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STILL DIGGING.
By Dylan Matthews
In the midst of their current war, it seems average Ossetians and Georgians can agree on one thing: it's the Americans' fault.
Georgians around Gori spoke of America plaintively, uncertainly. They were beginning to feel betrayed.
“Tell your government,” said a man named Truber, fresh from the side of the Tbilisi hospital bed where his son was being treated for combat injuries. “If you had said something stronger, we would not be in this.”
[…]
The Ossetians emerged onto a four-lane highway whose edges had been chopped to pieces by columns of Russian armor. Around them were mountains shrouded by fog.
Tatiana Gobozoyeva was riding in a van with 20 other refugees, many of whom had spent four days huddled in dirty basements. She said she considered the United States responsible for the Georgian aggression.
It's hard to overstate what a catastrophe this conflict has been for the Bush administration. The sight of Russia destroying one of the poster nations of the democratization agenda is bad enough, but there are a whole host of other setbacks. As the above article illustrates, the war's brought to the surface existing antipathy among Russians and Ossetians, and provoked a new "stab in the back" narrative among Georgians. It's provided an opportunity for Russia to turn the Kosovo independence precedent against us with regard to South Ossetia and Abkhazia. It's disrupted the American NATO expansion strategy, not to mention the administration's missile defense plans. Hell, it promises to reduce the troop presence in Iraq, if only by a percentage point or two. If there's a more humiliating way for the Bush foreign policy record to end, I can't think of it.
COMMENTS (11)
"If there's a more humiliating way for the Bush foreign policy record to end, I can't think of it."
Oh, I can come up with a few, but really. Let's pray they never come to pass.
Posted by: zzkmpt | August 11, 2008 9:18 AM
If John McCain had had his way, the United States would have been obligated under the NATO charter to go to war with Russia over the weekend.
Posted by: joe from Lowell | August 11, 2008 10:18 AM
If John McCain had had his way, the United States would have been obligated under the NATO charter to go to war with Russia over the weekend.
If John McCain had his way and Georgia were already part of NATO, it's doubtful that Russia would have attacked and no one at all would have been killed.
It seems that you and Even Dylan are more interested in trying to paint your perceived enemies in a poor light than discussing this important even. It's a shallow post, even for Mr. Matthews.
Posted by: El Viajero | August 11, 2008 11:32 AM
This incident points to the current impotence of the US military to act as a deterrent force. The Russians appreciate this fact and are moving to reconstitute their former Soviet territories. That's the real discussion of this important event. Hence the President's quest to turn Iraq into a US protectorate, for no good reason, has failed and undermined our foreign policy in yet another way.
The real money quote is from the hearaldsun.com.au, "Some fear Moscow may plan to seize all of Georgia to control crucial oil pipelines running through it from the Caspian Sea to Europe, which could make the West even more dependent on Russian oil." Russia recognizes their own long-term strategic power position lies in the control of oil. They also recognize the historic opportunity of the US having its proverbial pants down around its ankles, from a foreign policy standpoint.
Yes, El, this is about how completely the US foreign policy is failing right now. I hope the Bush Administration doesn't try to do more than a few verbal exchanges with Putin at the Olympics. As tragic as inaction may be for the Georgians, with the Bush track record, the only thing worse would be for them to try 'decisive' action.
Posted by: Jaycal | August 11, 2008 12:06 PM
C'mon folks. The US and NATO are not going to go to war with Russia over Georgia. That would be equally true if Georgia were a member of NATO. Putin knows that; anyone with any sense anywhere in the world knows that. The Bushies and the Neocons pose and posture and act as if reality is a movie or a TV series they can write and direct. The tragedy is thousands--tens of thousands--- die because of their naivete, ineptitude and stupidity. The joke, although there is nothing funny about it, is that they are too blind and arrogant to realize when they are proven wrong, again and again.
Posted by: Vile Whig | August 11, 2008 12:12 PM
At the same time people were slaughtered and driven out of their villages, our pathetic Chimpmeister in Chief was joking around and smacking the backsides of nearly naked US volleyball women.
Shades of Katrina, where he was sharing cake with McKrusty and playing his geetar while people drowned and lost their homes in New Orleans...
This sad excuse for a man has NO SHAME. He's having a grand old time jetting around the world when he should be home taking care of his duties!
And Obama's being criticized by the DC bobble-heads for taking a few days off in Hawaii after over a year of 24/7 campaigning.
Posted by: wagonjak | August 11, 2008 1:50 PM
I'm glad you brought up all of the name calling like "Chimpmeister in Chief". What's good for the goose, etc. and Obama looks more like a chimp than Bush ever did!!
Posted by: El Viajero | August 11, 2008 2:35 PM
Georgia is a poster child for democracy? Um no.
Posted by: Observer | August 11, 2008 2:45 PM
I agree that this is a lame and shallow post. Russia will get away with this because nobody wants to pay the costs of confronting them. It's the same reason nobody did a thing when the US invaded Iraq.
Bush is supposed to, what, send troops to fight the Russians?
Georgians are going to die, probably in the thousands. It's got nothing to do with George W. Bush. The Russians are still in Chechnya, and nobody has done anything to stop them. Ever.
Posted by: Fleming | August 11, 2008 4:47 PM
[i]If there's a more humiliating way for the Bush foreign policy record to end, I can't think of it.[/i]
Have some faith, Ezra. They've got five whole months to cook up a finale. There's always Iran.
Posted by: Anthony Damiani | August 11, 2008 10:42 PM
Eep! Dylan. Not Ezra, vacation week. Forgot.
Posted by: Anthony Damiani | August 11, 2008 10:45 PM