“We must clear about this. This is not about what Russia did to Georgia, but what Russia intends to do to Europe.”
- Georgian Ambassador Vasil Sikharulidze , August 19, 2008, at The Heritage Foundation. (Watch it here)
The Ambassador went on to say, “I believe that the last few days have shown without a shadow of doubt that Russia is using this moment to project the message to the world that it is back as an imperial power and the free world is powerless to respond. But I do not believe that the West is powerless. Russian aggression can and must be resisted. Power of the free world requires unity. Otherwise if they sense weakness and disunity we will find ourselves in much dire circumstances very soon.”
Profound echoes of Sir Winston’s immemorial Sinews of Peace (Iron Curtain) speech of 1946, wherein rather similar observations and recommendations were iterated as we recall.
- Georgian Ambassador Vasil Sikharulidze , August 19, 2008, at The Heritage Foundation. (Watch it here)
The Ambassador went on to say, “I believe that the last few days have shown without a shadow of doubt that Russia is using this moment to project the message to the world that it is back as an imperial power and the free world is powerless to respond. But I do not believe that the West is powerless. Russian aggression can and must be resisted. Power of the free world requires unity. Otherwise if they sense weakness and disunity we will find ourselves in much dire circumstances very soon.”
Profound echoes of Sir Winston’s immemorial Sinews of Peace (Iron Curtain) speech of 1946, wherein rather similar observations and recommendations were iterated as we recall.
"From what I have seen of our Russian friends and Allies during the war, I am convinced that there is nothing they admire so much as strength, and there is nothing for which they have less respect than for weakness, especially military weakness. For that reason the old doctrine of a balance of power is unsound. We cannot afford, if we can help it, to work on narrow margins, offering temptations to a trial of strength. If the Western Democracies stand together in strict adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter, their influence for furthering those principles will be immense and no one is likely to molest them. If however they become divided or falter in their duty and if these all-important years are allowed to slip away then indeed catastrophe may overwhelm us all."
- Sir Winston Churchill
Cheers,
Charlie
2 comments:
Sir Winston knew how to deal with the Bear. And so did Reagan, and Eisenhower, Nixon and even Truman.
You need to be firm with the Bear, not to back down and not to show weakness.
If Bush would do that, then the situation in Georgia would be over. Too bad he doesn't have the balls for it.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting Charlie! I appreciate your feedback!
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