Giuliani to give keynote at GOP convention

Giuliani to give keynote at GOP convention

McCain's campaign nourished by humble pieThe Associated Press - 10 hours ago

Solitude For McCain’s WordsmithNewsweek - Aug 23, 2008

Michigan politicians shut out of Republican conventionDetroit Free Press - Aug 22, 2008

By LIZ SIDOTI – August 21, 2008 Associated Press writers Andrew Miga in Washington and David Rising in Georgia contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani will give the keynote address at the Republican National Convention next month and Democrat-turned-independent Sen. Joe Lieberman also will take center stage at the GOP gathering.

[…]

President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, first lady Laura Bush, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lieberman, who was the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2000 and is said to be under consideration for the same role with McCain, will open the convention on Monday, Sept. 1, with speeches that focus on service.

[…]

Giuliani, the two-term mayor who led New York through the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, will deliver his spotlight speech on Tuesday night…

[…]

Most of McCain's other former primary rivals will speak, including former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, ex-Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee, Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who also is mentioned as a potential vice presidential candidates.

At least eight others whose names have been mentioned as potential running mates also are to address the convention, including governors Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, Charlie Crist of Florida, Sarah Palin of Alaska, Jon Huntsman of Utah, Bobby Jindal of Louisiana; former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge; Meg Whitman, the former chief executive and president of eBay, and Carly Fiorina, the former chairwoman and chief executive of Hewlett-Packard Co.

McCain's vice presidential candidate is scheduled to speak on the third night of the convention, the same night McCain's wife, Cindy, will give her address. McCain will accept the nomination on the final night.

[…]

Read the entire article here: Giuliani to give keynote at GOP convention

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gQXv0nWTHv-Gnt8AqkAcVHzqZkpwD92M5JEG0

20080822 Giuliani to give keynote at GOP convention

The diners at the Himalayan Kitchen on August 24 2008

The diners at the Himalayan Kitchen

Sunday, August 24, 2008 Kevin Dayhoff

On our recent trip to Salt Lake City in Utah, we jumped at the opportunity to go see the “Special Exhibition: Monet to Picasso from the Cleveland Museum of Art” at the “Utah Museum of Fine Arts.” Afterwards we stopped to eat at the “Himalayan Kitchen,” 73 East 400 South, in Salt Lake City, Utah; where we enjoyed seeing the very young boy eating Himalaya food...

20080824 The diners at the Himalayan Kitchen

Sen Joe Lieberman to speak at GOP convention AP NYT

20080820 Sen Joe Lieberman to speak at GOP convention AP NYT

Sen. Joe Lieberman to speak at GOP convention

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: August 20, 2008

Filed at 3:29 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Democratic Party's vice presidential candidate in 2000 and now an independent who is one of John McCain's strongest supporters, will speak at the Republican National Convention, an official said.

Lieberman will deliver a speech when Republicans gather in St. Paul, Minn., to nominate McCain for president, a party official told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The official requested anonymity because a formal announcement had yet to be made.

[…]

Read the entire article here: Sen. Joe Lieberman to speak at GOP convention

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/washington/AP-Lieberman-GOP-Convention.html

Republican National Convention to Highlight Service Reform Prosperity and Peace

Republican National Convention to Highlight Service Reform Prosperity and Peace

"Country First": 2008 Republican National Convention to Highlight Service, Reform, Prosperity and Peace

"Country First": 2008 Republican National Convention to Highlight Service, Reform, Prosperity and Peace

http://www.gopconvention2008.com/news/Read.aspx?ID=580

Hat Tip: Time blog Real Clear Politics - RNC Announces Speaker Lineup

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Convention Announces Program Themes and Speaker Lineup

SAINT PAUL, Minn. - The 2008 Republican National Convention today announced the themes and preliminary lineup of speakers for the program of events that will run Sept. 1-4. The convention’s overall theme, "Country First," reflects John McCain’s remarkable record of leadership and service to America. Each day of proceedings will center on a touchstone theme that has defined John McCain’s life and will be central to his vision for leading our nation forward as president.

"Our convention will showcase a cross-section of leaders who will highlight John McCain’s long commitment to putting our country first -- before self-interest or politics," said McCain 2008 Communications Director Jill Hazelbaker. "The speakers will address John McCain’s unmatched record of service and sacrifice for America, and his vision for moving our nation forward to keep us safe and get our economy back on track."

The roster of speakers announced today includes John McCain, Mrs. Cindy McCain, 10 current and former Republican governors, five current and former U.S. Senators and two well-respected businesswomen. Their remarks will echo the themes that have been selected for each of the convention’s four days: service, reform, prosperity and peace.

