the eye. In fact, we are in a frightening situation where war hawks control the governments of all 3 principal Countries in this conflict, particularly in the U.S. and Russia. In the U.S., we have an administration still controlled by neocons who long for a return of old Cold War tensions. They dream of taking us back to that period. They seem to welcome the idea of confrontation with Russia. Consequences? Who cares about consequences? They don’t care about the consequences of their hard-line approach. The rush they get from Cold War nostalgia overshadows the consequences.

On the Russian side….you have some of the same nonsense going on…. A group of ex-KGB men who also want to return to their old Cold War glory. Putin has made clear that he wanted to return Russia to the kind of status that it held during the Soviet days.

Any humanitarian mission should be part of a larger international effort - not an effort led by the U.S. military. The “humanitarian” mission seems to be about machismo…ego, and an effort by the U.S. to puff its chest. In fact, this whole conflict is about egos. Pride and emotionalism have trumped rational thought in Georgia, Russia and the U.S.

The U.S. intends to entrench itself even deeper into Georgia, by stepping up military contacts (despite the U.S. trained Georgian Army being trounced once already), and providing more economic aid. Senator Joe Biden - a possible VP choice for Barack Obama, recently took a trip to Georgia promising more money from American taxpayers. (I am amazed at how fast they move for European Countries, but have yet to provide the same urgency for Darfur, where tens of thousands have been killed....where there really is a genocide taking place).

As if that's not enough, the U.S. and Germany, among others, have essentially promised NATO membership for Georgia, with Ukraine not far behind. This is despite the fact that it makes no good sense whatsoever, and many experts have sounded the alarm about such a move. Some believe that NATO is like a book club, or a treehouse gang. They seem to forget that NATO is a one for all, all for one military defense alliance. The risks of a conflict increases, and the burden on member countries increases (esp. the larger nations) whenever a new nation is added. Furthermore, NATO has not traditionally been in the business (until recently) of including unstable Countries, and countries that are in conflict, and have regular skirmishes with their neighbors. Why The U.S. wants to make this move is beyond comprehension and goes against everything that is sane & rational.

Related Links

Article On Georgia and NATO from March 08

Article from the New York Times

More on NATO

Georgia Still on Course for NATO membership

Georgia & Russia Conflict and Missile Defense In Europe

More on the Georgia - Russia crisis and the Missile Defense Deal with Poland, from PRI. Check Audio Report. The lunacy of U.S. Foreign policy in Europe is unbelievable.

As I have stated on this blog numerous times, the expansion of NATO (the growth of Empire) and the fanatical drive to place missile interceptors in former Warsaw Pact territory makes absolutely no sense.... not militarily, not economically, and not politically.

More from NPR

Discussion Of Last Weeks Events

Hear a great discussion of last weeks events from On Point Radio.

The main topic of discussion was the Russia-Georgia conflict, and the insane U.S. policy that has instigated the crisis. Unfortunately the debate was 2 against 1 (2 Neocons vs. 1 Progressive, Mr. Jack Beatty). Usually the panels on this program are more balanced.

A Proposal for Mediating Georgia Conflict

A Possible Mediation/Peace Proposal For Georgian Conflict

DISCLAIMER/CLARIFICATION: None of the organizations listed below has endorsed these ideas. The Purpose of the message was to spur thought & discussion among organizations so that they could come up with their own ideas. Sorry for any confusion.

Efforts Should Focus on the Following:

1. Establishing a ceasefire to allow for the treatment & evacuation of the wounded and to establish a safe humanitarian corridor for civilians to evacuate. Establish access for Red Cross & other NGO’s.

2. Get all military forces to pull back either completely or partially to establish a demilitarized buffer zone. Deweaponize the area. This will reduce the number of clashes.

3. Establish a more permanent ceasefire and begin negotiations on the long-term status of South Ossetia.

4. Make sure rebel groups stand down and are part of negotiations.

5. Allow a stabilization force of a few thousand UN Soldiers to patrol the area to fill the buffer zone; including UN observers. This UN force should not include any American ground troops. Ideally, this UN force should be made up of troops from neutral Countries, and both disputing parties should have at least some say on the make-up of this force. Some of the observers could include officials from both sides, but the majority of any observer force should come from neutral Countries.

