U.S. flying Georgian troops home from Iraq.
By on Aug 10th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
U.S. flying Georgian troops home from Iraq.
The AP reports that a “senior U.S. military official says the Americans have begun flying Georgian troops home from Iraq after they requested help with transportation”:
Georgia has called its 2,000 troops home from Iraq to help in the fighting against Russia in the breakaway province of South Ossetia and asked the U.S. military to help transport them. The official says that the U.S. military has agreed to their request and “some flights have already begun.”
Last year, Georgia raised its level of troops in Iraq from 850 to 2,000 and makes up the third-largest foreign troop presence in Iraq, behind the United States and Britain.
Update Georgian troops have "retreated from the breakaway province of South Ossetia on Sunday as their U.S.-allied government ordered a cease-fire and pressed for a truce, overwhelmed by Russian firepower in a conflict that threatened to set off a wider war."
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Can the U.S. military then start transporting our troops home too?
August 10th, 2008 at 2:20 pmHere’s another big dent in GDumbya’s “coalition of the bribed and bullied”.
Most of all, I will just bet that GDumbya is really pissed at Putin for coming up with the great idea of invading a country during the Olympics. If only he had thought of it first . . . gee, our troops could be in Tehran by now.
August 10th, 2008 at 2:25 pmThanks, guido. I have totally capitulated. I used to try to comment seriously upon the events of the day; however, we have wandered so far off course that it seems humor, satire and hyperbole are the only possible remaining reactions.
It also immunizes me from the frequent outbreaks of Trollette’s Syndrome we have been seeing from the likes of lacy-tracy and his/her/its butt-buddies.
I do have to admit to one thing, however. I used to think that GDumbya was an empty suit who would go down in history as a mediocre president. I was totally wrong . . . he will go down in history as the most disastrous presi-dunce ever. Ever. Nothing funny about that.
August 10th, 2008 at 2:37 pmThe fact the Bush Administration is clearly siding with Georgia is all the more amazing every time I remember the footage of Bush and Putin chatting in the stands on opening night of the Olympics.
Really makes one wonder just what’s going on and how serious these guys take it when hundreds die on their orders.
August 10th, 2008 at 2:52 pmoverwhelmed by Russian firepower
um, was that a surprise for them?
August 10th, 2008 at 2:54 pm“hundreds die on their orders”
Oh, for them it’s a little messier than that…especially Dubya.
August 10th, 2008 at 3:02 pmoverwhelmed by Russian firepower
????????? ? ???? ?????
August 10th, 2008 at 3:03 pmoverwhelmed by Russian firepower
Yup. And I think that when GDumbya claimed to have looked in Putin’s eyes and seen his soul, he was overwhelmed by Russian firewater.
August 10th, 2008 at 3:05 pmWhen will the first U.S. plane be shot down…..
August 10th, 2008 at 3:08 pmso Bush can get involved in this war…..
Oh boy. And the flying troopships have armed fighter escorts of course.
What could possibly go wrong?
August 10th, 2008 at 3:11 pmThe Russians aren’t stupid. They’ll leave the U.S. planes alone.
August 10th, 2008 at 3:17 pmBush needs more than one plane to get shot down to get involved.
That’s why he has Karl Rove on speed dial.
August 10th, 2008 at 3:18 pmUS flying Georgian troops home….hmmm…that’s definite material support by the US, against Russia.
August 10th, 2008 at 3:25 pmTom.
If they destroy our senses of humor? They win.
Laughter, even grim laughter, is our best defense at this point.
August 10th, 2008 at 3:28 pmI agree with Dixie. The ONLY Georgia troops the US should be flying home from Iraq should be landing in Atlanta.
August 10th, 2008 at 3:37 pm“US flying Georgian troops home from Iraq” What could possibly go wrong with that? Is there anything else we can do to jump start WWIII?
August 10th, 2008 at 3:53 pmOn Monday, how will MSNBC’s resident deep thinker and Rove dance partner David Gregory twist, “Georgia has called its 2,000 troops home from Iraq” into an issue that hurts Obama?
