tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491095.post732608248192425442..comments2024-01-09T17:16:02.647+07:00Comments on JOTMAN: US humanitarian aid to Georgia (but not Burma)Jotmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485510513271661365noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491095.post-51366577693622676282008-08-16T02:51:00.000+07:002008-08-16T02:51:00.000+07:00well, thank you on behalf of guy on the street ! :...well, thank you on behalf of guy on the street ! :)<BR/>that is provided he will bother to use internet at all, and then - to read blogs. because may be guys on the street don't do that much anyway.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491095.post-8926281975304424712008-08-15T10:33:00.000+07:002008-08-15T10:33:00.000+07:00Anonymous, you inspire me!http://page1.jotman.com-...Anonymous, you inspire me!<BR/><BR/>http://page1.jotman.com-a.googlepages.com/whereintheworldisossetia%2CgeorgiaJotmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02485510513271661365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491095.post-29977576212402513822008-08-15T06:27:00.000+07:002008-08-15T06:27:00.000+07:00>>>>>Ask the guy on the street abou...>>>>>Ask the guy on the street about the geographical location of Georgia and its importance to the US and he will likely shrug his shoulders.<<<<<<BR/><BR/>good point, although not new !<BR/>same was during bombing of Yugoslavia - I remember that time watching BBC in Kolkata (India), and reporter was taking interviews in Miami FL. Most of folks couldn't say where the hell Kosovo is, and especially why it concerns US National Security and why their tax money must be wasted in there.<BR/><BR/>another time (during Clinton's visit) in Dhaka, Bangladesh I heard from friend that most likely hardly many Americans know where on the globe Bangladesh is, while most of Bangladeshis would surely be able to say where America is.<BR/><BR/>but hey, no worries! if that guy on the street can't answer where Georgia is - advice him to read Jotman ! ;) because there are maps to help that guy on the street :) <BR/><BR/>here: <BR/><BR/>http://page1.jotman.com-a.googlepages.com/georgia-russiaconflict<BR/><BR/>although for guy on the street these maps might be too localized - perhaps needed at least 1 other, to show wider picture, like relative to the location of Europe and US. otherwise guy on the street may still not be able to figure it out why media talk about Tbilisi and not Atlanta when they mention Georgia, or may be even come to conclusion that Russia has invaded American soil. LOLAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491095.post-27445726791612429592008-08-15T04:45:00.000+07:002008-08-15T04:45:00.000+07:00I think you're onto something: the US administrati...I think you're onto something: the US administration is way out there, astray from public opinion on this one.<BR/><BR/>Sec. of Def. Robert Gates was giving assurances today that the US is communicating transport plans with the Russians. But Georgia is a war zone, where there is much opportunity for mistakes. What are such assurances really worth?<BR/><BR/>I suspect R. Gates did not initiate this weird scheme. Anyway, the silver lining is that Gates, perhaps the most competent Sec. of Def. in anyone's memory, is overseeing the operation.Jotmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02485510513271661365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491095.post-63094820253020865802008-08-15T01:35:00.000+07:002008-08-15T01:35:00.000+07:00Technically, the Georgian government is democratic...Technically, the Georgian government is democratically elected and welcomes US aid while the Burmese "government" is a ruling junta that is hostile to any intervention, particularly the US. <BR/>Regardless, I agree that having the US military conducting exercises, humanitarian or not, so close to an active Russian army, is frought with risk. The US government is not really under any public pressure to do this. Ask the guy on the street about the geographical location of Georgia and its importance to the US and he will likely shrug his shoulders. Yet there seems to be this imperative for us to be there. If a C-17 gets shot down or humanitarian personnel are killed, then you have a situation where the US has to respond and all of a sudden, you got two nuclear superpowers squaring off. The public will be left wondering how this occurred so quickly.Guinnesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14551930282556870795noreply@blogger.com