Victor knocks another one out of the park.

"After all, who wants to die for Tbilisi?"

I thought nobody wanted to die for dear old Rutgers?

Russia does not need a global force-projection capacity; it has sufficient power to muscle its neighbors and thereby humiliate not merely its enemies, but their entire moral pretensions as well.

Yep. He has this absolutely right.

So, what are we going to do? Bleat and wring our hands? Or find a way to act?

Drill now, dammit!

How about one nice self guided missile into Vlads' hotel?

re: #2 Nevergiveup

If the Russians really perceive a lack of will, it won't be that long before that is a real question.

re: #3 Dianna

Yep. He has this absolutely right.

So, what are we going to do? Bleat and wring our hands? Or find a way to act?

We can start enforcing our will within our "sphere of influence"! Ya hear that Hugo?

re: #7 Nevergiveup

Irrelevant.

However satisfying it may be to contemplate.

"The Russians rightly expect Westerners to turn on themselves, rather than Moscow — and they won’t be disappointed. Imagine the morally equivalent fodder for liberal lament: We were unilateral in Iraq, so we can’t say Russia can’t do the same to Georgia. (As if removing a genocidal dictator is the same as attacking a democracy). We accepted Kosovo’s independence, so why not Ossetia’s? (As if the recent history of Serbia is analogous to Georgia’s.) We are still captive to neo-con fantasies about democracy, and so encouraged Georgia’s efforts that provoked the otherwise reasonable Russians (As if the problem in Ossetia is our principled support for democracy rather than appeasement of Russian dictatorship)." ~VDH

Exactly how it's playing out.

re: #8 Dianna

Irrelevant.

However satisfying it may be to contemplate.

It really isn't. There is plenty of talk about Soviet Russia selling offensive conventional weapons to Venezuela. That should not be allowed. And any flight of Nuclear armed planes to Cuba is a RED LINE. This is how the game was played and will be played again.

I think the best way for us to act against all these thugs in the world is to build nuclear power plants and drill our own oil. We're a huge consumer. We take ourselves out of the market and suddenly the providers want to please us. In theory, of course.

Sadly, our dem congress likes all this thuggary (as long as it fits their socialistic world view) and they'll block any move the US might try to make to maintain an influence in the world.

Russia Mad! Russia Smash! Russia is strongest one there is!

Our leftists aren't humiliated by Putin's illegal okkyupayshun--they're AWED! They're struck dumb with admiration for Putin's gall.

We need to respond the way Reagan responded:
We need to beef up our armed forces.
We need to keep working on new weapon systems.

We need to elect John McCain.

re: #7 Nevergiveup

We can start enforcing our will within our "sphere of influence"! Ya hear that Hugo?

I think you're right.

Ok, Mr. McCain, get your team on it.

In Europe, being a little country next to a big one has never been easy.

I still think it's a ruse to shift attention from the fact Russia is tied with the French for 7th place in Olympic medal count. They will go to any length...

Thank you Charles for posting this.

Russia does not need a global force-projection capacity; it has sufficient power to muscle its neighbors and thereby humiliate not merely its enemies, but their entire moral pretensions as well.

Would that this were the case.

While I like the way this whole article reads, I think VDH is getting a little soft his own self. Putin is playing a global game here, whether or not that requires aircraft carriers is not the point.

Secret plan: we should send Obama over to Russia and bore Putin and the the Russian regime to death.

Here is what is most clear from recent events:

Together with the dismal NATO performance in Afghanistan, the Georgian incursion reveals the weakness of the Atlantic Alliance. The tragic irony is unmistakable. NATO was given a gift in not having made Georgia a member, since otherwise an empty ritual of evoking Article V’s promise of mutual assistance in time of war would have effectively destroyed the Potemkin alliance.

I ask again - why are we in NATO? Why is it important to please Europe? Why should we spend so much money and attention defending Europe, when Europe works at creating a "multi polar" world and diminishing US influence in it?

What are we getting out of the trillions invested over more than 50 years?

re: #20 hepcat

Secret plan: we should send Obama over to Russia and bore Putin and the the Russian regime to death.

I don't know, once the Russians get their tires inflated properly, the might rule the world!

Obama thinking: But "soft power" is so...suave. Where as "hard power" is...mean.

Putin's running the show and knows exactly what he was doing. You don't move that many tanks into Georgia without planning and getting the damn things there. Takes time and a lot of effort.

Medvedev plays the puppet well. All the "reformations" Putin made drove it backwards towards socialism and the soviet empire. He took away the public television, took away the power to elect local governors of the the oblasts (regions/states) and made it appointed by the powers that be--not the people.

Putin flew out to the area to supervise, not Medvedev. That shows you who the real power is.

VDH has it right. Russia is making a grab for land and power, again. The west will sit idle until too late. This breaks my heart.

re: #22 itellu3times

they might rule the world

I've been sparring with my resident BDS-infected, Jew-hating oh excuse me Anti-"Zionist", Paulian and he's doing exactly what VDH says. Blaming the USA and the Joooooos of course. According to him, Georgia invaded Russia, it's all the neo-cons fault and Russia is absolutely in the right to defend themselves.

Spot on, as usual. In the past month, Prof. Hanson has been on quite a roll, as anyone who follows his articles and reads his blog will attest.

Is it too much to hope that a key lesson GWB draws from this whole debacle is that Iran cannot be permitted to become another Russia (and that the clock is ticking fast on this issue)?...

At "The Weekly Standard," Reuel Marc Gerecht provides a perspective on the Iran question that is alarmingly similar in tone and direction to the VDH piece on Putin -- with the charming title "The End of Nuclear Diplomacy (Iran to the West: Drop Dead)".

[Link: www.weeklystandard.com...]

re: #26 Rogue198

I've been sparring with my resident BDS-infected, Jew-hating oh excuse me Anti-"Zionist", Paulian and he's doing exactly what VDH says. Blaming the USA and the Joooooos of course. According to him, Georgia invaded Russia, it's all the neo-cons fault and Russia is absolutely in the right to defend themselves.

I suppose if the US Army established a new base in Southern California, that would be tantamount to invading Mexico.

re: #26 Rogue198

I've been sparring with my resident BDS-infected, Jew-hating oh excuse me Anti-"Zionist", Paulian and he's doing exactly what VDH says. Blaming the USA and the Joooooos of course. According to him, Georgia invaded Russia, it's all the neo-cons fault and Russia is absolutely in the right to defend themselves.

Well I think we could the same excuse to invade Mexico and take over their oil wells?
///Kidding, but it is an appealing thought.

Gads, Putin would have the Obamaloon for lunch. Obama - nature's example of a perfect vacuum.

Where are all the limp liberals who bitched about the "unilateral" intervention in Iraq?

Where are they?

Russia went in on this alone--unilaterally.

This is not just Russian luck of sitting on a lot of natural gas and oil. The western lack of clarity and resolve is the payoff of decades of Soviet psy ops, clumsy in the fifities but more sophisticated and powerful in the 60's, 70's (and that includes the stories created for their arab clients like Arafat) and even though Russkies had a weak decade or two later on, western institutions like education, mass media, and family are significantly corroded from the work of the boys in the backroom of that big outfit that now Putin works for.

re: #20 hepcat

Secret plan: we should send Obama over to Russia and bore Putin and the the Russian regime to death.