"We are excited to announce this slate of speakers, each of whom shares John McCain’s love of country and commitment to serving a cause greater than one’s own self-interest. Their remarks will be a testament to Senator McCain’s unparalleled record of service and sacrifice for America and his readiness to lead as commander in chief and move America forward," said Maria Cino, president and CEO of the 2008 Republican National Convention.

The program of events is as follows:

Monday, Sept. 1

Service

"Love of country, my friends, is another way of saying love of your fellow countryman." --Sen. John McCain

John McCain’s commitment to his fellow Americans, a commitment forged in service to his country, is one of the defining hallmarks of his life. Monday’s events will highlight John McCain’s record of service and sacrifice and reflect his commitment to serving a cause greater than one’s own self-interest. Speakers will include:

U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (Conn.)

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (Calif.)

Vice President Richard B. Cheney

First Lady Laura Bush

President George W. Bush

Tuesday, Sept. 2

Reform

"If you find faults with our country, make it a better one. If you are disappointed with the mistakes of government, join its ranks and correct them."

--Sen. John McCain

John McCain’s life is a testament to the fundamental truth that every American can be a force for change. A restless reformer who has dedicated his career to taking on special interests and the status quo, John McCain will deliver the right kind of change and reform to meet the great challenges of our time. On Tuesday, the convention program will underscore his vision of a government that is transparent, principled and worthy of the American people it serves.Speakers will include:

Former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee (Ark.)

Former Gov. Tom Ridge (Pa.)

Gov. Sarah Palin (Alaska)

Gov. Jon Huntsman (Utah)

Rosario Marin, California Secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency and former Treasurer of the United States

Former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson (Tenn.)

Gov. Linda Lingle (Hawaii)

Former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (Md.)

Wednesday, Sept. 3

Prosperity

"America’s best days are still to come."

--Sen. John McCain

The American story is one of perseverance. Even in the face of tough times, the ingenuity and spirit of the American people has ushered in a new era of prosperity. Wednesday’s program will focus on John McCain’s plans to get our economy back on track and continue our long tradition of meeting the challenges we face and using our prosperity to help others. The day will conclude with an address by the vice presidential nominee.Speakers will include:

U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman (Minn.)

Meg Whitman, National Co-Chair for McCain 2008 and former President and CEO of eBay

Carly Fiorina, Victory ‘08 Chairman for the Republican National Committee and former Chairman and CEO of Hewlett-Packard Co.

Former Gov. Mitt Romney (Mass.)

Mrs. Cindy McCain

Gov. Bobby Jindal (La.)

Republican Party’s Vice Presidential Nominee

Thursday, Sept. 4

Peace

"Our next president will have a mandate to build an enduring global peace on the foundations of freedom, security, opportunity, prosperity, and hope." --Sen. John McCain

John McCain understands the challenges that America faces in the world and the sacrifice necessary to defend our freedom in a way that few others can fathom. Thursday’s events will reflect his vision of an America in pursuit of peace and seen as a beacon of goodwill and hope throughout the world. The evening will close with John McCain accepting the Republican Party’s nomination for the Presidency of the United States.

Speakers will include:

Gov. Tim Pawlenty (Minn.)

Gov. Charlie Crist (Fla.)

U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback (Kan.)

U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez (Fla.)

John McCain

In the coming days, the 2008 Republican National Convention will announce additional speakers and program details.

About the Republican National Convention

The 2008 Republican National Convention will be held at Saint Paul's Xcel Energy Center from Sept. 1-4, 2008. Approximately 45,000 delegates, alternate delegates, volunteers, members of the media and other guests are expected to attend the convention. Minneapolis-Saint Paul is expected to receive an estimated $150-$160 million positive economic boost from the four-day event.

For more information about the 2008 Republican National Convention, please visit our website at www.GOPConvention2008.com and join our social network sites on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

20080820 RNC to Highlight Service Reform Prosperity and Peace

Time Blog Real Clear Politics: Giuliani to Keynote RNC, Theme Is "Country First"

Time Blog Real Clear Politics: Giuliani to Keynote RNC, Theme Is "Country First"

August 20, 2008

Giuliani to Keynote RNC, Theme Is "Country First"

Posted by TOM BEVAN

Liz Sidoti has the scoop:

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani will give the keynote address at the Republican National Convention next month.

First lady Laura Bush, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and John McCain's former Republican rivals will speak as well.

The theme will be "Country First" with four days devoted to service, reform, prosperity and peace.