August 10th, 2008 at 3:55 pmIt really bugs me that because the MSM plays up the Russia invasion of Georgia angle, people readily start chanting. Georgia made the first move. Let’s not forget that, people. They are the ones itching for a fight, with the US itching to help. And if you think the timing was coincidental, I have a bridge to sell you.
August 10th, 2008 at 4:07 pmAbove the Clouds Says: “On Monday, how will MSNBC’s resident deep thinker and Rove dance partner David Gregory twist, “Georgia has called its 2,000 troops home from Iraq” into an issue that hurts Obama?”
Don’t you see? They only flew home the White troops. An obvious move so Obama can play his “Race Card.”
Damn Guys, I’m starting to think (?) like a troll.
August 10th, 2008 at 4:14 pmGeorgia HAD the THIRD LARGEST number of troops in the “Coalition of the Willing” in Iraq….behind Great Britain and America.
OT But Glenn Greewald is on NPR’s “On the Media” program, talking about BENTONITE. First time I’ve heard it Mentioned over the AIR. NPR won’t go there…they brushed off his Bentonite -ABC News- Saddam connection. :(
NPR just acknowleged ABC’s Brian Ross’s denial, and dropped the point like a hot potato.
August 10th, 2008 at 4:14 pmBluedahlia Says:
——————————————————————————–
It really bugs me that because the MSM plays up the Russia invasion of Georgia angle, people readily start chanting. Georgia made the first move. Let’s not forget that, people. They are the ones itching for a fight, with the US itching to help. And if you think the timing was coincidental, I have a bridge to sell you.
August 10th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
How exactly is the US gonna’ “help” in this fight ?
The isn’t the Lord of the Rings – The Return of the King , where King Pretzeldent is going to get a dead army to fight for us to redeem their lost honor………..
Where are we going to get troops ?
August 10th, 2008 at 4:14 pmThe Russians are attacking Georgia. Should the Red Necks be concerned about Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama?
August 10th, 2008 at 4:24 pmNow it is time for the Bush regime to fly our US troops out of the Republic of Georgia. You say that you didn’t know that the Bush regime has inserted US troops into the Republic of Georgia? Not to worry, they (numbering from 100 to 2000, who knows how many today?) were inserted in the Republic of Georgia way back in 2002 to help train Georgian troops to participate in the US “coalition” that would be occupying Iraq in 2003.
What exactly is wrong with the leaders of the Republic of Georgia? They are trying to join NATO. NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. How far is the Republic of Georgia from the “north atlantic” (ocean)? A few thousand miles… This is both stupid and dangerous, trying to encircle Russia with little outposts of western imperial power… Georgia should give it up before they end up totally under the domination of Russia (again).
August 10th, 2008 at 4:25 pmWaltTheMan Says:
——————————————————————————–
The Russians are attacking Georgia. Should the Red Necks be concerned about Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama?
August 10th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Never fear
Chimpy will simply re-enlist in the Air National Guard and thwart any foolish incursion upon any southern border , just like he smashed the impending VC invasion of Texas and Alabama almost 40 years ago…….
August 10th, 2008 at 4:26 pmYou know Glenn Beck is preparing his Monday night speech, where he tells his viewers that the “Soviets” are back and Georgia is the new Afghanistan. And that if we underestimate the “Soviets” in Georgia, then Putin’s “war machine” will form the new “Axis of Legion of Doom” or whatever nice new, menacing term the GOP wants to label Russia with.
August 10th, 2008 at 4:36 pmTo Badger in post #22 – What exactly is the the ” Bentonite -ABC News- Saddam connection”?
August 10th, 2008 at 4:46 pmJust when most people thought Bush has done all the foreign policy damage he’s capable of doing short of attacking Iran, the Georgian time bomb goes off.
August 10th, 2008 at 4:47 pmWonder if the Georgian people now have some sympathy for the Iraqi people ……………..?