We could send the WAB as well, but I think that might be considered a "crime against humanity".

They've got "Sinister Brilliance".

We're going to have "Change".

In any contest, I fear a quick- and unfortunate- outcome.

re: #29 karmic_inquisitor

I suppose if the US Army established a new base in Southern California, that would be tantamount to invading Mexico.

Oh, he would be perfectly ok with that, he wants a multi-story wall with 50 cals situated every 100 ft or so along the entire border to keep all those brown people out.

This has been a spectacle of Russian rage and power: a military parade with actual firing of guns.
It remains to be seen whether or not, in a month or so the Russians won't be hunkered down getting sniped and dogged by guerillas.
Afghanistan went there way for a time.

re: #28 ShumBaayaMyLord

Is it too much to hope that a key lesson GWB draws from this whole debacle is that Iran cannot be permitted to become another Russia (and that the clock is ticking fast on this issue)?...

At "The Weekly Standard," Reuel Marc Gerecht provides a perspective on the Iran question that is alarmingly similar in tone and direction to the VDH piece on Putin -- with the charming title "The End of Nuclear Diplomacy (Iran to the West: Drop Dead)".

[Link: www.weeklystandard.com...]

FWIW, the European response to Georgia guarantees Iran a nuclear weapon. Plus, there will be no ABM technology between Iran and Europe.

Screw Europe.

Let them stew in their juices.

re: #30 Nevergiveup

Well I think we could the same excuse to invade Mexico and take over their oil wells?
///Kidding, but it is an appealing thought.

* * *
Red diaper baby socialist Spanish vice president Maria Teresa de la Vega was in Mexico recently encouraging them to modernize their OIL WELLS.

Lefty wants free stuff, including other people's oil.

re: #29 karmic_inquisitor

Wouldn't it be? BHO probably would say so.

re: #36 Rogue198

Oh, he would be perfectly ok with that, he wants a multi-story wall with 50 cals situated every 100 ft or so along the entire border to keep all those brown people out.

I suppose he sees no irony in all of that.

Can the guy read a map?

re: #26 Rogue198

I've been sparring with my resident BDS-infected, Jew-hating oh excuse me Anti-"Zionist", Paulian and he's doing exactly what VDH says. Blaming the USA and the Joooooos of course. According to him, Georgia invaded Russia, it's all the neo-cons fault and Russia is absolutely in the right to defend themselves.

It's time we started to do something about our own quislings.

re: #32 Jinx

Where are all the limp liberals who bitched about the "unilateral" intervention in Iraq?

Where are they?

Russia went in on this alone--unilaterally.

* * *
They did not lose any time or troops waiting for the world to weigh in & give them a green light!

Whereas, we waited for the World's Permission and still got NO LOVE.

VDH makes the best point, which is that the sky-high prices of oil are enabling the world's worst dictators, from Russian to Iranian, by filling their coffers.

You want to hurt Russia? Drilling for more oil domestically actually would help out there.

Fortunately, McCain (at least) understands this.

Have a look at this article from the Contra Costa Times: 12 Year Old Girl Returns from Georgia.

This is how local news is playing the story. A 12-year-old telling people that Georgia's at fault.

Please note the family names; more precisely, note the endings. -ev is a Great Russian ending. - eva designates that it's a woman (just to clear any confusion).

re: #32 Jinx

Where are all the limp liberals who bitched about the "unilateral" intervention in Iraq?

Where are they?

Supporting The Soviet Union Russia.

Of course, if the Russian Duma would lift their ban on drilling Siberian oil and gas, this attack would not have been necessary...

I'm watching the nations of the former Warsaw Pact very closely. They were never under any illusions about Russia. It is significant that several Eastern European heads of state, along with France's Sarkozy, are in Georgia visiting to show moral support, if nothing else. There are rumblings out of the Ukraine of the need to immediately beef up their armed forces potential. I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see these states decide they have to act collectively somehow, regardless of Western Europe's actions or in-actions, to unite more somehow to insure their security, with or without permission out of the likes of Brussels.

I need to know what George Clooney thinks about this...

re: #41 karmic_inquisitor

I suppose he sees no irony in all of that.

Can the guy read a map?

Not in the slightest, like I said, he's a Paulian. America first, only and F' the rest of the world, especially the Jooooooos.

Nope, he begins every geo-political analysis with the question: How does this help Israel (bad), hurt Israel (good)

re: #42 The Other Les

It's time we started to do something about our own quislings.

Whole hearted agreement

Indeed, tired of European lectures, the Russians are now telling the world that soft power is, well, soft. Moscow doesn’t give a damn about the United Nations, the European Union, the World Court at the Hague, or any finger-pointing moralist from Geneva or London. Did anyone in Paris miss any sleep over the rubble of Grozny?

As much as I'm against Russia and think we should be preparing to crush them utterly, I do almost have to admire Putin for calling these Chickenshits bluff and exposing how worthless and toothless they truly are.

re: #46 The Other Les

Supporting The Soviet Union Russia.

* * *
The 1968 Is Great Crowd

Was also AWOL & oddly silent
when USSR invaded
Czechoslovakia in 1968.

Waffling
Windsurfing
Bodysurfing

Regarding Hugo... we are doing something....

re: #49 BakaRanger

I need to know what George Clooney thinks about this...

Heads: It's Georgia's fault.
Tails: It's Bush's fault.

re: #51 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

As much as I'm against Russia and think we should be preparing to crush them utterly, I do almost have to admire Putin for calling these Chickenshits bluff and exposing how worthless and toothless they truly are.

"Crush them utterly"? What do you propose to do?

re: #30 Nevergiveup

Well I think we could the same excuse to invade Mexico and take over their oil wells?
///Kidding, but it is an appealing thought.

Appealing? Have you been to Mexico lately? No offense to Manuel, but that place is going to hell in a handbasket, and will continue to do so until they get control of the drug gangs.

When moonbat professors teach debate skills.....
FHSU Professor cusses and mooning students and teachers during debate

Video of Fort Hays State Debate Coach Bill Shanahan in the heated debate.
The video prompted a campus wide investigation.

Part of it involves Professor Bill Shanahan mooning the woman he's arguing with.

But all of the video has Shanahan screaming at a debate judge after a debate on race.

You're doing it wrong.

War is bad! unless it is a communist or totalitarian regime killing free people, then it is understandable and somehow Bush's fault

/the heretofore very VOCAL 'anti-war' activists in the US, now silent

Putin is a brilliant leader, he knows what he's doing.

He knows he holds big sticks too and will use them. They weren't afraid to use chemical warfare in Grozny. The West held a brief demonstration and fell silent.

The West will appease for several years until war is inevitable.

re: #56 CyanSnowHawk

Appealing? Have you been to Mexico lately? No offense to Manuel, but that place is going to hell in a handbasket, and will continue to do so until they get control of the drug gangs.