6. (In the interim) Return to the 16 year status quo of autonomous self rule in South Ossetia. Also, allow the UN to fund & rebuild the region.

7. Allow the South Ossetians to have a vote on their own future --A). to become independent, B). move to Russia, C). remain in Georgia, D). maintain UN administration, or E). some other option agreeable to both parties. The U.S. should not have a double standard on this issue. The U.S. either believes in self determination or it doesn’t. There should not be one set of rules for some Countries and another set of rules for others….(Kosovo for example).

One possible compromise could involve Georgia keeping the land and Russia keeping the pro-Russian people. The U.S., U.N. & Russia should offer to pay (share the cost) for the relocation of the 40,000-60,000 South Ossetians who may want to move to Russia. They could be accommodated by a combination of existing housing and new housing within Russia. Housing costs for each family could be paid for up to 2-3 years. Or the South Ossetians could be compensated based on the housing and the land that they held while in South Ossetia. The relocation costs would be marginal compared with much larger migrations in history. The payments and buyouts should be high enough that relocating would provide the South Ossetians with a higher standard of living. This may help encourage people to accept the idea of relocation.

Another possible compromise could involve a partition of South Ossetia. This would probably not be the best option, but it may be acceptable to both parties. All of the pro-Russian residents who want to relocate can move into Russia and/or inside of the Russian portion of South Ossetia. Those residents who want to remain in Georgia could remain on the Georgian side. This may reduce relocation costs and travel distances. Residents on either side of the partition could be allowed to have dual citizenship. The drawback is that this might create a situation where disputing parties would live in close proximity…. Risking future skirmishes and conflicts.

8. Work towards a long-term non-aggression treaty between Georgia and Russia.

9. Use the carrot of future EU membership, economic aid & incentives to get the Georgians to cooperate.

10. Use the carrot of economic investment, trade, and a possible promise of no NATO membership for Georgia to get Russian cooperation. Show Russia that its relationships with Europe and the rest of the World are far more important than the Georgia issue. Emotions seem to be drowning out rational thought on the Russia side.

This crisis & other outstanding disputes are perfect examples of why NATO membership should not be considered for Georgia at any time. Stability is a key requirement for NATO membership, and Georgia does not meet that standard. There are also various other reasons why Georgia should not be considered for NATO membership. It is for these reasons that several NATO member Countries were not likely to approve Georgian membership anyway. Furthermore, Georgian membership would not offer NATO any substantial capability…it would not offer anything to NATO. Georgia would be more of a liability to NATO than an asset - It would be another liability for the U.S. and Europe to defend militarily, and a country that is not among the most stable. It would increase risk of a conflict, and would be one of the most irresponsible decisions that Europe/NATO has ever made.

Europe and the U.S. should open a wider dialogue with Russia about NATO expansion, since this is such a source of tension. It is time to consider Russian concerns.

11. Ensure that other nations do not enter the conflict militarily, even on a minimal level, and make sure that the international community and nations involved in mediation remain as neutral as possible.

12. Get all U.S. Nationals out of Georgia.

NONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS OR INDIVIDUALS BELOW HAVE SIGNED OFF ON THESE IDEAS, NOR WAS I SEEKING ANY SUCH ENDORSEMENT. I will be deleting this message in the next few days, since the situation in Georgia has improved. Previous e-mails can also be disregarded, since the war is coming to an end....no action or further interest is warranted at this point.

Contact your member of Congress, governments, & organizations and push for mediation to bring a lasting ceasefire & an eventual Peace process in Georgia.

Below is a list of organizations that may be able to help spread the word and encourage mediation.

Carter Center
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=carterweb@emory.edu

Gov. Bill Richardson
http://www.governor.state.nm.us/emailchoice.php?mm=6


Kofi Annan
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=omct@omct.org
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Iv@omtc.org

Council on Foreign Relations

http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=president@cfr.org
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=jreinke@cfr.org

Other Groups That Were Contacted (Please help connect with other groups)

United for Peace and Justice (coalition of hundreds of Peace groups)
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/contactus.php

The Carter Center - Hrair Balian- Coordinator of Conflict Resolution program
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=carterweb@emory.edu
(Let's get President Carter and his staff involved)

Peace Action
Director Kevin Martin
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=kmartin@peace-action.org

