Merit-bound Alley

I’ve been interviewed by the NJ on my family’s situation in Georgia. Shirley kindly sent me the link when the story was published.

Not all the facts in the article are exactly right, but it’s a decent rundown. My sister-in-law is now back in Saudi and I did speak to her briefly when she got home. Briefly because she was exhausted. They had no trouble going back home, even though they had to fly into Moscow with Georgian passports. Her father went back from the Ukraine to Tbilisi, and her sister will follow him once everything has calmed down.

The cease fire seems t be holding for now, though Russia has not moved its troops out of Georgia. We’ll see a lot of accusations and posturing from Saakashvili and Medvedev, hopefully nothing that breaks the cease. I’ll be calling my sister-in-law tomorrow just to make sure all is okay, but I have no reason to believe that it isn’t,

Both Sen. Obama and Sen. McCain have shown startling ignorance and blind loyalty in their reactions to the conflict in South Ossetia.

Sen. Barack Obama delivered a statement from Hawaii about the worsening crisis in Georgia, declaring of Russia’s aggression in the former Soviet republic, “There is no possible justification for these attacks.”

No possible justification except for the fact that Georgia moved into the are first in strikes to clear the area of South Ossetian separatists. I guess since Georgia is an ally, we should ignore the fact that they have once again thumbed their nose at the fragile cease fire in the region. This kind of blind loyalty is completely irresponsible on the world stage, especially at a point where the world opinion of the U.S. is so low. Our politicians should be denigrating Georgia’s lack of political ethics and reconsidering our positive relationship with the hotheaded Sakaashvili.

Like Sen. John McCain, Obama called for “active international engagement” to address the dispute, “including a high-level and neutral international mediator, and a genuine international peacekeeping force — not simply Russian troops.”

Gutterball! The peacekeeping forces in South Ossetia was comprised of Russian, Georgian, and South Ossetian separatists. Either both candidates are completely retarded, or they have to make serious decisions about replacing their foreign policy consultants.

As a bonus, let’s take a look at the media, who made no effort to even report the fact that the conflict was initiated by Georgia in the first few days. How did they end this article about the candidates views on this horrible conflict?

[Obama] sketched out his plans at a 4,000-person rally on the first day:
“I’m going to get a plate lunch. I might go to Zippy’s. I might go to Rainbow Drive-In. I haven’t decided yet. Get some Zip Min. I’m going to go get some shave ice. I’m going to go body surfing at an undisclosed location. I’m going to see my tutu — my grandma — and I’m going to watch my girls play on the beach, and once in a while I might go into the water. But mostly I’m going to watch them.”

“Obama’s presence caused a stir everywhere he showed up,” the paper reported, but one prominent resident wasn’t impressed — Hawaii’s GOP Gov. Linda Lingle. “This is not ‘American Idol,’” the McCain supporter said of the choice facing voters this year, according to the article. “This is making an important decision on who should lead our nation.”

Just cutting journalism Washington Post! Bravo on giving this war the solemn journalism it deserves. Brav-O!

Del Liberal has a thread going where some of the commenters seemed to be laboring under the misconception that Russia started aggression on Georgian soil. Not so, says this comment from some brilliant (and good-looking) commenter:

I think that some people are forgetting that Georgia started the aggression on the 8th by moving troops and armor into areas controlled by S. Ossetia. Wait, but isn’t S. Ossetia part o Georgia?

No, not really. South Ossetia declared themselves a sovereign Soviet Democratic Republic in 1990 and even held their own elections. The Georgian government didn’t allow the secession and declared S. Ossetia’s elections invalid.

After more violence in 1992 between Georgia and S. Ossetian separatists escalated, a cease fire was declared with the separatists retaining control of some areas and the separatists others.

A peacekeeping force of S. Ossetian, Russian and Georgian forces has been present in the region, but Georgia escalated their presence on the 8th to clear the area of separatists. It was this that caused Russia to move troops into S. Ossetia. It must be kept in mind that the majority of S. Ossetians are in favor of separation and identify more with Russia, using Russian as a primary language and Russian currency. If not for Georgia’s denial, there would be no conflict.

There has been an escalation of aggression in the Georgian region of South Ossetia, whic declared an unrecognized separation in the 1990s. Russian forces have bombed a Georgian air base, and around 150 Russian armored vehicles have entered the region.

My sister-in-law and two nieces are visiting family in the Georgian capital of Tblisi, and because of the violence are flying out tomorrow through Moscow to the Ukraine. Please keep good thoughts, or prayers if you prefer, for their safe return home.