* * *
NATO can't do that in Afghanistan, with US leading the team!

That supplly, my friend, is DEMAND-driven by the US.

Where is Code Pinkski?

re: #57 Killgore Trout

When moonbat professors teach debate skills.....
FHSU Professor cusses and mooning students and teachers during debate

You're doing it wrong.

No. They're doing correctly, for a bunch of barbarians.

re: #17 Yogurt

Do you really think the slaughter of innocents is worth joking about?

re: #60 alegrias

* * *
NATO can't do that in Afghanistan, with US leading the team!

That supplly, my friend, is DEMAND-driven by the US.

* * *
Correction, I mean Mexico's supply exists to satisfy US demand. A Sorry State.

re: #54 The Other Les

Heads: It's Georgia's fault.
Tails: It's Bush's fault.

He's trying to figure out why someone would name their country after Bush.

I'm sure our plan to elect a communist leaning President will really throw a wrench into the Russians plans. Yeah, right.

Indeed, Clooney's infinite worldly wisdom would surely show us the way. I'm sure he's sipped martinis with Putin at cocktail parties; he'd know what to do!

As he is proudly out-of-touch with Amerikkka, he is undoubtedly in-touch with her enemies!

/

re: #49 BakaRanger

I need to know what George Clooney thinks about this...

re: #57 Killgore Trout

When moonbat professors teach debate skills.....
FHSU Professor cusses and mooning students and teachers during debate

You're doing it wrong.

Epic Fail

Meanwhile, Gerhard Schröder is on the payroll of Gazprom. There will be hell to pay in Europe for the spineless European ass kissing of the Russian bear.

Have fun Europe. You'll get what you deserve.

re: #26 Rogue198

Yep. I'm getting that from the moonbats myself!

Then there is my die-hard Democrat PRican brother, who established residency in Florida just so he could vote for a Democrat president this election! (He does do a lot of work in S Florida, so it's not a scam.)
Oh irony! He is voting for John McCain.

re: #57 Killgore Trout

Oh my goodness.

re: #57 Killgore Trout damn he gets a paycheck for that

re: #51 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

As much as I'm against Russia and think we should be preparing to crush them utterly, I do almost have to admire Putin for calling these Chickenshits bluff and exposing how worthless and toothless they truly are.

Are they going to take this lesson to heart and learn from it? Recent history indicates 'no'.

re: #62 The Other Les

It's no wonder the Koskidz are stuck the way they are.

re: #69 bruxellesblog

Meanwhile, Gerhard Schröder is on the payroll of Gazprom. There will be hell to pay in Europe for the spineless European ass kissing of the Russian bear.

Have fun Europe. You'll get what you deserve.

* * *
Europe doesn't need Russia's oil or gas--they're GREEN already!

Bwahaha, as if solar power & recycling & reducing their carbon footprint will save them from the Rusty Russian Bearclaws.

re: #55 MikeySDCA

"Crush them utterly"? What do you propose to do?

My ideas; massive sanctions, tap our own resources and quit sending money overseas, back our allies, expand our military to a level where they cant compete, back pro-western groups inside Russia thru overt and covert means.

We let up on Russia after the wall came down assuming they had turned over a new leaf, they didn't. Once they collapse again, someone will have to be ready to clean house.

re: #71 scottishbuzzsaw

If you make it far enough into the clip people start crying.

Pooty Poot.

re: #72 willowone

You'd think he could afford some long pants and shoes.

re: #59 Jinx

Putin is a brilliant leader, he knows what he's doing.

He knows he holds big sticks too and will use them. They weren't afraid to use chemical warfare in Grozny. The West held a brief demonstration and fell silent.

The West will appease for several years until war is inevitable.

And then some fine morning during the Obama Administration our holy messiah...um...president will receive the following phone call:

Russian President Medvedev: Well Barack it is like this... one of our bomber regiment commanders went a little funny in the head... and he did a very silly thing...

And meanwhile, in a Tu-95 "Bear" bomber over Canada:

Major Kongski: Stay on the bomb run comrades! I'll get those bomb bay doors open if it hairlips everyone in Krasnoyarsk!

And of course BHO is going to buy the bullshit.

re: #77 Killgore Trout

If you make it far enough into the clip people start crying.

Still watching...just gagged on his excuse "sometimes people care so much!"

re: #59 Jinx

They weren't afraid to use chemical warfare in Grozny

Please link that article - I've lost it.

As I said yesterday, Russia can let her fleet rot--she's done so in the past. She does not have to project power across the sea when she can bully her neighbors. Besides, Russia won't nuke America--it has too much money invested in this country.

The only good that can come from this is that the Russians, like the Chinese, will be fairly ruthless with any form of religious extremism.

re: #76 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

My ideas; massive sanctions, tap our own resources and quit sending money overseas, back our allies, expand our military to a level where they cant compete, back pro-western groups inside Russia thru overt and covert means.

We let up on Russia after the wall came down assuming they had turned over a new leaf, they didn't. Once they collapse again, someone will have to be ready to clean house.

Only thing is it will take longer for them to collapse this time because we did them the favor of unburdening them from communism.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished.

re: #79 Killgore Trout
looks like he didnt wake up after woodstock

VDH is on the money as usual.

Just heard a soundbite of C Rice discussing the US position. Essentially, the US position that we are taking can be summed up in this statement:

'Stop! Or we'll say stop again!'

re: #70 wolfie

Yep. I'm getting that from the moonbats myself!

Then there is my die-hard Democrat PRican brother, who established residency in Florida just so he could vote for a Democrat president this election! (He does do a lot of work in S Florida, so it's not a scam.)
Oh irony! He is voting for John McCain.

Best part is, when I called him on the fact that Ossetia is a part of Georgia and was invaded by Russia,

His reply was:

"Oh, are you there!?" followed by, "My friend who's teaching in Russia right now said that their media is reporting that Georgia invaded Ossetia and Russia was forced to defend their lands."

He takes the word of anti-American Russian media as gospel.

re: #73 CyanSnowHawk

Are they going to take this lesson to heart and learn from it? Recent history indicates 'no'.

Nope, they're like the cops from Demolition Man. "Madman has replied with a sarcastic remark!" then they stand around looking stupid as they get their asses kicked.

re: #85 willowone

Heh, he's not old enough. He might have been born at Woodstock.

We need to watch this tie closely.

Iran, according to the agreement, has offered Gazprom an extended package for the development of oil and gas fields; construction of refineries; transfer of oil from the Caspian Sea to the Sea of Oman; development of Iran's North Azadegan oil field; exchange of technology and experience; and the possible participation of Gazprom in the planned pipeline between Iran, India and Pakistan.

Can I just finish my waffle?

OT: Saudi nuclear plan gets green light

The Saudi Arabian cabinet has decided to approve the country's agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the protocols and application of safeguards under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Saudi newspaper Arab News reported.

I can just see the Obama presidency now.

