Freedom Rider: America Attacks Russia
by BAR editor and senior columnist Margaret Kimberley
"Why not start a war with Russia before heading back to Texas?"
Like every president serving in his last term, George W. Bush is concerned about his legacy. Bush is worried that he hasn't created quite enough havoc around the globe. It isn't enough to invade Iraq and Afghanistan or overthrow a democratically elected government in Haiti. Using the war on terror to justify slaughter in Somalia doesn't quite cut it in the Bush administration standard. Giving Israel carte blanche to invade Lebanon is merely par for America's course over the last 60 years. None of those feats rank very highly to the scoundrel class. Why not finish with the piece de resistance? Why not start a war with Russia before heading back to Texas?
The recent conflict between Russia and Georgia was instigated by the United States and its partner in crime, Israel. Of course the corporate media didn't tell Americans the full story or anything remotely akin to it. Anyone reading a major newspaper or watching any of the networks' news programs would think that the poor defenseless Georgians suffered a dastardly, unjustified, sneak attack from the evil Russian bear.
The facts are quite different and very simple. On August 7, 2008 Georgian troops made war on helpless civilians, ostensibly to liberate South Ossetia and Abkhazia, regions they claim as their own. The Russians struck back, pushing the Georgians out of their territory and sending a message to Bush and company.
"The United States has 1,000 ‘advisors' in Georgia."
Few Americans realize that the United States has 1,000 "advisors" in Georgia or that Israeli defense contractors supply Georgia with arms. Georgia was also among the "coalition of the willing," one of the nations who joined in the occupation of Iraq.
Georgian president Mikhail Saakasvili bragged about Israeli nationals serving in his cabinet. "We have two Israeli cabinet ministers, one deals with war [Defense Minister David Kezerashvili], and the other with negotiations [State Minister for Territorial Integration Temur Yakobashvili], and that is the Israeli involvement here: Both war and peace are in the hands of Israeli Jews."
When he met Russian president Vladimir Putin for the first time, Bush claimed that after looking him in the eye, he had "a sense of his soul." Apparently his effort at clairvoyance was a failure, because he didn't see that Putin was not a push over.
If Bush and Cheney had faced impeachment the world would now be a much safer place. Instead they are free to continue bringing terror to the rest of the world. Congress, Democrats included, have not made so much as a token gesture to question Bush administration activity in Georgia. Why are there 1,000 advisors in this country? How does it impact foreign policy and the lives of Americans? Neither the corporate media nor Congress have bothered to ask, and Americans are left with outright lies and continued criminality.
"Congress, Democrats included, have not made so much as a token gesture to question Bush administration activity in Georgia."
At his acceptance speech for the Vice Presidential nomination Senator Joseph Biden parroted Bush administration lies almost word for word. ". . . with Russia challenging the very freedom of a new democratic country of Georgia. Barack and I will end that neglect. We will hold Russia accountable for its actions, and we will help the people of Georgia rebuild." It can't be denied that Georgia suffered damage as a result of its leader's stupid actions, but it does not need to be rebuilt. Iraq certainly does. Iraq was destroyed by the United States and neither Biden nor Obama have ever pledged to rebuild there.
It is left to Vladimir Putin, the former KGB director who crushed the Chechen fight for independence, to take action that saves humanity from the United States. Russia put the American gangsters in their place on this occasion, but the evil doing is far reaching and has already escalated tensions.
The Bush administration has pushed to increase the number of NATO member nations, including former Soviet bloc nations such as Poland. After the Georgia debacle the Poles demanded that that Washington speed up an agreement to install a missile defense system just 100 miles from Russia.
"Georgia does not need to be rebuilt; Iraq certainly does."
The pitifully inept Condoleezza Rice made the case for the Polish weapons. "This is an agreement that will establish a missile defense site here in Poland that will help us to deal with the new threats of the 21st century, of long range missiles... from countries like Iran or North Korea." These bizarre words ought to choke in her throat and prevent her from speaking, but consider the source.
Obama must have been impressed with her nonsense because he used similar language during his acceptance speech. "I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression."
So the Bush legacy is safe and sound and will continue after January 2009, no matter who wins in November and no matter what new dangers he creates in the next five months. He came to office by theft and for eight years did whatever he wanted to do because of acquiescence from the so-called opposition. Bush ought to relax. History will record that he was one of the most successful presidents in history.
Margaret Kimberley's Freedom Rider column appears weekly in BAR. Ms. Kimberley lives in New York City, and can be reached via e-Mail at Margaret.Kimberley(at)BlackAgandaReport.Com. Ms. Kimberley maintains an edifying and frequently updated blog at freedomrider.blogspot.com. More of her work is also available at her Black Agenda Report archive page.
In August 2020 the late Glen Ford spoke to former political prisoner Jihad Abdulmumit of the Jericho Movement about the origins and importance of Black August.
Wilmer Leon and Margaret discussed the true reasons for antipathy towards Niger, and why other African nations are used as proxies for western interests.
Eritrea is an example of an independent and self-determining African state. Its people are rightly proud of their history.
Sixty years ago, Nkrumah told us why it was important that Africa unite. Today, his message and roadmap for Pan-African unity is needed more than ever.
The war against Africans intensifies, the puppets and stooges do as they are ordered, while others are satisfied with empty gestures. But the revolutionary path is unchanged, as Ajamu Baraka…
