and in yet another coincidence that has nothing to do with US policies or even the visit of Bush to Georgia and its support of the democracy there, Russia announces that it will pull its destabilizing troops out of that nation by 2008.
[quote]Russia to pull troops from Georgia by 2008
Posted: Monday, May 30, 4:00pm EDT
Russia agreed Monday to begin withdrawing its troops from two Soviet-era bases in Georgia this year, resolving one of the most serious disputes between Moscow and its pro-Western neighbor.
The deal is a victory for the Caucasus Mountain nation, whose president, Mikhail Saakashvili, has sought to move the country out of the shadow of Moscow and toward deeper economic and military relations with the United States and Europe.
Troops and equipment will begin to be pulled out of the military base at the southern city of Akhalkalaki by year’s end, and then similar withdrawals with start from the Black Sea port of Batumi, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who signed a joint statement with Georgian counterpart, Salome Zurabishvili. About 3,000 troops are stationed at the two bases.
Russia committed itself to finishing the withdrawal by the end of 2008, according to the pact, the text of which was posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry Web site.[/quote]
csmonitor.com/newsinbrief/br … LD16:00:20
Does Georgia have any oil Fred?
No JD! Good question BUT oil pipelines will run across the country to bring oil from Kazakh and Azerbaidzhan to the West. Conspiracy!!!
Are you saying that this is simply a matter of self determination and market forces?? And dare I say…dare! dare! Democracy??
How ironic that this happened on GWBush’s watch.! How could he be for this? Will they be sending troops to Iraq? What’s in it for us??
I believe Georgia already has troops in Iraq. It was part of the “deal” that would get the US involved in freeing them from the clutches of the evil Russian mafiosos who have occupied parts of their nation since independence in 1992. That or perhaps the Georgians just understand better than their statist enslaved European brethren the true value of freedom, democracy and human rights having been denied such things for so long while their European brothers and sisters willingly consign nations to Chamberlain-orchestrated Munichs to preserve “stability” and even barter their own rights away for longer vacations and economic equality.
Naturally, Europe and Germany and France have been SILENT about this despite being very concerned about Israel’s occupation of Palestine and even belatedly, Syria’s occupation of Lebanon. What do you suppose could account for the difference in German, French and EU views on these very similar subjects. Also Russian troops continue to occupy parts of Moldova, Transdniestra, in violation of all sorts of international “laws.” Where is the concern? Why aren’t we hearing more. haha
One step at a time Fred. I’ll take a string of walks and singles over a one run homer anyday. 
Sorry I will assume those are baseball terms and er… um… what do they mean? or more important, what is the strategic implicaton of your statement? 
Many little victories may be better than a single larger one. Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwaiti women voters, Turkey in the EU (some day) Georgia…
Or: Finding a penny a day for a year is better than finding a five dollar bill once.
Can’t you just learn Baseball terminology? It would be so much easier…on me.
Not to question your math abilities but wouldn’t finding a penny a day equal to $3.65 and therefore if I found a $5 bill today and invested it at 7 percent, in a year I would have $5.35 or even higher if compounded daily, say $5.57 while you would have only $3.65 or if pennies were compounded at interest daily then it would most likely be $3.84 right?
Now, back to the baseball…
[quote=“fred smith”]Not to question your math abilities but wouldn’t finding a penny a day equal to $3.65 and therefore if I found a $5 bill today and invested it at 7 percent, in a year I would have $5.35 or even higher if compounded daily, say $5.57 while you would have only $3.65 or if pennies were compounded at interest daily then it would most likely be $3.84 right?
Now, back to the baseball…[/quote]
lolololololol :bravo:
I are the English teacher.
Can we go back to this?
Does this mean you no longer want to invade and occupy Syria and Iran, Fred, or would that be reading too much into your little celebration here?
hahah Spook:
You know me. I am a diehard. Nothing causes me greater angst than not being able to invade Syria and clean up that mess once and for all. I am sure that doing so would help our efforts in Iraq. We need more border enforcement and perhaps some infiltration of our own into Iran to “keep them busy” if they want to play that way and hell, if Saudi Arabia gives us any more trouble, some “infiltration” there as well? Why not?
Now, don’t tell me that you understand baseball terms. I am sure that the sport has the potential for all sorts of MFGResque metaphors, analogies and similes. Hey, where is our resident “paint the barn and let’s have a party?” person? I am very disappointed that he is not here to keep me supplied with bons mots to ensure that I Frederick P. Smith V. remain an important and “witty” fixture in Taipei Society.
How about grab your nuts and let’s go to the game. Or swinging ain’t hitting. OR let’s steal the bases and end the game or you can’t hit a home run without bashing a few balls or and putting your hand in the glove ain’t the same as catching a fly ball. Now you try…
. . . Do what we say and not what we do?