COLD WAR 2
The appeasment

Starring
Baracki Obambi as the President
Winnie the Pooh as the National Security Advisor
Merrill McPeak as the Secretary of Defense
and featuring
Baracki Obambi as the Vice President

re: #56 CyanSnowHawk

Appealing? Have you been to Mexico lately? No offense to Manuel, but that place is going to hell in a handbasket, and will continue to do so until they get control of the drug gangs.

I just wanta borrow their oil fields. Ya know, we come as peace keepers, and stay. kinda like the Ruskies are gonna do in Georgia.

In truth, there is soft power, hard power, and power-power — the latter being the enormous advantages held by energy rich, oil-exporting states. Take away oil and Saudi Arabia would be the world’s rogue state, with its medieval practice of gender apartheid. Take away oil and Ahmadinejad is analogous to a run-of-the-mill central African thug. Take away oil, and Chavez is one of Ronald Reagan’s proverbial tinhorn dictators.

The power of the thugs is created and maintained by the need for and the purchase of ($billions sloshing around) OIL. We need to drill here, drill everywhere, drill now, and we need to keep researching, fielding, buying (that's what we as individuals can do) new technologies that come out re efficiency, alternatives, storage, etc. Build nuclear plants. If and when we figure out solar, coal without the black crap it puts out, etc. we need to put it into the public domain and work with the Chinas and Indias of the world to insititute it, retrofit coal plants, etc.

We are digging our own graves continuing to buy (and worse yet, need) energy from the thugs of the world. I like listening to Rush L., but I thoroughly disagree with him that buying from Saudi, Russia, et al is not a big deal. The big economies need to keep roaring... the lefties who think we need to live lower are wrong... the better we have lived, the less polluting we have become. Prosperity means we can use the new technologies and / or retrofit the existing infrastructure.

re: #89 Killgore Trout
haha right.

re: #45 Dianna

You have to be careful with these endings, when Russians colinzed the place they gave names with these endings based on father's name (Ivanov is Johnson) so there are a lot of Magometov's in Russia's islamic colonies.
These people's name is essentially identical to the "president" of Ossetia, Kokoity (they are Kokoev's which is another way to say son of Kokoi) so I presume these people are Ossetians. Which would suck to be when your co-ethnic thugs plus Russians are shooting at Georgians from your front yard.

re: #76 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

"Crush them utterly"? What do you propose to do?"

Why can the French be such duplicitous jerks in their foreign policy? They have 75% of their power grid from internal nuclear sources.

What would the world oil price do if the US dedicated itself to a policy of 50% of our grid nuclear by 2030? I'd like to see Russia, Iran, and our buddy Hugo continue their crap with oil back at $40.

re: #84 CIA Reject

Only thing is it will take longer for them to collapse this time because we did them the favor of unburdening them from communism.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished.

True. Of course with all the little robber barons making up the government there now, with a few well placed assassinations and setting up the right people, maybe we could get them to collapse into a civil war this time.

re: #90 jorline

We need to watch this tie closely.

These two are in bed 24/7.

"Today the global economy is going through uneasy times. The role of the key reserve currencies is under review. And we must take advantage of it," Medvedev said in Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk.

re: #83 calcajun

And how's that working out in Chechnya? Not real well, by my reckoning.

One day the World will tremble in fear and awe at our massed ranks of windmills, solar pedal cars and low-E glass.

re: #56 CyanSnowHawk

Appealing? Have you been to Mexico lately? No offense to Manuel, but that place is going to hell in a handbasket, and will continue to do so until they get control of the drug gangs.

And our part would be to not buy street drugs. And shame everyone who does. I can't believe people are still doing that. It is ruining the source and transit countries. Creepy ethics in America.

re: #89 Killgore Trout

Heh, he's not old enough. He might have been born at Woodstock.

Or conceived there? ;>)

Obama was the only candidate who opposed this war from the beginning.

/what's not to like?

re: #49 BakaRanger

I need to know what George Clooney thinks about this...

I was impressed with Jon Voight's take on the US.

re: #92 Kenneth

The Saudi Arabian cabinet has decided to approve the country's agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the protocols and application of safeguards under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Saudi newspaper Arab News reported.

Just read this, too. Great, now alQ, , Islamic Jihad, etc can gain access to Americanium, Californium, et al via this "peaceful" nuke plant. The ironic part is that Saudi Arabia, the oil kleptocracy-who is still drilling/pumping oil-is going to start to build some nuke plants. In this country, we can't drill. We can't build new nuke plants...but somehow according to the messiah we'll be off foreign energy within 10 years time.

Am I going crazy?

re: #98 kuchuklambat

I know that; the use of the Great Russian form, however, is the point I was making. Also note the ease with which our brave little girl (heavy sarcasm, here) got out.

I wanted to avoid belaboring the point. My viewpoint is probably a little too well established.

re: #100 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

True. Of course with all the little robber barons making up the government there now, with a few well placed assassinations and setting up the right people, maybe we could get them to collapse into a civil war this time.

Agreed- and we should take a greater interest in just who comes to power in the resulting "Russia 4.0".

On the screaming, cursing debate teacher, I imagine that this organization and competition was probably started long ago, and the room used to be filled with studious, serious people,...probably old men with nerdy haircuts, ties, and those ugly black glasses...but they were doing it correctly: learning logic, fallacy, respect, proper speaking skills and genuine persuasive skills that didn't depend on crying, anger, or appealing to your opponent's feelings.

Somewhere along the way, the controls were passed over to leftists, and this is what we get. It is like watched squirrels trying to drive bulldozers or something.

I wouldn't be too quick deciding that everything has gone to hell and Russians are back to being 10 feet tall. Far from it, their military has scraped along for over a decade. The Georgians had something in mind when they lit the fuse and I don't think it was the hope that someone would show up in the morning to rescue them.

So where are the lefty protests against Russian imperialism?

re: #96 taxfreekiller

The "commies" are gone, and that ideological veneer is stripped.

Everything else is right.

re: #77 Killgore Trout

If you make it far enough into the clip people start crying.

Sweet Mother of Pearl! I have no words...okay, one...pathetic.

re: #111 CIA Reject

Agreed- and we should take a greater interest in just who comes to power in the resulting "Russia 4.0".

We made the same mistake as they made after WW1. Everyone was so happy the war was over and that we won they didn't think what came along next might be worse.

I have got to get back to work. Damnit.

re: #117 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

We made the same mistake as they made after WW1. Everyone was so happy the war was over and that we won they didn't think what came along next might be worse.

True.

Thank you Charles for pointing to this article, a very good read.
You will never read these things on the "Real Russia Project" !

re: #60 alegrias

* * *
NATO can't do that in Afghanistan, with US leading the team!

That supplly, my friend, is DEMAND-driven by the US.

Oh yeah, I forgot, only the US uses drugs. So obviously they are the single cause of all the drug related problems around the whole frikkin' world. How could I have forgotten that?
/

Currently Mexico is in the throes of a gang war precipitated by the fall of the Arellano(sp?) cartel. That is what they need to get control of, then they might have a chance to get a handle on the other problems plaguing them.

re: #112 Silhouette

A nice synopsis of what the left has done to education in general.