President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and other dignitaries also get speaking roles at the convention in St. Paul, Minn.

http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2008/08/giuliani_to_keynote_rnc_theme.html

20080820 Giuliani to Keynote RNC Theme Is Country First

20080807 “La Policía” © by Kevin Dayhoff

“La Policía”

August 7, 2008 © by Kevin Dayhoff

Picture caption: Carroll County Commissioners Dean Minnich, Julia Gouge, and Mike Zimmer on the barricades at the Carroll County Office Building, Westminster, Maryland by Delacroix and Kevin Dayhoff August 7th, 2008

Writer’s note: A shortened version of this appeared in the Sunday Carroll Eagle on August 17, 2008: “And now, for this week’s installment of ‘La Policia,’ in the Opinion section of the paper.
_____

Carroll County’s reputation for low crime and an aggressive approach to public safety is not a recent phenomenon.

Over 80 years ago on July 16, 1925, the editor of the American Sentinel newspaper in Westminster, Joseph D. Brooks wrote that many “years ago Carroll county was known to criminals all over the state as an ‘open door to the penitentiary,’ and many there were who entered by way of that door.”

However, as one can imagine when a community determines any public policy to be of paramount importance there are bound to be impassioned conflicts and dramas.

Writing for the Historical Society of Carroll County in 2001, Jay Graybeal noted in his introduction of the 1925 newspaper article, “Why the Listlessness of the Sheriffs of Carroll County?”; that it seems that Mr. Brooks had become unhappy with the Carroll County sheriff and state’s attorney and was letting them know that in no uncertain terms.

Carroll County history is replete with colorful conflicts, many of operatic proportions, between the Carroll County board of commissioners, the Carroll County delegation to Annapolis, the state’s attorney’s office, and the sheriff.

In the most recent act of this ongoing opera, on October 4, 2007 the Carroll County board of commissioners opted to move forward with a plan to form a county police department headed by an appointed chief of police.

Not willing to disappoint future historians, troubadours from far-flung regions of the Carroll County Empire then entered the stage and chaos ensued. I read several of the news accounts with the soundtrack of “Les Misérables” playing in the background.

The only disappointment is that Victor Hugo, the author of the classic 1862 novel, is not available to write about it.

Just as with any good storytelling, “La Policía” the current epic Carroll County constitutional conflict over the future of the police in Carroll County has many layers, story lines, strong personalities, and plot twists.

The frenzied operatic moments are reminiscent of what a collaboration between the famous 19th-century composer Richard Wagner and his father-in-law, Franz Liszt, would have looked like; with the emphasis of folks attempting to promote a plan for the future that cannot escape the past.

The very first act of La Policía is borrowed from Les Misérables. As the curtains rise, the scene before the bewildered citizen audience is the barricaded Carroll County office building.

It’s August 7, 2008 and the commissioners have just voted 2-1 to not move forward with the October 4, 2007 police plan.

As the smoke rises from the stage, there is a break in the action as members of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department are storming the barricades.

Blinking red and blue police lights reflect back and forth in the fog of the smoke.

In the background, the delegation to Annapolis forms the chorus and is softly singing.

The three commissioners are standing on top of the barricades. Commissioners Mike Zimmer and Dean Minnich are on either side of Julia Gouge, holding her steady as she waves an oversized Carroll County flag.

Office building employees have broken out the windows and are showering the storming sheriff’s deputies with office furniture.

The stage is littered with burning newspapers as the local media has shelled all the participants with folded newspapers shot from makeshift artillery.

Off to the side, Channel 13 news reporter Mike Schuh is attempting to interview Westminster Police Chief Jeff Spaulding. The only thing is - the chief has the 1971 Led Zeppelin classic, “The Battle of Evermore,” coincidentally, the title of the first act of La Policía, cranked-up so loud on the car stereo, no one can hear a thing.

Inside the office building the receptionist, Kay Church, is serving cookies, answering the phones and has armed herself with a salad shooter and big bag of carrots.

Ted Zaleski, the director of management and budget is huddled off to the side with Vivian Laxton, the public information administrator as they try and figure out who is playing what character from Les Misérables.

All of the sudden there is silence on the stage as famed local historian; Jay Graybeal emerges from the fog as a narrator, smiles and begins to softly tell the story of the history of the sheriff’s department.

“When Carroll County was founded in 1837, one of the first tasks…” of the newly formed government was to elect a sheriff. As with many aspects of early American government, its origins date back to the history of mother England.

According to some undocumented notes, “1200 years ago, England was inhabited by Anglo-Saxons. Groups of a hundred would ban together and form communities known as a “tun,” from where we get the word, “town.”

Every group of a hundred, or “tun,” as led by a “reeve,” which was the forerunner of what we now know as a chief of police.

