When American citizens read that Russia has invaded Georgia, do they think that Russian tanks have entered the city limits of Atlanta?
It is not that Americans are stupid. Americans are not stupid! Ignorant, yes for good reason perhaps, but not stupid.
If Americans cannot tell the difference between the American State Georgia and the sovereign nation of Georgia that was previously a part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics it is because (1) they have never been informed and/or (2) it was not important to know the difference. Now perhaps, Americans should know the difference; however, it just might be in the interests of the Neocon Bush Regime that Americans remain ignorant of the Caucus nation, Georgia.
At least the American media appears to keep facts about the nation Georgia from the American public and the media usually does what the Bush Administration decides serves their best interests. The American media is self-censored to avoid the wrath of President Bush or corporate advertisers whose interests are served by the President and his policy. President Bush is a very vindictive President who destroys the character of those who disagree with his policy (like Valerie Plame Wilson). And, President Bush’s allies, virtually all of Corporate America, tend to withdraw their advertising from media who buck their benefactor President’s will.
Therefore, the media no longer serves the interests of American voters by keeping them informed, because the media is in business for only one reason and that is to make a profit and profits come from corporate adversising. In America, the press in no longer is the Fourth Estate.
The only Freedom of the Press in America today, is the freedom of the press to spin the news to preserve their profits from corporate advertising.
The nation Georgia and the Caucus Region immediately south of Russia, is sitting on the largest untapped deposits of oil known at the present time. Of course, it is no secret that the American President, George Bush, loves oil more than anythinng else in the world and is more than willing to sacrifice the blood of American soldiers in wars fought for the right to control oil production.
Georgia and Russia have a common border and some ethnic regions on that border are in dispute. Recently, Georgia provoked Russia into invading that nation over issues involving their disputed border.
When invaded, Georgia appealed to President Bush for help. President Bush has for years been desperately trying to gain influence in Georgia, in an attempt to get control of the oil production there. Of course, since Georgia is on the Russian border and was originally a part of the old USSR, Russia considers Georgia to be within ist own sphere of interest.
President Bush’s reaction to the invasion was to WARN Russia and DEMAND Russia withdraw from Georgia. When Russia ignored President Bush’s threats, President Bush indicated he would find a way to punish Russia for the invasion of Georgia.
Since the war has been resolved, President Bush sent humanitarian aid to Georgia on a US warship into the Black Sea; a warship is not ordinarily associated with humanitarian aid. Historically, the Black Sea is a very sensitive area to the Russians; it is in their sphere of influence and their ships only warm water access to the world. The behavior of President Bush (and consequently America), by sending a warship into the Black Sea, would historically be considered warlike behavior.
The reaction by President Bush to the Georgia incident, comes immediately following President Bush’s announcemet that America is placing American war missiles in Poland which also shares a common border with Russia; this move by President Bush provoked a crisis with Russia similar to the Cuban Missile Crisis that occurred during the Kennedy Administration. Russia condemed this warlike action by America (President Bush) and it is still to be resolved.
Oddly enough, Russia shares a border with one of the United States, Alaska, and yet Russia does not appear to enjoy the same neighborly consideration from the United States that Canada and Mexico enjoy. Russia has actually done nothing to provoke America, since the end of the Cold War, except to compete with America for influence in the oil production in the Caucus. It seems owever, that Russian competition for oil is the primary issue for President Bush’s warlike policy toward Russia today. The question is, do all Americans approve of these warlike policies toward Russia; are Americans aware that they are provoking war with Russia?
Some Americans believe that the war against Afghanistan was totally unnecessary for America to apprehend the terrorist bin Laden who was based there, since that effort failed miserably. Those same Americans feel that the war against Afghanistan was more to rid that nation of the Taliban dominent government, which opposed an oil pipeline being built by an American company across Afghanistan to get Caucus oil from Georgia to a warm water port. It just happens to be that the American Vice President, Dick Cheney, was previously CEO of the American company building that oil pipeline and there would appear to be some possibility of a conflict of interst involved.
Actually, the sovereign nation of Afghanistan was not responsible for the terrorist attack on America, Septemember eleventh in 2001, and the terrorist bin Laden has long departed from Afghanistan. However, America continues to occupy Afghanistan, seven years after the American invasion. Oil does seem to have some bearing on America’s Afghan policy.
Because many Americans are totally unaware of the issues involving the nation of Georgia, it would appear that President Bush’s warlike warnings to Russia and Bush’s threats to punish Russia was never meant for American ears; many Americans appear to be totally ignorant of the issues involving the nation of Georgia, America, and Russia. Not too many Americans could tell you exactly where Georgia is on a map.
Americans need to be aware however, that their President (for the next four months) sounds and acts very much like he is threatening another war about oil, this time with Russia. All Americans need to have Georgia on their minds.
Update Note: September 11, 2008, Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska and candidate for Vice President of the United States was asked if she would go to war with Russia over the Georgia incident and she is quoted as saying, “And we’ve got to keep an eye on Russia. For Russia to have exerted such pressure in terms of invading a smaller democratic country (the nation Georgia), unprovoked, is unacceptable.”
Russia maintains that there is justifiable evidence that Georgia in a border dispute provoked the invasion by Russia.
Asked if she would go to war with Russia if Georgia had been a member of NATO (Georgia has applied for entry into NATO), Palin replied, “Perhaps so. I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you’re going to be expected to be called upon and help.”
Palin was asked if she agreed with Bush’s doctrine enunciated just before the Iraq invasion and Palin did not know what Bush’s doctrine was. The interviewer described the doctrine as ‘anticipatory self-defense’; actually it is preemptive war, which is a violation of International Law. Palin responded, “I believe that what President Bush has attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism, terrorists who are hell bent on destroying our nation.” Evidently, Palin had not heard of weapons of mass destruction or that Saddam was NOT responsible for 9/11.
If elected, Palin would be a heart-beat away from the Presidency of John McCain, who at 72 would be the oldest person elected to the Presidency of the USA.