Aug 15, 2008

Words that Matter and Words that Probably Don’t


“The people of Georgia have cast their lot with the free world and we will not cast them aside.”George W. Bush in his statement regarding the situation in Georgia, August 15, 2008.

These are merely words at this point. But they are words spoken by a leader who has, in the recent past, followed such with actions in kind. This would be what gives such words value, weight, credibility, gravitas, teeth. We shall see.

And The United Nations? The European Union? NATO?

May we remind you all of a similar circumstance some 70 years ago that may prove instructive as to the mass-lethality of such mealy-mouthed dithering?

Once again, history is watching.

Cheers,

Charlie
UPDATE: Bright horizons? More words, but we like those we’re hearing on either side of the Atlantic. John McCain on Russia. David Cameron on Russia. The hope of audacity!

5 comments:

Findalis said...

I pray to G-d that we won't drop the ball on this. I wonder what Reagan would have done in this matter, for after all this isn't October of 1956 and Georgia isn't Hungary.

Anonymous said...

war! war! war! war! war!

Churchill's Parrot said...

Correction my dear Anonymous - strength! strength! strength!strength! strength! For only through quick, clear, decisive action - i.e. strength - are wars which can be avoided, avoided.

Yet again, Sir Winston's words prove as true today as they were in 1946: "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."

Cheers,

Charlie

Anonymous said...

Bop! Bop! Bop! It is the US presidential election and the whole world is joining in at http://www.bop-o-rama.com. Bop early and Bop Often!

Roger W. Gardner said...

Good post Charlie.
Ignoring Alphonso - ??? We are living - unfortunately - in interesting times. Who knows what will happen? But whatever happens we must remember how to be strong again.
rg