At the Georgian news source I've been using.

This account has been suspended.
Either the domain has been overused, or the reseller ran out of resources.

[Link: www.aboutgeorgia.net...]

WTF?

I'd like to know who the brilliant military planner is that didn't ensure that the Georgians had enough anti-tank and anti-aircraft assets to give the Red Army enough of a bloody nose that they'd stop and reconsider.

An on the money assessment for sure. One would hope that at least here in the US, people will see the undeniable wisdom of drilling for our own oil, especially now that Russia has shown it's true imperialist face to the world. Whether we're dependent on Middle Eastern oil or oil from some former Soviet Republic, dependence on any foreign oil is lunacy. And yet another reason why Obama the Empty Suit is such a clear and present danger to the well being of the United States.

Times are really getting interesting. And here's something to ponder for the future. Don't forget China's ambition to take over Taiwan. Once the Olympics are done, I expect a gradually intensifying campaign of threats to Taipei to begin

More likely, Putin & Co. figure that any popular rhetoric about justice will be trumped by European governments’ concern for energy.

Well said. Truly well said.

re: #122 wolfie

A nice synopsis of what the left has done to education in general.

At least the hard sciences are somewhat immune. It is hard to inject PC feelings into thermodynamics or kinetics.

re: #112 Silhouette

Sil, I knew a graduate student once who used to use an old debating textbook, a very good one, to teach second semester college composition (argumentation). The book was out of print. I think the author's last name was "Ohmann." He lent it to his supervising faculty member/mentor, a real Marxist type. Now the grad student (now a prof) is teaching somewhere else and wrote to me a few months ago. We were reminiscing about books, how many we've lent out and never got back, etc., and he says his mentor never returned that textbook, saying he wanted to study it more for an article he was writing. No article came out. Does not know what happened to the book. Very sorry.

Makes ya a little suspicious now, don't it?

re: #123 MandyManners

You probably already know this source, I'll post it anyway. It's showed no change for a while.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia

re: #123 MandyManners

There's also been a campaign by the Russians to shut down Georgian sites.

re: #129 JHW

You probably already know this source, I'll post it anyway. It's showed no change for a while.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia

I wonder if the .ge site was shut down by Russia.

re: #130 Killgore Trout

There's also been a campaign by the Russians to shut down Georgian sites.

X-posted.

This one, too? Why?

re: #121 CyanSnowHawk

Oh yeah, I forgot, only the US uses drugs. So obviously they are the single cause of all the drug related problems around the whole frikkin' world. How could I have forgotten that?
/

Currently Mexico is in the throes of a gang war precipitated by the fall of the Arellano(sp?) cartel. That is what they need to get control of, then they might have a chance to get a handle on the other problems plaguing them.

* * *
I corrected my remarks to reflect my opinion the US demand drives the Mexican supply.

Perhaps you know exactly who is buying the Taliban's output, whether Europe or Iran?

Israeli journalist wounded in Georgia

An award-winning reporter for the Israeli daily newspaper Yediot Ahronot was wounded in Georgia on Tuesday, hours before Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced a ceasefire of hostilities in the area.

Tsadok Yehezkeli, 52, was seriously wounded when an artillery shell, reportedly fired by the Russians, landed in the center of the Georgian city of Gori. A number of other journalists who were with Yehezkeli at the time were also hurt in the incident, including one Dutch photographer who died from his wounds.

According to Or Heler, a Channel 10 reporter who is also on the scene covering events in Georgia, Yehezkeli was hurt while traveling by car in a convoy of Dutch reporters. Heler added that the photographer who was killed had been sitting right next to Yehezkeli.

Screams about the Russians targetting journalists in 5...4...3..2...Who am I kidding?!?

re: #124 Son of the Black Dog

I'd like to know who the brilliant military planner is that didn't ensure that the Georgians had enough anti-tank and anti-aircraft assets to give the Red Army enough of a bloody nose that they'd stop and reconsider.

* * *
Could it have been that their best Georgian military minds were in IRAQ, assisting the USA? They left their homeland underdefended while assisting the USA?

re: #131 MandyManners

I'm thinking the same, lots of sources are saying Russia has been using cyber war. The information coming out of Georgia has really been sparse compared to other recent conflicts.

re: #127 Silhouette

At least the hard sciences are somewhat immune. It is hard to inject PC feelings into thermodynamics or kinetics.

I don't know. The proper application of kinetics can make someone cry. I see it every week on America's Funniest Home Videos.

re: #134 Ben Hur

Israeli journalist wounded in Georgia

Screams about the Russians targetting journalists in 5...4...3..2...Who am I kidding?!?

Maybe Anne Applebaum of The Washington Post will write about it.

re: #136 JHW

i've read the same info, and that they were downing abilty for georgian bloggers. i guess more truth will slide out eventually

re: #133 alegrias

* * *
I corrected my remarks to reflect my opinion the US demand drives the Mexican supply.

Perhaps you know exactly who is buying the Taliban's output, whether Europe or Iran?

I would actually say Europe. I was reading an article about the DEA recently and they are one of the few US organizations which still have ties with Iran. Supposedly the Iranian version of the DEA and ours have a fairly good working relationship when it comes to combatting drug trafficing.

re: #128 godfrey

Logic is an enemy of the entire leftist worldview. But I'd probably guess he just was lazy, irresponsible, and inconsiderate...meaning he lost it.

re: #123 MandyManners

Check the Wired article linked near the top by Old Line Texan.

re: #124 Son of the Black Dog

Did you read the editorial Charles linked yesterday evening? I think it's about 4 posts down?

re: #125 Land Shark

An on the money assessment for sure. One would hope that at least here in the US, people will see the undeniable wisdom of drilling for our own oil, especially now that Russia has shown it's true imperialist face to the world. Whether we're dependent on Middle Eastern oil or oil from some former Soviet Republic, dependence on any foreign oil is lunacy. And yet another reason why Obama the Empty Suit is such a clear and present danger to the well being of the United States.

Times are really getting interesting. And here's something to ponder for the future. Don't forget China's ambition to take over Taiwan. Once the Olympics are done, I expect a gradually intensifying campaign of threats to Taipei to begin

* * *
Just last week Obama wanted us to sell of our STRATEGIC OIL RESERVES. Yep, leave the US high & dry without a back-up supply, while oil-rich oil-profit pumped up Russian Bear goes crazy mauling our allies.

re: #138 MandyManners

Since she blames Georgia...

re: #136 JHW

I'm thinking the same, lots of sources are saying Russia has been using cyber war. The information coming out of Georgia has really been sparse compared to other recent conflicts.

Fucking Putin. You can take the boy outta' communism but you can't take communism out of the boy.

re: #139 willowone

The truth is already out. It's just being ignored.

re: #142 Dianna

Check the Wired article linked near the top by Old Line Texan.

Otay. Thanks.

re: #131 MandyManners

I wonder if the .ge site was shut down by Russia.