Barbara Bearden - Head of Communications
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=bbearden@peace-action.org

Other Key Peace-Action Staff
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=eswanson@peace-action.org
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/starighi@peace-action.org

FOR- Fellowship of Reconciliation
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Hgaston@forusa.org
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Mheckler@forusa.org
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Mjohnson@forusa.org

Physicians for social responsibility
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=psrnatl@psr.org

2020 vision
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Vision@2020vision.org

Union of Concerned Scientists
http://www.ucsusa.org/ucs/about/public-information-request.html

Veterans for Peace
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=vfped@veteransforpeace.net

War resisters
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=wrl@warresisters.org

Womens International League for Peace and Freedom
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=executivedir@wilpf.org

International Action Center
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=iacenter@action-mail.org

Nonviolent Peace Force
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=mduncan@nonviolentpeaceforce.org
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=RCarriere@nonviolentpeaceforce.org

Answer coalition
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=answer@answersf.org

Coalition for world peace
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=staff@coalitionforworldpeace.org

NAPF
http://wagingpeace.org/email_staff.php?person=dkrieger
http://wagingpeace.org/email_staff.php?person=scrandell

Moveon
http://www.moveon.org/event/faq/index.html?expand_all=-1&faq_id=45
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=adamgreen@moveon.org

Student Peace Action
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=SPAN@Peace-Action.org
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=info@paxchristiusa.org

Witness for Peace
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Melinda@witnessforpeace.org

Campaign for Peace and Democracy
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=cpd@igc.org

American Friends Service Committee
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=PRasp@afsc.org
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=KDana@afsc.org
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=MHaggans@afsc.org
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=tomas@initiativet.nu

Women for Peace
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=womenforpeace@optusnet.com.au
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=info@peacewomen.org
information@huntalternatives.org
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=WFWPIntl1@aol.com

International Crisis Group (Trained Mediators Mr. Grono- VP for Ops, And Mr. Evans - Pres.)
http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?action=form&fid=14&l=1

Info on Campus organizing
http://www.ibiblio.org/netchange/cco/
http://www.ibiblio.org/netchange/cco/orghelpful.html

Antiwar
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Obama Reads From The Bush Script on Georgia

Obama's response to the situation in Georgia shows a lack of understanding for what is going on in the region.

His comment today (pretty generic):

"Russia should respect the territorial integrity of Georgia".

In other words.... an Obama advisor told him what to say. But it shows that he would likely be a blind supporter of Georgia just like Bush and McCain... daring Russia into a confrontation. NOT GOOD Senator Obama. This is right from the Bush Administration talking points. Here you have a situation where the two war mongers and the Democrat all agree. This is one of the main problems with the Democrats that I often discuss here on this blog.

Bush was in Beijing while all of this was going on, and once again he was asleep at the wheel (what a joke of a President). Instead of immediately going into a crisis meeting with PM Putin to resolve the issue, he reiterated his flawed position, likely agitating the Russians even further....as he often does. I have said it a million times... that this is the wrong Administration to have in the middle of a crisis like this.

If Obama actually understood the situation, he should take a more neutral, middle of the road approach...taking no sides. He should also remove U.S. troops from Geogia... that's if we manage to get through this crisis. This just raises more questions about Obama...and reminds me of the other instances where he has been willing to sell out the best interests of the American people, for the sake of what foreign governments want- namely his approach to Israel... but there have been others.

Senator Obama, the U.S. either supports self determination or it doesn't. You either support self determination or you don't. You can't have one set of rules for Kosovo, and another set of rules for South Ossetia or any other region, just because they don't want to align themselves with the U.S.

Obama is just as hypocritical as Bush and McCain on this. On one hand, Obama wants to break U.S. dependence on foreign energy & he claims that the U.S. should not have conflicts over oil...but I guess he doesn't understand one of the reasons why the U.S. is in Georgia - to maintain oil pipelines and to secure more oil pipeline deals for America's big oil industry. Oil is one of the root causes of the competition between Russia and the U.S. in that particular region.

This is why the U.S. is doomed as a nation. This kind of reckless and nonsensical foreign policy cannot be sustained. There will have to be a fundamental change to the American imperialist mentality.