August 10th, 2008 at 4:52 pmI also wonder how many of those 2,000 Georgian soldiers are going to want to return to Iraq after seeing themselves being invaded and possibly occupied……..
August 10th, 2008 at 4:53 pmceltic cynic Says:
To Badger in post #22 – What exactly is the the ” Bentonite -ABC News- Saddam connection”?
‘Bentonite’ was supposed to be the evidential connection between Hussein and the Anthrax attacks, a chemical marker as it were. complete BS floated by the WH at the time. Roughly speaking anyway.
August 10th, 2008 at 4:56 pmAnyone living in United States should listen to this American citizen who lived in Georgia and S.Ossetia. Here are his words verbatum:
“I urge every American who maybe watching this broadcast right now to call their senators, congressmen and the White House and tell George Bush to get out. America does not need to interve in this war, America needs to stop supporting Georgia. What Saakashvili is doing is no better than what Saddam Hussein did and if George Bush is supporting that like he is supporting Georgia, he is no better than Saddam Hussein.”
The quote starts at 3:55
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRl3qArJO-o&a
August 10th, 2008 at 4:58 pmWhy in the hell would any sane Georgian want Chimpy and the US’ involvement to begin with ?
As if they haven’t heard of the clusterfu(k called Iraq and who is responsible for it ?
August 10th, 2008 at 5:01 pm#155th Estate Says:
——————————————————————————–
US flying Georgian troops home….hmmm…that’s definite material support by the US, against Russia.
5th,
I’m thinking that material support would be providing Georgia with something that was not already thiers. We are putting back the troops we should never have asked to serve in the first place.
I’m wrong around here quite often, so whada I know. Maybe the more intelligent here can edumacate me sum…
August 10th, 2008 at 5:02 pmceltic cynic,
Sorry : http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/08/01/anthrax/index.html
In a Nutshell…on Oct. 26 2001, Peter Jennings reported:
This news about bentonite as the additive being a trademark of the Iraqi biological weapons program is very significant. Partly because there’s been a lot of pressure on the Bush administration inside and out to go after Saddam Hussein. And some are going to be quick to pick up on this as a smoking gun.
Only Problem, there NEVER was any Bentonite found in the Anthrax Samples.
from Greenwald’s story in Salon…
ABC News’ claim — which they said came at first from “three well-placed but separate sources,” followed by “four well-placed and separate sources” — was completely false from the beginning. There never was any bentonite detected in the anthrax (a fact ABC News acknowledged for the first time in 2007 only as a result of my badgering them about this issue). It’s critical to note that it isn’t the case that preliminary tests really did detect bentonite and then subsequent tests found there was none. No tests ever found or even suggested the presence of bentonite. The claim was just concocted from the start. It just never happened.
ABC News hasn’t revealed the identities of the well-placed sources. My Question…Who did they work for?
sorry for the OT
August 10th, 2008 at 5:03 pm5th Estate…
If I might add, ABC and Brian Ross also ran with that line of BS first and Loudest and when it turned out to be more complete fabrication on the part of this administration…
August 10th, 2008 at 5:15 pm“Crickets Chirping” We may never know the depths of the crimes that this administration has committed and to just what degree the media played it’s part in thier complicity, By either looking the other way or by helping to spread the lies that this administration put out.
To 5th Estate and Badger in posts 32 and 36 – Thanks for the updates, My only knowledge of Bentonite is that of a very pure clay mined here in the U.S.
August 10th, 2008 at 5:17 pmBentonite is, like all clays, made of very tiny, fine particles. Around here, they use it to cap abandoned water wells, because the tiny particles create a waterproof seal.
When dry, it can become a very fine DUST, and therefore can be used to disperse (Float) tiny Anthrax Paricles. In other words, it weaponizes it.
Although there is no Proof yet, I a think 5th Estate is correct….this leads to the Whitehouse.
August 10th, 2008 at 5:26 pmMCMetal Says:
The isn’t the Lord of the Rings – The Return of the King , where King Pretzeldent is going to get a dead army to fight for us to redeem their lost honor………..