* * *
This morning FOX NEWS reporters on the ground in Georgia said they witnessed Russian planes targeting telecom towers, cell towers, etc., in Georgia, taking down communications.

re: #139 willowone

Foreign journalism has been sparse there too, of course I never expected US news media to tear themselves away from the trivial, cheaply covered trash they usually spend their time on.

re earlier question about missing site? it originated here[Link: www.americanthinker.com...] middle of page above acorn

re: #133 alegrias

I read your correction after I posted. Your first remark just smacked (no pun intended) of 'blame America'. That is the source of my sarc.

Dianee^^^^^ that site

re: #146 MandyManners

KGB. Aggressive and paranoid. Control the information flow, silence opposing voices, and - where necessary - kill influential voices.

Please note, btw, that Putin didn't send the troops into action until Solzhenitzen was dead.

re: #153 willowone

The American Thinker?

re: #150 JHW

Foreign journalism has been sparse there too, of course I never expected US news media to tear themselves away from the trivial, cheaply covered trash they usually spend their time on.

I thought Georgia offered a cease fire?

re: #154 Dianna

KGB. Aggressive and paranoid. Control the information flow, silence opposing voices, and - where necessary - kill influential voices.

Please note, btw, that Putin didn't send the troops into action until Solzhenitzen was dead.

Oh, I noticed that.

re: #150 JHW

Foreign journalism has been sparse there too, of course I never expected US news media to tear themselves away from the trivial, cheaply covered trash they usually spend their time on.

And, it's August when many in the MSM go on vacation.

re: #153 willowone

Ah, I don't see the reference? I'm confused?

re: #150 JHW

Foreign journalism has been sparse there too, of course I never expected US news media to tear themselves away from the trivial, cheaply covered trash they usually spend their time on.

Really, when do they do that, right now some 200 of them are doing the important duty of following Obambi around on his vacation.
/

re: #150 JHW

Foreign journalism has been sparse there too, of course I never expected US news media to tear themselves away from the trivial, cheaply covered trash they usually spend their time on.

Seems like there's a conflicting message, here:

"Die, die, MSM!"

And,

"Bah! Why isn't there more MSM coverage?"

re: #134 Ben Hur

Israeli journalist wounded in Georgia

Screams about the Russians targetting journalists in 5...4...3..2...Who am I kidding?!?

In all fairness, it's kind of hard to argue that a long-range artillery shell, fired at a city, was "targetting" journalists.

re: #155 Dianna
yes but it is a link halfway down page to wsj missing page

in this paragraphWe may be skeptical of his fealty to this principle, when he told the Teamsters union he would end federal oversight of the union in exchange for their electoral support. Such oversight was the result of a long history of corruption of the union. It was an unusual stance for a Presidential candidate; one not taken at any time before by any candidate. Up until now, union anti-corruption efforts have been treated as a legal matter left to the Justice Department. Barack Obama instead (offers to lift this monitoring) -- meant to prevent crime -- in order to gain votes

re: #152 CyanSnowHawk

I read your correction after I posted. Your first remark just smacked (no pun intended) of 'blame America'. That is the source of my sarc.

* * *
"Blame America First" is not in my DNA.

People who buy/sell/trade/import illegal drugs however are unworthy of their US Citizenship, in my humble opinion.

It is odious to me that ANYONE "supports" narcostates.

re: #162 Occasional Reader

In all fairness, it's kind of hard to argue that a long-range artillery shell, fired at a city, was "targetting" journalists.

Exactly my point.

Israel and the US don't targtet them either.

re: #166 Ben Hur

don't targtet them

Don't you mean targtit?

re: #161 Cognito

"Die, die, MSM!"

That's just German for "the, the, MSM".

[And any blog that speaks German can't be all bad]

“I looked into his eyes,” Mr. McCain said, “and saw three letters: a K, a G and a B.”

[Link: hotair.com...]

re: #167 Occasional Reader

Don't you mean targtit?

Why yes I did!

LOL!

re: #162 Occasional Reader

No, it was targeting civilians. Imprecisely, at that.

It would be different - though how, I'm not sure - if they actually aimed at a journalist.

re: #156 MandyManners

They did, but it was refused as late as last night, but the latest news, on Drudge, says "

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev ordered a halt to its military action in Georgia, saying the campaign had brought security in its South Ossetia region that is close to Moscow.

. The information has been a bit confusing to me, or I'm probably getting too tired, but there has been conflicting information on which cities the Russians are in , I've seen both yes and no on Gori. Ive kept that official Georgian site open, watching for definite news. BTW, they say Russians did take Gori.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has rejected an Israeli peace proposal because it does not provide for a contiguous Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, Abbas' office said on Tuesday.

It keeps saying the same thing over and over again.
It keeps saying the same thing over and over again.
It keeps saying the same thing over and over again.
It keeps saying the same thing over and over again.
It keeps saying the same thing over and over again.

[Link: www.ynetnews.com...]

re: #163 willowone

Oh, the one about Obama saying that the Teamsters don't need as much oversight as they're getting?

Thanks.

re: #102 Dianna

It depends on how you define it. Right now, the Russians have been (as I understand it) fighting them with one hand tied behind them. If Georgia is a "test case" for how the world responds, then the Chechens might be in deeper trouble than they imagined. IOW, if the world yawns while Georgia is pounded, then there will be no support at all for the Chechen rebels.

re: #144 alegrias

* * *
Just last week Obama wanted us to sell of our STRATEGIC OIL RESERVES. Yep, leave the US high & dry without a back-up supply, while oil-rich oil-profit pumped up Russian Bear goes crazy mauling our allies.

Now you are getting an Idea about what the Democratic strategy is really about. Everything they do makes sense if you look at it from the perspective of wanting to destroy the United States. It goes back to the '70's at least.

VDH is exactly right in his description of our current post-modern, economic-relationship driven approach. My friend and I came to the same conclusions, earlier in the day. The question is, though, to what extent was Putin signaling the other nouveau-socialist regimes around the world, that the possibility of end-running Western regimes and capitalism can be done and to go ahead and move forward? Don't forget that Obama's close associate, Bill Ayers, appeared in 2006 in Venezuela at a huge gathering, celebrating Chavez' socialist "revolucion." Obama's agenda is socialist in FACT, not as some hurled epithet, and the U.S. doing socialist-leaning anti-hegemony would be very different from the kind of real politik that Hanson suggests at the end of the essay.

Hanson also points out Russia's very real "earnest attempt" to work differently with the West -- "a once-earnest weak post-Soviet Russia sought Western economic help and political mentoring. But those days are long gone, and diplomacy hasn’t caught up with the new realities. Russia is flush with billions." Whatever the Russian motivation is in working with Iran -- even if it's "enemy of my enemy" and even if it's because we betrayed them in those earlier, more vulnerable days (which we did), the possibilities do not bode well for a resolution that includes anything but capitulation to a "new" New Order, with anyone but McCain. Obama’s post-modern minions, as phantasmagorical "citizens of the world," will keep their "white skin privilege" (Ayers' key idea) – and millions -- while they sell this country to any and all takers – including embracing a soft form of the global caliphate. Personally, I’m not comfortable with the kind of pseudo-“free market” that we currently have but our fundamental constitutional ideas are as good as it gets. Maybe after we put McCain in, it will be time to build an actual third party. Not as harsh as the real core of the Republicans but able to close the door on the mangled, coup-driven, latte-socialists that the Democrats have become.