According to Mr. Brooks, the reeve was “charged with the execution of the laws … and the preservation of the peace, and, in some cases having judicial powers. He was the King’s reeve, or steward over a shire … — a distinctive royal officer, appointed by the king, dismissible at a moment’s notice…”

Groups of “tuns” banned together to form a larger form of government known as a ‘Shire’” – what we now know as a county; and my old notes reflect that in order to distinguish the leader of a “Shire,” from a leader of a tun, the more powerful official became known as a “Shire-Reeve.”

Which is where we get the modern word “sheriff.”

####

20080807 “La Policía” © by Kevin Dayhoff

This week in The Tentacle

20080820 This week in The Tentacle

Wednesday, August 20, 2008
A Civil Affair at Saddleback
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Last Saturday I took a two-hour break from total Olympics immersion therapy to watch Pastor Rick Warren's Saddleback Civil Forum on the presidency.

Emergency Room Retrofit
Tom McLaughlin
Throughout the past few years, there has been a blasting of the Canadian healthcare system. Many conservatives point to the “awful” conditions up north as an example of what can happen if the government gets involved.

From the desk of The Publisher!
John W. Ashbury

In yesterday’s column by Roy Meachum, the last name of the president of France was misspelled. It should be Sarkozy. The Tentacle regrets the error.


Tuesday, August 19, 2008
No Sabers to Rattle
Roy Meachum
A chance encounter. While Pushkin and I were taking a downtown stroll, an impossibly young captain out of the Point four years and returned recently from the Middle East. His USMA graduate-father along and a pretty wife; she wanted to talk to the pleased English pointer. She and Pushki retreated just beyond the conversational range.

Passing on Pollsters
Norman M. Covert
My son assures me that I should feel no guilt in hanging up on telemarketers. It is not alright, he says, to listen to pre-recorded messages about my car’s warranty, or Part D Medicare insurance and such. In that state of mind, I should have “passed” on a recent political phone call that probably verged on the sophomoric.


Monday, August 18, 2008
Summer Thoughts
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
I became a grandfather back in January. It's almost as great as everyone has ever said. I describe it this way: It's all of the love you had for your own children, without the crushing burden of responsibility!

Counting Students
Steven R. Berryman
The argument continues: Let’s count the children who are from families that are not paying into Frederick County Public Schools so that we can get our arms around the problem of looming budget deficits.


Friday, August 15, 2008
Evil Demagogue
Roy Meachum
The evil in John "Lennie" Thompson's soul became public when he prolonged a hearing past midnight; he knowingly kept children up who wanted to sleep. But their mothers desperately needed a school and a place to worship. But they were only Muslims and mostly foreign-born. They were, however, legal residents.


O’Malley Seeking Gold!
Katie Nash
Gov. Martin O’Malley should take a lesson from Baltimore super swimmer Michael Phelps. The governor is drowning and there is no life saver in sight.


Thursday, August 14, 2008
A Prime Rib Sandwich
Joan McIntyre
Do the terms Generation X or Y, or Baby Boomers mean a thing to you? Didn't mean much to me until I realized I could be the poster child for the thing they call The Sandwich Generation.

National Pride: Just Wonderful
Chris Cavey
Almost everyone who has laid finger to keyboard has written about the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; however, the story for me is viewing the quadrennial bubbling of national pride and knowing its juxtaposition with local heroes.


Wednesday, August 13, 2008
They shoot dogs, don’t they?
Kevin E. Dayhoff
In Prince Georges County on the evening of July 30, the home of the Berwyn Heights’ Mayor Cheye Calvo was the scene of a home invasion.


Beer Olympics
Tom McLaughlin
They’re back! After watching the March Past during the opening of the games in Peking (old spelling), I settled in to watch some of the sports. And wonders of wonders who did I see? Those two great representatives of American dirty old men, Misty May and Kerri Walsh. They were playing the great American sport – beach volleyball.


Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Media Furies
Roy Meachum
The Bruce Ivins tragedy starkly revealed the trashy shape of America's media. Print and electronic alike, they have become modern versions of Greek playwright Aeschylus's Eumenides; the Furies of ancient Rome, they resound still in the Yiddish phrase: Kein eine horah. "Not one listening" is a prayerful cautionary against the 40,000 beasties that always hover waiting to strike all those who earn praise.


Perception Often Worse Than Truth
Farrell Keough
Perceptions are a tricky thing. There are times in life when a person can feel so strongly about a situation they are willing to suffer the consequences of people believing they are either wrong or have some nefarious intent.


Monday, August 11, 2008
Hanging it up…
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
…a stethoscope, that is. On August 8, Dr. Wayne Allgaier snapped the closure on his leather medical kit for the last time. Last Friday, he hung the stethoscope up for the last time.


