After Cameron's dramatic dash to Georgia in August, it turned out that the Tories were sitting in alliance with Putin's United Russia in the Council of Europe. A Tory spokesperson responded by saying they were pulling out - but they were fibbing

What about Russia and Georgia?

Vladimir Putin has just signed a deal with Islam Karimov, President of Uzbekistan, to pay market prices for gas exported to Russia from the Central Asian republic. The two countries have also agreed to build a new pipeline to Russia to carry increased supplies of gas from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

A real humdinger of a David Miliband/John Humphrys interview yesterday on Today, which for me made David Miliband international viewpoint rather clearer. In short my take from that is that David Miliband is firmly and clearly keeping the UK on the U.S. pillion seat.

A spectre is haunting Europe; the spectre of Cold War II!

Despite the tragic loss of life, nothing much seems to have changed in Georgia as the pieces re-settle. Except perhaps making ultimate resolution more difficult, and strengthening both sides ties to their Russian and US backers. But South Ossetia and Abkhazia are only two regions that make up the four ‘frozen conflicts’ remaining from the breakup of the Soviet Union. Transnistria and Nagorno-Karabakh are the other two. Chechnya, which borders Georgia, is different in that it does not directly involve an internationally recognised state other than Russia.

Say it ain't so :-(

 

In war-torn Georgia, are we guilty of pretending to treat the disease by its symptoms? 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7561926.stm

Looks like the missile shield deal has to been finalised, signed and sealed.

Both the US and Poland must have felt the time was right - indeed, it is clear an old enemy is up to new tricks.

The Question is - what is EUROPE and the US going to do when Russia inevitably points its missiles at POLAND and NATO?  

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7559252.stm

Very strong reaction from Bush. The US MILITARY is sending "humanitarian" aid to Georgia.

Interesting, if slightly worrying times we live in.

Where is Brown? - People want to hear a statement personally from our leader. An aggressor state is once again at EUROPE'S DOOR.

Many on all sides of debates about Iraq, Afghanistan and even Kosovo, thought that those of us who focused on questions of international law and the status and credibility of the UN had missed the real point and were engaging in a diversion.

But events are unfolding that show that the world has become a far more dangerous place.  Why?  Because unilateral intervention has become the modus operandi of those parts of the international community with hegemony, and therefore the mark of a real world power is one that can ignore the processes of international government and law.

Has Labourhome become a principal mouthpiece of Labour politicians who seem to be cut off from reality?   

After Georgia attempted to restore order to its legal sovereign territory - South Ossetia - Russian tanks and fighters have crossed into Georgian land and airspace.

Russia wants all the oil in the Caspian for itself - to control and intimidate the West. A full scale attack on Georgia must be met by NATO.

 

Labourhome's Mark McDonald wrote a piece recently (/story/2008/2/4/53026/88010) on Vasily Aleksanyan, imprisoned in Russia and refused treatment for AIDS, except in return for false testimony, despite FOUR European Court of Human Rights rulings insisting he be treated.

Today I received the message below. It seems Vasily has now been moved and neither his family, nor his lawyer, know where he is or what treatment he is receiving - if any.

Vasily is charged with money laundering and embezzlement, not any kind of terrorist-related charge - and he now no longer has access to his lawyer, let alone medical treatment.  Please help Vasily (http://www.mka-london.co.uk/caseHome.asp).

I am not a criminologist. However, anecdotally, I understand it is common for premeditated murderers to try to cover their tracks.

Yet in the case of Alexander Litvinenko's assassination, it is clear that his death was only one intended outcome. Perhaps the more significant goal was to send a message to others around the world that they can be found and despatched in the most gruesome and painful of manners.

tyger explains his absence