Hopefully Obama will take some time to study the situation in Georgia a little more...and refine his position. The U.S. should be in the role of mediator and peacemaker in Georgia, rather than an instigator. It should be a neutral party that will push hard for negotiations. It should not entangle itself in this conflict...or any other like it in that part of the World. These conflicts have been raging on and off for generations, with ethnic and cultural differences that were well defined long before the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Obama should be calling for an end to fighting and for Peace Talks.... from a neutral position...and he shouldn't waste anymore time doing so.

Fighting Breaks Out In Georgia

The U.S. and the Russians Are Once Again In A Standoff in Europe - Thanks to the Bush Administration

Conflict has erupted in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. Georgian troops have attempted to reclaim the breakaway territory of South Ossetia. South Ossetia is a small enclave of about 70,000 people that is culturally & economically connected more with Russia. The breakaway region, backed by Russia, wants independence. Abkhazia is another region that wants to break from the Georgian government.

On the other side is Georgia, backed by the United States. The Georgian government does not want to give up control of the South Ossetia region. The U.S. has been ignoring warning signs of a conflict for months. In fact, the U.S. has been an instigator, escalating tensions. Ironically, this is all taking place as the Olympic Games are starting in Beijing. Leave it up to Bush and the United States to screw up the Olympics. Almost everywhere the U.S. goes, it brings nothing but war, chaos and trouble. This is why the U.S. is a growing pariah in the World. The U.S. couldn't even agree to call an end to the fighting at the UN. And it's ironic that Bush lectures the Chinese and other Countries about Democracy, freedom and allowing self determination, yet at the very moment that the U.S. is giving these lectures, it does not support self determination for the people of South Ossetia. This is despite pushing for Kosovo Independence. It is clear that U.S. political leaders only support freedom and self determination when it is convenient.

I have warned several times before that this was one of the biggest hotspots in the World. It is more volatile than the Korean DMZ in terms its likelihood for conflict...and it could have global consequences. Russian troops patrol the disputed region and thousands of U.S. troops are in Georgia. This could get as ugly as Berlin.... maybe worse. In Berlin, conflict was averted. We seem to be already past that threshold in Georgia. It's amazing how a tiny region of just 70,000 people could have the potential to create a regional conflict that could impact so many others. Remember WWI began over nonsense and it ended up being one of the most costly wars in human history, killing millions upon millions of people. And nations ended up in a stalemate.... gaining very little if anything that was worth the cost.

The Georgian conflict is another example of the U.S. being asleep at the wheel. The incompetence and recklessness of the Bush Administration exacerbates these conflicts, and has wasted so many lives already. Will we survive the next 6 months of this administration? Will we survive the policies of the next President? Who knows. My confidence that we will come out o.k. keeps eroding from one week to the next. But U.S. foreign policy has to change. In the Georgian conflict, the U.S. has allowed the Georgians to dictate policy, potentially at our expense, and even when it is not in our interests. It's another case of U.S. foreign policy decisions being made by foreign Presidents and Prime Ministers...and we simply follow along.

This latest conflict centers around oil and oil transit routes. The U.S. and Russia are competing for defacto control of the region so that they can control the flow of the regions natural resources. Another reason why the U.S. needs to end its dependence on foreign energy. The U.S. has few compelling, overriding interests in Georgia. Yet we sent a few thousand U.S. troops there after 9/11 under the guise of terrorism. The U.S. promised the Russians and other nations that U.S. troops would be out by now, but the Bush Administration did not keep its word. As a result, we have a situation that some analysts had feared...a new Cold War front.

See More Information About Georgia and the Roots of the Current Conflict

More Trouble Between Russia and Georgia

Russia and Georgia just can't seem to get along. The thugs in the Russian government claim to know nothing about the reported bombing attempt on Georgian territory.

See Report

What Americans should be concerned about is the fact that the U.S. is pushing for NATO membership for Georgia, despite the fact that skirmishes between Georgia and Russia are fairly common. Also the political situation in Georgia is not stable...and they would offer little to NATO in terms of capabilities. In fact, Georgia would be more of a liability.

This is why NATO membership for Georgia is a bad idea.... it does not have a good, stable relationship with its neighbors. NATO expansion overall is a bad idea. It is an unnecessary burden for the U.S., at a time when the country already has too many defense treaty obligations. The U.S. should radically decrease these obligations instead of adding new ones.