Russia Vows to Support Two Enclaves, in Retort to Bush

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/15/world/europe/15georgia.html?bl&ex=1218945600&en=3141da97ae5b8c75&ei=5087%0A

MOSCOW — Russia issued a rebuke to President Bush on Thursday over the conflict in neighboring Georgia, refusing an immediate withdrawal of its troops there, affirming its support for two separatist enclaves and warning the United States to avoid doing anything that would encourage its Georgian ally to reignite hostilities.


President Bush warned Russia of possible retaliation.
In response, in the most pointed language yet from a Bush administration official, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates declared that Russia’s actions now required a full reassessment of administration efforts to create “an ongoing and long-term strategic dialogue with Russia.”

At a Pentagon briefing, Mr. Gates said, “Russia’s behavior over the past week has called into question the entire premise of that dialogue and has profound implications for our security relationship going forward, both bilaterally and with NATO. If Russia does not step back from its aggressive posture and actions in Georgia, the U.S.-Russian relationship could be adversely affected for years to come.”

Still, he ruled out the use of American military force in connection with the conflict. “I don’t see any prospect for the use of military force by the United States in this situation,” Mr. Gates said. “Clear enough?”



http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_3623.shtml
All the propaganda that's fit to print: The New York Times, again, tells it like it ain’t
By Sean M. Madden
Online Journal Contributing Writer


Aug 15, 2008, 00:20


The New York Times’ top story yesterday morning -- entitled “Bush, Sending Aid, Demands That Moscow Withdraw” -- leads with the following three propaganda-packed paragraphs:

President Bush sent American troops to Georgia on Wednesday to oversee a “vigorous and ongoing” humanitarian mission, in a direct challenge to Russia’s display of military dominance over the region. His action came after Russian soldiers moved into two strategic Georgian cities in what he and Georgian officials called a violation of the cease-fire Russia agreed to earlier in the day.

Mr. Bush demanded that Russia abide by the cease-fire and withdraw its forces or risk its place in “the diplomatic, political, economic and security structures of the 21st century.” It was his strongest warning yet of potential retaliation against Russia over the conflict.

The decision to send the American military, even on a humanitarian mission, deepened the United States’ commitment to Georgia and America’s allies in the former Soviet sphere, just as Russia has been determined to reassert its control in the area.

But the propaganda is already at work, before we even get to these lead paragraphs, within the headline itself, splashed as it is across the front page of America’s oft-called “newspaper of record,” along with the Gray Lady’s hundred-plus-year-old motto “All the News That’s Fit to Print.” The headline is accompanied, or vice versa, by a photograph of a “humanitarian aid” shipment being unloaded, we’re told, from a U.S. military cargo plane at an airport in Tbilisi, Georgia.

But to be sure that all concerned -- that is, we historical-fact-deprived Americans, you god-help-you Georgians, and the rest of “the free world” -- get the point at a glance, the U.S. State Department seal, apparently color-coordinated for the occasion, graces the side of the shipment.

As part of an all-out Western media campaign to bury the simple fact that Georgia invaded South Ossetia a week ago today -- an act of aggression which led, subsequently, to Russia’s response -- yesterday’s NYT’s top headline helps to further instill the lie, at home and abroad, that Bush and the U.S government are truly concerned about the welfare of Georgians and human beings generally.

upon edit I found it myself.