T. Boone & Slim Pickens
Steven R. Berryman
What does a famous Texas oil baron do to ensure some personal legacy at age 80? He becomes an alternative energy activist, and starts a web site with a link to his own MySpace page, of course!


They’re Not Just Athletes…
Derek Shackelford
Last Friday the 2008 Summer Olympics games opened in Beijing, China, where the government has come under scrutiny because of proclaimed human rights violations. The air quality – to some degree – has been deemed unhealthy. The government has been criticized for neglect of some of its citizens and the economic disparity is widely known. And its capital punishment policy has been questioned.

Time blog - Real Clear Politics: “A Media Coverage Mea Culpa” by Heather Wilhelm

Time blog - Real Clear Politics: “A Media Coverage Mea Culpa” by Heather Wilhelm

I’m not sure I needed Deborah Howell to call this to my attention.

What is equally disturbing is: 20080817 McCain protests NBC coverage by Mike Allen at Politico

_____

August 18, 2008 A Media Coverage Mea Culpa

Posted by HEATHER WILHELM

"It doesn't look good," writes Deborah Howell, the Washington Post's ombudsman:

Democrat Barack Obama has had about a 3 to 1 advantage over Republican John McCain in Post Page 1 stories since Obama became his party's presumptive nominee June 4...In overall political stories from June 4 to Friday, Obama dominated by 142 to 96. Obama has been featured in 35 stories on Page 1; McCain has been featured in 13, with three Page 1 references with photos to stories on inside pages...This dovetails with Obama's dominance in photos, which I pointed out two weeks ago.

"This is not just a Post phenomenon," Howell writes, and she seems to be right: The Project for Excellence in Journalism, in its latest study, reports similar findings across the spectrum.

http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2008/08/a_media_coverage_mea_culpa.html

20080818 Time blog - Real Clear Politics: “A Media Coverage Mea Culpa” by Heather Wilhelm

McCain protests NBC coverage by Mike Allen at Politico

McCain protests NBC coverage by Mike Allen at Politico

August 20, 2008

Mike Allen at Politico has reported that Arizona Sen. John McCain has finally formerly complained to NBC about their blatantly biased coverage of the 2008 presidential campaign.

For many of us, we rolled our eys and collectively gasped “It’s about time.”

In my Tentacle column today, A Civil Affair at Saddleback, Wednesday, August 20, 2008, I wrote:

Since the forum, the spinmeisters have collectively expressed surprise at how well Senator McCain performed to the point that NBC's Andrea Mitchell told “Meet the Press” last Sunday that he must have cheated. “He seemed so prepared.”

Then, she gave gravitas to the talking points of Senator Obama’s campaign by saying, “the Obama people must feel that he didn’t do quite as well as they might have wanted to in that context. ... What they’re putting out privately is that McCain ... may have had some ability to overhear what the questions were to Obama.”

Alas, NBC and Ms. Mitchell seem so dedicated to removing any doubt that they wish to be the sycophant mouthpiece of Senator Obama.

If you also feel NBC’s coverage is "abandoning non-partisan coverage of the presidential race," write to:

Mr. Steve Capus
President, NBC News
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112

And tell them so.

Meanwhile:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12594.html

McCain protests NBC coverage By MIKE ALLEN 8/17/08

Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) campaign manager Rick Davis asked Sunday for a meeting with Steve Capus, the president of NBC News, to protest what the campaign called signs that the network is "abandoning non-partisan coverage of the presidential race."

Davis made the request Sunday in a letter that is part of an aggressive effort by McCain to counter news coverage he considers critical.

In this case, the campaign is objecting to a statement by NBC's Andrea Mitchell on "Meet the Press" questioning whether McCain might have gotten a heads-up on some of the questions that were asked of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who was the first candidate to be interviewed Saturday night by Pastor Rick Warren at a presidential forum on faith.

Warren told the audience that McCain was being held in "a cone of silence" so he wouldn't hear the questions, which were similar for both candidates.

[…]

Here is the text of the letter:

August 17, 2008

Mr. Steve Capus
President, NBC News
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112

Steve:

We are extremely disappointed to see that the level of objectivity at NBC News has fallen so low that reporters are now giving voice to unsubstantiated, partisan claims in order to undercut John McCain.

