Russia : 2008 Archives

Russian troops have invaded Georgia far beyond the two provinces where Russian agents have been infiltrating for years seeking to cause unrest. Civilian deaths are mounting, some say in the thousands. Displaced persons are said to be in the tens of thousands.

The U.S. and the EU have demanded Russia withdraw its troops, but that is not happening. Western governments are considering what actions to take, but no plan as yet has emerged.

Senator McCain has called for an emergency meeting of NATO and a reconsideration of its decision last spring not to invite Georgia to become a member of NATO.

"NATO's North Atlantic Council should convene in emergency session to demand a ceasefire and begin discussions on both the deployment of an international peacekeeping force to South Ossetia and the implications for NATO's future relationship with Russia, a Partnership for Peace nation. NATO's decision to withhold a Membership Action Plan for Georgia might have been viewed as a green light by Russia for its attacks on Georgia, and I urge the NATO allies to revisit the decision.

Russian aggression in Georgia is no doubt also intended to intimidate Ukraine, which like Georgia applied for membership in NATO. With its new wealth from energy sales, Russia appears to be attempting to re-establish a Soviet-like sphere of compliant satellites.

Tuesday morning's Daily Mail of London has a lengthy report on the Russian invasion with a number of on-the-scene photographs of civilian casualties.