Where are we going to get troops ?
All the Bush-humping trolls will step up and volunteer, right?
Right, trolls?
trolls????
**crickets**chirping**
August 10th, 2008 at 5:28 pmThe official says that the U.S. military has agreed to their request and “some flights have already begun.”
Could it be possible that the Bush administration is really itching to get involved in yet another military conflict?
Because you know Putin is not likely to see this help as an overly friendly gesture towards Russia…
August 10th, 2008 at 5:32 pm#35 dixie blood:
I’m thinking that material support would be providing Georgia with something that was not already theirs.We are putting back the troops we should never have asked to serve in the first place
True enough. But in seeing the news that the US was actually transporting Georgian troops back home so that they can presumably fight the Russians, I thought back to the US position in 1940/41 (until Pearl Harbor). The US allowed goods to be shipped to the UK then, but were publicly politically and militarily neutral.
Actually transporting Georgian troops into the “war-zone” puts the US firmly and publicly on the side of the Georgians in this case. I think that makes things “awkward”. Will Russia make a deal out of it? I don’t know.
“I’m wrong around here quite often, so whada I know. Maybe the more intelligent here can edumacate me sum”…
Now THAT statement I’m pretty sure is a wrong’un.
August 10th, 2008 at 5:35 pmGregor,
Remember McCain’s statement about kicking Russia out of the G8?
Maybe it is McCain that has the ” tough on Russia” itch.
August 10th, 2008 at 5:36 pmIt seems to me Putin is keen on sending a very big message to other former Soviet republics, and to the US as well.
Russians still consider Georgia part of their “region of influence”, and the decision by the Bush administration to send military advisors to Georgia, setup military bases, and help Georgians get a membership in NATO, did not sit very well with the Kremlin.
After the fall of the USSR, the US has pursued a policy of encirclement that Russia tolerated -mostly during the years of Yeltsin’s tenure as Prime Minister.
With Putin, however, Russia has become more assertive and the aggression against Georgia is part of that growing assertiveness. I feel for Georgia. Putin is going to make an example out of them -Saakashvili underestimated Putin’s intentions, and overestimated The US’ capability to provide help.
August 10th, 2008 at 5:41 pmTheRadicalRightisRadicallyWrong …
If I might add, ABC and Brian Ross also ran with that line of BS first
It’s that ‘being first” thing–the MSM criticizes the blogosphere for exactly that fault. Whilst not unfounded, the difference is that confident ‘professional’ blogs and blog-commenters tend to research their articles and can justify their opinions, and are prepared-to back-up their assertions at short notice and as individuals, whereas far too many MSM types aren;t prepared to be challenged.
August 10th, 2008 at 5:47 pmBadger Says: “Bentonite is, like all clays, made of very tiny, fine particles.”
According to my research Bentonite is green and crystalline and comes from the planet Benton, and it saps the superpowers of SuperBush unless it is conatianed in Dick Cheney’s man-sized lead-lined safe.
August 10th, 2008 at 5:55 pmGregor Samsa: “I feel for Georgia. Putin is going to make an example out of them -Saakashvili underestimated Putin’s intentions, and overestimated The US’ capability to provide help.”
That’s a fair assessment. In many ways perhaps Putin is Russia’s George Bush/Cheney combined. Russia has domestic energy resources that it can leverage, which gives it political power, and has recovered from its Afghanistan misadventure. I think Putin and Russia may be much more clearly and realistically focussed on its ambitions and global pressures.
August 10th, 2008 at 6:04 pmWhat’s sad is that, a few short years ago, the U.S. could have ended the violence in Georgia with a couple phone calls. Now? No one bothers to listen even if the calls are made.
August 10th, 2008 at 6:05 pmRussia’s Government is the mirror image of Bush’s America.
4 out of 5 Russians view their Government Favorably.
August 10th, 2008 at 6:07 pm5th,
I think that makes things “awkward”. Will Russia make a deal out of it?
Tru’dat!