Nowhere was this more evident than with NBC chief correspondent Andrea Mitchell's comments on "Meet the Press" this morning. In analyzing last night's presidential forum at Saddleback Church, Mitchell expressed the Obama campaign spin that John McCain could only have done so well last night because he "may not have been in the cone of silence and may have had some ability to overhear what the questions were to Obama." Here are Andrea Mitchell's comments in full:

Mitchell: "The Obama people must feel that he didn't do quite as well as they might have wanted to in that context, because what they are putting out privately is that McCain may not have been in the cone of silence and may have had some ability to overhear what the questions were to Obama. He seemed so well-prepared." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 8/17/08)

Make no mistake: This is a serious charge. Andrea Mitchell is repeating, uncritically, a completely unsubstantiated Obama campaign claim that John McCain somehow cheated in last night's forum at Saddleback Church. Instead of trying to substantiate this blatant falsehood in any way, Andrea Mitchell felt that she needed to repeat it on air to millions of "Meet the Press" viewers with no indication that 1.) There's not one shred of evidence that it's true; 2.) In his official correspondence to both campaigns, Pastor Rick Warren provided both candidates with information regarding the topic areas to be covered, which Barack Obama acknowledged during the forum when asked about Pastor Warren's idea of an emergency plan for orphans and Obama said, "I cheated a little bit. I actually looked at this idea ahead of time, and I think it is a great idea;" 3.) John McCain actually requested that he and Barack Obama do the forum together on stage at the same time, making these kinds of after-the-fact complaints moot.

Indeed, instead of taking a critical journalistic approach to this spin, Andrea Mitchell did what has become a pattern for her of simply repeating Obama campaign talking points.

This is irresponsible journalism and sadly, indicative of the level of objectivity we have witnessed at NBC News this election cycle. Instead of examining the Obama campaign's spin for truth before reporting it to more than 3 million NBC News viewers, Andrea Mitchell simply passed along Obama campaign conspiracy theories. The fact is that during Senator Obama's segment at Saddleback last night, Senator McCain was in a motorcade to the event and then held in a green room with no broadcast feed. In the forum, John McCain clearly demonstrated to the American people that he is prepared to be our next President.....

We are concerned that your News Division is following MSNBC's lead in abandoning non-partisan coverage of the Presidential race. We would like to request a meeting with you as soon as possible to discuss our deep concerns about the news standards and level of objectivity at NBC.

Sincerely,

Rick Davis
Campaign Manager
John McCain 2008

Read the entire article here: McCain protests NBC coverage by Mike Allen at Politico

20080817 McCain protests NBC coverage by Mike Allen at Politico

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12594.html

Death shuts down MARC Penn Line for morning commuters by Jeff Quinton

Death shuts down MARC Penn Line for morning commuters

August 20, 2008

Jeff Quinton over at “Inside Charm City” is letting morning commuters know that a death has shut down the MARC Penn line…

Go here for more information: Death shuts down MARC Penn Line for morning commuters by Jeff Quinton

http://insidecharmcity.com/2008/08/20/death-shuts-down-marc-penn-line-for-morning-commuters/

20080820 Death shuts down MARC Penn Line for morning commuters

Sykesville ALERT about bogus Telephone Solicitors

20080818 Sykesville ALERT about bogus Telephone Solicitors

August 18, 2008

TELEPHONE SOLICITATIONS

Please be aware that the Town of Sykesville and the Sykesville Police Department does not, and has not, solicited for donations or contributions via the telephone or door to door.

Should you receive a similar request, please ask for the individual's name and telephone number and contact the Sykesville Police Department by calling (410) 795-0757.

We do want to inform you that the Fraternal Order of Police conducts annual funding campaigns by telephone and is a legitimate cause. Feel free to contact us to verify the validity of their requests as well.

John R. Williams, Jr.
Chief of Police

Sykesville Police Department
7547 Main Street
Sykesville, MD 21784
(410) 795-0757 fax (410) 795-8864

Two killed in Talbot County crash involving a State Trooper

Two killed in Talbot County crash involving a State Trooper

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2008

TWO KILLED IN CRASH WITH STATE TROOPER

(St. Michaels, MD) Two people were killed this afternoon in a Talbot County crash that involved a state trooper who was responding to a call for a personal injury vehicle crash.

The victims are identified as Maynard W. Lowry, 88, of Tilghman, Md., and his sister, Alma Lowry, 87, also of Tilghman. Mr. Lowry was pronounced dead at the scene. Ms. Lowry was taken by ambulance to Easton Memorial Hospital where she was pronounced dead shortly before 5:30 p.m. today.

The trooper involved in the crash is identified as Trooper First Class Philip W. Willoughby, 28, who is assigned to road patrol duties at the Easton Barracks. TFC
Willoughby has been a member of the Maryland State Police for seven and one-half years. He was flown by State Police medevac to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center where he was treated for lacerations and contusions before being released this evening.

