Two Cheers for Russia's Invasion of Georgia

Our 'ally' was a manipulative brat

Gerogia is a Western ally only because it wanted to regain an internationally recognized independent South Ossetia as part of its territory. It's not like South Ossetia became independent last week. It happened 12 years ago and Georgia has been fuming ever since.

Georgia TRIED to get into NATO, so that if it pulled this kind of bone-headed stunt (and it would), and Russia intervened (and they would/did), NATO would be forced, by International treaty, to respond, pitting the US and Western Europe against Russia over a piece of territory the inhabitants of which long ago declared independence from the invader. Georgia KNEW it couldn't fight Russia alone and thought its oil pipelines would be enough to get Europe and the US involved when their petition to join NATO was put on hold.

Georgia was a bully who was trying to manipulate its big friends when it to picked on someone smaller who had a bigger friend. Georgia got what it deserved.

That said, why the hell is this idiot author shilling for the Republican energy plan based on this whole thing? "All of the above" is a plan? Gods, I hate policy-making by slogan. It appeals to the weak minded sheeple of the world.

All of the suggestions listed WILL DO NOTHING IN THE LONG RUN unless steps are taken NOW to change our lifestyle without necessarily reducing our quality of life. High energy prices encourage that change, as well as spur the research and development of the very energy alternatives we need. Gas prices will not trend downward for very long because as soon as more people start using gas, up goes the price again. The US does not have enough oil reserves - drilled or not - to meet CURRENT US demand. And does anyone think the oil companies will let themselves be locked into a US market when someone else will pay more for the same oil? Not in this reality. Talk about deluded. Besides, if the US stopped all oil exporting, so would other countries, and since we don't produce enough to meet our own needs - and CAN'T even if we drilled everything we have - other countries would hoard oil as well. And when it's all gone, what then, genius?

I don't like paying high gas prices any more than the next person, but that only makes me look at alternative ways of using less gas. That saves me money more than any of those impractical, five to twenty years until it's online BS ideas. The idea of energy independence is attractive and certainly not isolationist. We need energy independence, but we don't have to ruin the country, or the planet, or destroy the future of our children to do it. We have an opportunity to do it right, instead of right now and since none of the suggestions above are a 'right now' solution, why not do it right for a change?

"All of the above" only works when all of the answers provide a solution, and they all don't. Let's be responsible for a change in this.

Fatesrider of CA @ Aug 12, 2008 16:21:16 PM