August 10th, 2008 at 6:08 pmdixie blood …
Exactly so, and with brass knob’s-on :D
August 10th, 2008 at 6:24 pmAmericans have begun flying Georgian troops home from Iraq
After this is done, will we start bringing home troops from the other 49 states?
August 10th, 2008 at 7:16 pmIf we’re going to have a state-by-state troop evacuation, you would at least think that we’d do it alphabetically. But I guess Ted Stevens’ influence has waned since he was indicted.
August 10th, 2008 at 7:21 pm#49pete Says:
——————————————————————————–
What’s sad is that, a few short years ago, the U.S. could have ended the violence in Georgia with a couple phone calls. Now? No one bothers to listen even if the calls are made.
This is a bad habit with this admin. This admin HATES and HATES and if it doesn’t fit thier hatred then they HATE even more!!
The Iranians offered the U.S. complete support within days of 9/11 in tracking down the suspects.
GW Botch and Dick(head) completely dissed them and then proceeded to publicly put them on the list of terrorist nations.
August 10th, 2008 at 7:32 pmOhhh! That Georgia.
August 10th, 2008 at 8:18 pmThe real issue with the conflict in Georgia, is the possibility of widening into a much larger war. WWI started out pretty small, until everyone called in their markers and treaty’s were upheld. Lets hope they can get things calm in a day or two.
August 10th, 2008 at 8:47 pmSeems more and more that all this was planned.
August 10th, 2008 at 9:08 pmI am not the godly type, but I hope that the beings that seeded this planet will intervene before all life is excised from its surface.
August 10th, 2008 at 9:16 pmKEVKEV IN APACHE JUNCTION Says:
When will the first U.S. plane be shot down…..
so Bush can get involved in this war…..
The US won’t budge. A bully will not fight someone as big or fierce. I wonder how much of Russia’s firepower has been underestimated over the last 10 years.
Basically, Georgia is a US proxy, and the US attacked Russia by proxy South Ossetia. By all counts, Georgia started this, and it looks like Russia will finish it.
August 10th, 2008 at 9:22 pmBluedahlia Says:
It really bugs me that because the MSM plays up the Russia invasion of Georgia angle, people readily start chanting. Georgia made the first move. Let’s not forget that, people. They are the ones itching for a fight, with the US itching to help. And if you think the timing was coincidental, I have a bridge to sell you.
Yeah, it’s not real clear to me, but it seems that Georgia made a move on South Ossetia which they consider their territory, but there were Russian troops there as peacekeepers.
What I’m wondering is why did the President of Georgia think he was going to pull it off?
August 10th, 2008 at 10:08 pmHe didn’t think the Russians would react?
I don’t get it. At face value it doesn’t seem like a smart move.
I wonder if anyone knows where Rupert Murdoch is?
Because he could very well have his own stealth boat, hoping to cause a war for ratings and hoping to drive some of his other interests through the roof in other markets. Because it wouldn’t be the first time he’s helped pull off something like this.
August 11th, 2008 at 12:15 amThe US got involved there a while ago, when it supported the oil link through the Caucasus that bypasses Russia. Russia interpreted this and the US support for Georgia’s NATO membership as a breach of their sphere of influence, and feels itself strong enough to retaliate now.
It’s doubly difficult to try to apportion the blame for this war, but one thing is certain: you help your friends in times of need. The Georgian president might be a violent bully, but he was elected more democratically than Bush, and the Georgian armed forces are waging war inside Georgia against Russian troops. Let them have what they need.
August 11th, 2008 at 5:32 amGeorgia turns back troops to kill Osetia civilian….
August 11th, 2008 at 8:03 amGeorgia destroyed Chinval (capital of South Osetia) in one night…
Russian peacekeepers can stop Saakashvilli’s stupid, and they’ll do it.
American TV lies every minute to people every second… STOP WAR.
Ooops!
August 11th, 2008 at 8:43 amSeems the Georgian top folks got caught with their hands in the cookie jar on this one. They tried to pull a fast one and now are paying the price, and want to make it look as if they are the victims.