Shortly before 3:00 p.m. today, TFC Willoughby had just begun his tour of duty when he heard a Talbot County 9-1-1 dispatch for a reported personal injury crash involving an overturned vehicle on Old Trappe Road between Easton and Trappe. He was traveling east on Rt. 33 in St. Michaels at the time and radioed the Easton Barracks to advise he would be en route to the crash.

According to numerous witnesses, TFC Willoughby activated his emergency lights and siren on his marked patrol car and proceeded east on Rt. 33.

Witnesses told State Police investigators they heard the siren and saw the emergency lights as the trooper traveled east on the 35 mph roadway and approached a shopping center just east of Madison Avenue. Witnesses said there were no cars in front of the trooper on the straight and level roadway as he neared the shopping center entrance.

The preliminary investigation indicates Mr. Lowry, who was driving a four-door 1987 Toyota Cressida, pulled from the shopping center parking lot onto Rt. 33 and into the path of the trooper. The trooper’s 2006 Ford Crown Victoria struck the Toyota on the driver’s side.

The trooper kicked his way out of his patrol car and attempted to provide assistance to the couple in the car. The St. Michael’s Fire Department and other area EMS resources responded and provided assistance.

The fatal collision is being investigated by the Maryland State Police CRASH Team, which will conduct a detailed crash reconstruction. The speed the trooper was traveling when the crash occurred has not been determined and will be part of the continuing investigation.

Mr. Scott Patterson, Talbot County State’s Attorney, has been informed of this incident and has agreed to review the investigation upon its completion.

Traffic on Rt. 33 was slowed for several hours tonight and was detoured around the crash scene. Personnel from the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office, St. Michael’s Police Department, and the State Highway Administration assisted with traffic direction and detours.

###

http://www.mdsp.org/Media/press_release_details.asp?identifier=677
20080818 Two killed in Talbot County crash involving a State Trooper

Transcripts available for Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency and other random thoughts...

Transcripts available for Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency and other random thoughts...

August 17, 2008

I watched and very much appreciated the Pastor Rick Warren “Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency” last Saturday night.

If you have been on vacation and are not aware, Rick Warren, is the author of the best-selling "The Purpose Driven Life" and, according to the Washington Post, “one of the country's most prominent evangelical preachers. Warren, a Southern Baptist, referred to both McCain and Obama as friends in his introductions. ‘They both care deeply about America,’ Warren said. ‘They're both patriots.’

“Each candidate was interviewed individually by Warren for an hour. The two met only briefly, embracing on the stage midway through the event as Obama exited and McCain entered.

“Warren quizzed both men on issues including their positions on abortion, the definition of marriage and the existence of evil in the world.”

Today - - I guess it was inevitable - - various spinmeisters are already parsing words and taking various answers out of context So pasted below are links to Pastor Rick and Kay Warren’s online newsroom - Broadcast Transcript Service: Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency.

For those of us who are relatively academic about matters of presidential history and the 2008 presidential campaign, the transcripts are needed for primary source information; if for no other purpose than to fact-check the various claims and counter-claims since the forum aired.

The one moment that I found unfortunate for Illinois Senator Barack Obama, was his claim that he reached across the aisle to work with Arizona Senator John McCain on a certain piece of legislation.

When it came time to vote on the bill, Senator Obama voted with the Democrats against the bill and thus began a rather rocky personal-political relationship between the two presidential hopefuls.

Interestingly enough, Senator McCain and New York Senator Hillary Clinton have become friends over the years despite their political differences. Such cannot be said for the relationship between Senators McCain and Obama.

Senator McCain more or less has been rubbed the wrong way by the young upstart Senator Obama, who spent 143 days in the Senate before beginning his quest for the presidency and has quite an “elevated opinion of himself.”

As even the most uninitiated observer is aware, Senators Clinton and Obama are not each other’s Christmas card list either…

_____

DATE: Saturday, August 16, 2008
TIME: 8:00-10:00 P.M. ET / 7:00-9:00 P.M. CT / 5:00-7:00 P.M. PT
LOCATION: Saddleback Church (Lake Forest, Calif.)

updated: 10:32 EDT / 9:32 p.m. CDT / 7:32 p.m. PDT

PART 1: MS Word Format Text-only Format
PART 2: MS Word Format Text-only Format
PART 3: MS Word Format Text-only Format
PART 4: MS Word Format Text-only Format
PART 5: MS Word Format Text-only Format
PART 6: MS Word Format Text-only Format


Visit www.RickWarreNews.com for full media information, including the latest news releases.

