Defense Secretary Robert Gates: Russia Appears to Be Getting Ready to Pull Out of Georgia. US Will Not Use Force.

We have no force to use anymore so that was a given, but the Sect. doesn't want to mess up the Bush Administration and McCain camp chimpanzee act, you know, stomping around, screeching, lifting the arms and throwing shrubbery to look tough.

 Excerpt Washington Post report "Russia Seems to Be Withdrawing, U.S. Defense Secretary Says":

In a Pentagon news briefing on U.S. humanitarian efforts in Georgia and the military situation there, Gates and the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Gen. James Cartwright, said Russian forces have practically ceased air operations in Georgia and are cooperating with U.S. military deliveries of humanitarian supplies for Georgia.

then Mr. Gates continues with the Defense Secretary equivalent of "Ooo  ooo  Eee  Eee Eeee  Screeeech!   (Tosses leaves)"

And now excerpting continues: 

Asked for an assessment of current Russian military activities in Georgia, Cartwright said: "Generally, the forces are starting to move out of the city, particularly Gori, starting to consolidate their positions, and get themselves into a position where they can start to back away . . . towards the border. We see that going on particularly in the areas around the seaports, and around Tbilisi, and up north of Tbilisi, and west towards Gori."

Russian air operations "have slowed dramatically over the last 24 hours," he said. "Really, there has been no air activity. And so we see them generally complying and moving back into a position where they can start to make their exit in an orderly fashion."

Asked to state clearly whether there is any possibility of the use of U.S. military force in the Georgian conflict, Gates replied: "I don't see any prospect for the use of military force by the United States in this situation. Is that clear enough?"

Um, is that last question from a Fox News reporter?  What doesn't the reporter understand about "our military has nearly been destroyed from the years of trying to subdue Iraq?"  There would be only one other military option and that's the unthinkable one.   So, of course, even the Bush people are going to with ones dealing with economic cooperation first, though it sure sounds like McCain would like to go ballistic first, himself.

 And I don't meant to imply that doing the chimpazee threat act isn't useful.  We do still have our nuclear arsenal, (though, of course so does Russia) and that pile of economic carrots and sticks are still pretty high.  But we need to realize our limits and that every month we stay in Iraq weakens our military more.

tags: russia  georgia  military  iraq  carrot and stick  

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