Might have worked, too, if it weren’t for the little pesky fact of their troops being in South Ossetia.
Good thing the Russians had 20,000+ troops and 300+ armored vehicles stationed just at the border. Maybe they were expecting the Georgian aggression and ethnic cleansing in South Osetia? FYI, the latter has a population of 70,000. Most of them have fled, so Russia has now probably more soldiers in South Osetia than there are civilians! This is the equivalent of having an army of 600,000 intervening on behalf of the Kosovars.
August 11th, 2008 at 9:12 amI don’t claim to understand Georgian strategy, but if the Mexicans were amassing an army of 1,000,000 at the US border, I’m sure all of us would be expecting the government to do something.
Simple truth about Georgia and Osetia
What is happening now?
Osetia is a small ethnicity between Russia and Georgia. We have only 100 thousands of people and 2 thousands of them already died because of ETHNIC CLEANSING by Georgians.
What it is happening now is simple GENOCID of Osetians by Georgians.
Who started the war?
Georgia has started the war and genocide by coming to the capitall of Osetia with tanks and cannons. They started to bomb civilians in the small city. And they killed 2000 of them in 3 days!!! All dying people you see in the newspapers – are Osetian defenceless civilians dying from massive shelling. Moreover Gergians also killed many OSCE peacekeepers who stayed on the border and tried to protect Osetia.
Why they do all that?
Osetia has beautiful lands near the coast of the Black Sea. From ancient times Georgia wanted to take those lands. They never ruled Osetia. Georgians already tried to perform mass killings in the past. All we could do to protect ourselves and our lands is to ask our another neighbour – Russia to stop Georgians.
How they could do that?
Why American newspapers and TV doesn’t tell the truth? Why 2 weeks before this attack American soldiers and instructors came to Georgia and made training to Georgian army (it even was shown by American TV). It is simple – America planned and then started dirty campaign against Russia. Dirty because they do it by Georgian hands and because the price for this is OUR LIFES. If nobody stops Georgians – Osetians will physically disappear as ethnicity.
Just look at the numbers with more attention – 2000 Osetians killed against 6 Georgians.
And it happened in Osetia – not in Georgia.
Why Georgian president lies?
He always lies. He lies to us, to his American supporters, to international community. Just remember his latest interview when he sits under the European Union flag, so everybody thinks that Georgia is the part of EU. Georgia was NEVER part of European Union.
What we can do now?
We can eat what official newspapers and TV gives us. But remember when they told us that Iraq had chemical weapon. They bombed Iraq and thousands of Americans were killed to let oil companies earn more on Iraq’s oil. But, who talks about chemical weapon now? The fat is in the fire now.
It is simple like that:
If we don’t stop Georgians now they will take Osetia’s land and kill most of Osetians.
video\foto from burned by georgians army Zhinval
http://life.ru/video/4979
August 11th, 2008 at 1:47 pmThe American people trust that Barack Obama will conscientiously address the Iraq issues.
LONG LIVE PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA!
Barack Obama is a racial-minority individual and does not like racism:
I know it may be hard to believe.
However, it is absolutely true that Ronald Wilson Reagan committed horrible, racist, hate crimes during his presidency.
A lot of people know about Reagan’s infamy.
And a lot of people will know about Reagan’s infamy—even until the end of human existence: they’ll find out.
Numbers 32:23: “Be sure your sins will find you out.”
Respectfully Submitted by Andrew Yu-Jen Wang, J.D. Candidate
B.S., With the Highest Level of Academic Honors at Graduation, 1996
Messiah College, Grantham, PA
Lower Merion High School, Ardmore, PA, 1993
(I can type 90 words per minute, and there are thousands of copies on the Internet indicating the content of this post. And there are thousands of copies in very many countries around the world.)
March 29th, 2009 at 8:47 pm_________________
‘If only there could be a ban against invention that bottled up memory like scent & it never faded & it never got stale.’ It came from my Lower Merion High School yearbook.