Change, please.

I remember about two or three years ago that Putin has removed all local elected governors and replaced them with appointees. Anyone else remember this? Is there a timeline available online anywhere putting these events in order or in perspective?

re: #161 Cognito

Well, Cognito, I've never injected myself into criticism of you here, but if you think this is a shining example of US Brittany-Paris-Lost blonde girl in the Carribean journalism, I don't know what to tell you. The richest news outlets in the world, and they're too parsimonious to cover anything on another continent , it might cost them a bit of cash and be more complex than the sound bite trash (gotta have room for commercials) they usually cover. They've failed miserably, it's telling when you can find more real information from small eastern European news organizations than the whole MSM together.

Imagine Obama and Putin/Medvedev in a summit. Cripes, you thought JFK got pummeled by Khrushchev? You ain't seen nothin'.

The Russians will slap Obama around and keep saying, "It puts the lotion on its skin, or else it gets the hose again."

re: #175 calcajun

I would point out that absolutely no one has cared what the Russians are doing to the Chechens. Not even at first; I remember when people - who ought to have known better! - were talking about the "Chechen Mafia" (this was before islamics were a good way to make people nod). There are other points, but I'll leave those to people who know more about military matters than I.

The deafening silence of the "anti-war" Left is all I need to know to ascertain where their true sympathies lie.

Totalitarianism: Good
America: Bad

re: #179 spirochete

I remember it, but I didn't bookmark it. sorry.

re: #180 JHW

I absolutely share the feeling that our news organizations should immediately drop all coverage of celebrities and hie themselves to Russia and Georgia.

But I also know a few other things:

1) The "rich" organizations you cite aren't rich, except perhaps a cable news channel or two. They're struggling to survive, otherwise. Thus the coverage of celebrities: It's what viewers really want, sadly. That's an unavoidable truth.

2) Those "rich" organizations are led around like puppies by the not-so-rich organizations, which have less money but far, far more skill.

It sucks. If I had the answer, I'd be the savior of journalism. But I don't.

And thanks, JHW, for a thoroughly decent exchange.

re: #185 Cognito

Rich relative to the rest of the world's news organizations, except for state controlled entities.

re: #182 Dianna

Keeping the lid on a simmering pot is one thing. Wiping them out is something else.

Mind you, I am in no way condoning this. Politically, it might work to our advantage; the Islamofascists will turn their sights (those that still have them) on the Russians.

re: #187 JHW

Rich relative to the rest of the world's news organizations, except for state controlled entities.

Well, yeah. But then again I'm rich, relative to the average Sudanese refugee.

It's not relative -- it's a flat cost. Maintaining foreign bureaux is something that fewer and fewer outfits can do these days.

This (I fear) will go down in history as President Bush's "Jimmy Carter" moment. He blinked once before, when -- early in his first term -- China forced an EP-3 down in China, so we knew he didn't do "big" enemies.

Here he has hesitated again.

re: #183 RoughRider

The deafening silence of the "anti-war" Left is all I need to know to ascertain where their true sympathies lie.

Totalitarianism: Good
America: Bad

I dunno.

Seems like the true sympathies lie with whichever course of action is the easiest and safest, and most self flattering from the 'small carbon footprint'/green point of view.

Building a strategic non religious democracy in the heart of the arab world requires blood and treasure. It is easier to simply write the arabs off as not worth the effort, and pretend that leaving them to their fate has no implications to us. This is the unspoken subtext of Obama, his advisers, and followers.

While I could care less for the peoplehood of the arab world, our own self interest mandates interaction and effort.

To selfishly ignore the true state of the world, with its real and brutal power interplays, is as foolish as it is lazy, self centered, and ulimately, dangerous.

Of course, to interact with it the way this Baker/Bush/Rice admin is only marginally better that what might be expected from the Democrats.

re: #189 Cognito

Actually, so far the most informative Western sources I've found are UK ones. The Times has a reporter in Gori and says the Russians have taken it.

I think there's much more to Pootie's agenda regarding Georgia than is at first apparent.

Good map of area: http:www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/commonwealth/cis_euro pe_pol_2003.jpg

Russia has been leasing port facilities from Ukraine, at Sevastopol, on the Black Sea:
[Link: en.rian.ru...]

This is the Russian navy.

5/21/08 "Ukraine demands closure of Russian base in Crimea in 2017"
[[Link: en.rian.ru...]

5/24/08 "Russia and Ukraine Lock Horns Over Naval Base"
[[Link: www.nytimes.com...]

and: 4/01/08, Russia News.Net: "Russia warns Ukraine against NATO membership" [[Link: www.russianews.net...]

This is KGB Pootie at work, and one could surmise his agenda for not-so-long-term is Georgia, then Ukraine, then Moldova, Romania, and Bulgaria - BINGO - back in his Soviet nest, with him having control of the oil pipeline, and of the Black Sea.

Pootie plans to be singing "Happy Days Are Here Again", while our Congress bickers over wind, shale, drilling, etc. And Pootie's day will be made even more glorious if he has hishusseinness to "contend" with rather than "Poootie has KGB eyes" McCain.

Georgia is Pooties' appetizer - Ukraine will be the first plate of the main course.

Many good posts on this thread. I was going to meet Dick Van Patten at the "facility" today for some drinks, but you guys brought me back to The Exchange.

(Soylent Green references)

re: #99 BruxellesBlog

Why can the French be such duplicitous jerks in their foreign policy? They have 75% of their power grid from internal nuclear sources.

What would the world oil price do if the US dedicated itself to a policy of 50% of our grid nuclear by 2030? I'd like to see Russia, Iran, and our buddy Hugo continue their crap with oil back at $40.

I'm not anti-nuclear, but according to the US DOE, only 1.6% of US power generation comes from petroleum (2006).

Electric Power Generation:
49% Coal
20% Nat Gas
19.4% Nuclear
7% Hydroelectric
2.4% Renewable
1.6% Petroleum

The Pickens energy plan calls for switching the Natural Gas portion to nuclear and then using the Natural Gas to fuel a portion of the transportation demand. That might be a way to reduce oil importation. There are also other ways to substitute electric power for petroleum (electric cars for example). So building more nuks may be a way to reduce oil demand, I'm just pointing out that its a little more complicated than just building the nuks.

The left will of course blame Bush for this.. just as they tried to blame the Czechoslovakia uprising in the 60's on us promising more then we could defend and Hungry before that on promising more. but like those earlier Russian power grabs in a airless world of cowards in Europe and liberals in Washington DC, they are the ones who have taken more then they can control. Georgia will be free.. even if they stand 10 armed Russians per street corner for the next 200 years. But it doesn't need to take that long, Russia is simply looking at a Obama world and placing it's forces where it thinks they will be useful. Iraq is going to fall to Iran in a Obama world. Russia's old Muslim territories will be points of contention as Russia and greater Persia contest them, Russia sees that it's best chance of holding them is to not allow Europe a separate source of oil.. Russia wants Europe to have to come to Russia's aid when they call for help, or be afraid to support another at least, due to the common enemy of Islamo fascism. If the EU backs away from allowing Ukraine into NATO they will grab that too, but their real fear is how to get central Asia back, without Europe's help.. that help is what they need to control Europe's oil supplies to get.
So how do we end this sooner.. Bush should send peacekeepers into Georgia 25,000 or so .. planned to go to Afghanistan but instead sent to Georgia. Obama will be too frightened of Russia to do this so Bush needs to. Those peace keepers should be landed with or without UN or Russian approval. And to stir the Russian pot some more.. send word to China that we expect them to take a more active role in controlling Islamo fascism in the formerly Soviet territories of central Asia. I'd like to think this strategy will get Russia into NATO as a free state, but if not they will remain the backwater they deserve to be.

re: #195 Spirit93

I'm not anti-nuclear, but according to the US DOE, only 1.6% of US power generation comes from petroleum (2006).

Electric Power Generation:
49% Coal
20% Nat Gas
19.4% Nuclear
7% Hydroelectric
2.4% Renewable
1.6% Petroleum

The Pickens energy plan calls for switching the Natural Gas portion to nuclear and then using the Natural Gas to fuel a portion of the transportation demand. That might be a way to reduce oil importation. There are also other ways to substitute electric power for petroleum (electric cars for example). So building more nuks may be a way to reduce oil demand, I'm just pointing out that its a little more complicated than just building the nuks.

Eventually transportation energy will also be met in part by coal gasification and oil from domestic shale. All of this will reduce our dependance on imported oil. Ideally we shouldl be able to export Alaskan oil to Japan. That would reduce Japan's vulnerability to the type of blackmail that Putin is using against Europe.

re: #82 Dianna

Further research shows they didn't use it en masse, but there was the threat of use and some use, albeit insignificant.

[Link: leav-www.army.mil...]

The potential use of chemical weapons or clorine bombs was continuously threatened, but no significant use of these weapons was made by either side.

(in addition: If you'll remember the Bolshoy Teatr where rebels held the audience hostage, the Russians flooded the theater with a chemical to incapacitate everyone. Later, it was determined that the gas was something dentists use, but Russia received widespread condemnation for that tactic.)

I believe Russia was testing the water and would have used it indiscriminately but for one major factor which it lost early on. The information war. In the article you can read how the Chechens beat Russia to that and Russia vowed never to be beaten again in the information war. We are seeing that today. Russia, again is trying to manipulate the information and isn't as successful as it wants to be. By sending reports that the Georgians are involved in genocide Russia is attempting to curtail Western involvement and Western condemnation.

What we are actually seeing is the second step. Russia tested the waters with Chechnya and is now working on Ossetia (north and south) as pawns in re-controlling the region through brute force and subduing an antagonistic (to Russia's goals) country with Georgia.

With all the various ethnic groups and religious factors in that area, it would not surprise me if WWIII started from actions taken in that region.

re: #197 lifeofthemind

One factor few people think of when discussing electric cars is, where do we get that energy? Where does that electricity come from? It'll be a shift from using petroleum to electricity. That means we must have more means of electricity generation. The most economical means is scalable, modular nuclear power plants.

I'm all for alternatives like solar, wind, tidal, etc. But to meet our increasing electrical demands we will have to create more nuclear plants.

re: #199 Jinx

One factor few people think of when discussing electric cars is, where do we get that energy? Where does that electricity come from? It'll be a shift from using petroleum to electricity. That means we must have more means of electricity generation. The most economical means is scalable, modular nuclear power plants.

I'm all for alternatives like solar, wind, tidal, etc. But to meet our increasing electrical demands we will have to create more nuclear plants.

More nuke plants yes but small nuke plants? I'd think not. The security problems alone work against it. Electric cars just push the power generation problem off to the generating plant. They may be an improvement but they do not magically solve all the problems. Gasoline engines are very inefficient. Power plants are more efficient but there are loses in storing and distributing the energy. For local transportation needs a fuel cell system may be a good technology for the future. The Navy can benefit from developing fuel cells for a silent submarine propulsion system.

" At no time has the world been without war. Not in seven or ten or twenty thousand years. Neither the wisest of leaders, nor the noblest of kings, nor yet the Church — none of them has been able to stop it. And don't succumb to the facile belief that wars will be stopped by hotheaded socialists. Or that rational and just wars can be sorted out from the rest. There will always be thousands of thousands to whom even such a war will be senseless and unjustified. Quite simply, no state can live without war, that is one of the state's essential functions. ... War is the price we pay for living in a state. Before you can abolish war you will have to abolish all states. But that is unthinkable until the propensity to violence and evil is rooted out of human beings. The state was created to protect us from evil. In ordinary life thousands of bad impulses, from a thousand foci of evil, move chaotically, randomly, against the vulnerable. The state is called upon to check these impulses — but it generates others of its own, still more powerful, and this time one-directional. At times it throws them all in a single direction — and that is war. "
A. Solzhenitsyn "Father Severyan", in November 1916: The Red Wheel: Knot II (1984; translation 1999)

That was brilliant- thank GOd VDH is on our side.

And so, Cold War II begins. We are now in a two-front war with the forces of Islam and Russian thuggery. A re-reading of the Long Telegram is in order to help formulate an updated national policy. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Newsweek: The Danger of Appeasement

[snip] What we see are conflicts at the new margins of the West's sway: Ukraine, the Balkans, now Georgia. These conflicts have one common factor: a resurgent Russia determined to exploit local grievances to beat back Western influence—in shorthand, democracy—on its shrunken frontiers. Using, in all cases, precisely the argument (a Russian right to protect its citizens, in Serbia its co-religionists) that Hitler used in the 1930s. The Sudeten Czechs were Germans, after all. Just as the South Ossetians now are, well, sort of Russian—having at any rate been issued Russian passports.

The European urge to appease Russia will be strong. In the '30s, ghastly memories of World War I dominated the political debate. Besides, Western governments' most pressing need was to recover from the Depression. Who wanted war or the threat of war? Now, Europe relaxes after near-50 years of cold war, and struggles to avoid recession after the subprime banking crash. The more things change …

There are few lessons safely drawn from history—except that of George Santayana: "Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it."

Yes, Newsweek. Needless to say John Barry will be looking for work soon.

Charles:

You alluded to my favorite quote:

"But, I’ve learned that you should never attribute to cleverness what can be easily explained by stupidity."

Or in the words of Napoleon Bonaparte:
"Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence"

Keeping this dictum foremost in my mind, has often helped me suppress thoughts of conspiracy and evil intent on many occasions.

There was an Italian psychologist in the 1980's who divided all human interactions into a 4-square: win-win/win-lose/lose-win/lose-lose.

Sometimes people work together and they both benefit; thats the best scenario. Usually someone benefits at another's expense (but at least some superior characteristic is rewarded).

But in about 1/4 of interactions, two morons get together and they both knock each other into a ditch...