This online newsroom is provided by A. Larry Ross Communications.

http://www.rickwarrennews.com/transcript/

20080718 Real Clear Politics: The Audacity of Hope by Charles Krauthammer

20080816 Transcripts available for Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency

Nokia: Open at own risk

Open at own risk

August 17, 2008

This is being billed on YouTube as the weirdest clip ever made. For those of us who are video aficionados – it is wonderful…

… from http://www.openatownrisk.com

"Within this box lies one of the greatest secrets of our times. A clip of grande weirdness"

This is what you will see if you break one of the four seals on the openatownrisk website from Nokia

If you break all four seals you will also be able to see the "Behind the scenes" clip

First watch the behind the scenes video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw_39xKc9_Q


Then watch the video… This is what you will see if you are able to break all four seals on the openatownrisk website from Nokia. Also, if you are one of the first 500 to break all four seals you will also get a special T-shirt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALBu-2FhToc

20080731 Nokia: Open at own risk

Ad for Norwegian Automobile Federation

Ad for Norwegian Automobile Federation

August 17, 2008

What's more worse? Having trouble with your car or help from a few nudists?!

An interesting ad for the Norwegian Automobile Federation

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6fhbf_norwegian-automobile-federation-nud_fun

Norwegian Automobile Federation: Nudists
by hourigan

Or find it here on YouTube:

Helpers NAF

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdgmFoKIr10

Norges Automobil-Forbund is a member of the FIA.La Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, commonly referred to as the FIA, is a non-profit association established to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users. To the general public, the FIA is mostly known as the governing body for many motor racing events.

20080813 Ad for Norwegian Automobile Federation

I'm American by Stuck Mojo

I'm American by Stuck Mojo

Posted on KevinDayhoffNet Soundtrack August 17, 2008

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD-t6tcBji4




"I'm American" Lyrics:

I'm an American related to all colors of brethren, Priests and Pastors and Prophets and Reverends, Divided we fall united we stand together man, In this cultural melting pot there's nothing better than, This land of the free and the home of the brave, Populated by ancestors of immigrants and slaves who met early graves, So we could see brighter days and we could proudly praise and raise the stars and stripes as Americans

Hate me
Blame me
You can't shame me
Come and stand with me
I'm American

I'm an American born in these states united, Where racial discrimination keeps us so divided, Well we've got free speech so I won't be quiet, We got a lot of problems here man I won't deny it, But ain't another place that I'd rather be, Than in this land of great opportunity, Where we can be anything that we wanna be, So until the day I D-I-E, I stand tall as an American

*****

With "I'm American," the second video from the new album "Southern Born Killers," Stuck Mojo once again takes a stand for pride in country, self-respect and self-reliance. These themes have been a constant throughout the band's career. Following in the footsteps of the wildly successful video for "Open Season," Mojo once again takes a politically incorrect position by not being ashamed of the qualities that have made America great.

You may download the entire "Southern Born Killers" album, for free, at the band's web site StuckMojo . us.

20070629 I'm American by Stuck Mojo

I'm American by Stuck Mojo

The Daily Record - On the Record: At MACo, wastewater’s on the table

20080815 The Daily Record - On the Record: At MACo, wastewater’s on the table

It’s an idea whose time has come. It is still a little expensive…

At MACo, wastewater’s on the table

August 15, 2008

Perhaps you’ve heard of some western U.S. municipalities that are recycling water, or purifying their own wastewater for reuse in the community. Sounds a little nauseating, but it’s been an apparent success in many communities.

[…]

Maryland Environment Secretary Shari Wilson said Thursday that Maryland is not working on any regulations for water reuse, but will be interested to discuss the concept with local governments.

ANDY ROSEN, Business Writer

Posted by The Daily Record Filed Under business, government

Read the entire post here At MACo, wastewater’s on the table – and follow the links in the post:

http://blogs.mddailyrecord.com/ontherecord/2008/08/15/at-maco-wastewaters-on-the-table/

Water Sewer, Water Sewer Maryland, Water Sewer recycled water, Water Sewer Westminster, Water Sewer Wster Wastewater Treat Plant

Patrick J Buchanan: Blowback From Bear Baiting

Patrick J Buchanan: Blowback From Bear Baiting

August 16, 2008

One of the wonders of the internet is the ability and opportunity to gather more than one point of view about current events. If one were to take the time to read accounts of the Russo-Georgian conflict from non-Western news sourses, you get a point of view that is not being reported in the U. S. media.

Pat Buchanan’s version and take on the events appear to be much closer to what really happened in a series of events that began August 7, 2008 – when Georgia foolishly started military actions that were obviously arrogantly oblivious of the possible consequences.

And then when Georgia’s efforts began to go awry, they wanted to cry foul…

See also: 20080812 Stratfor: The Russo Georgian War and the Balance of Power

20080807 Russo-Georgian War, Military Intel Watch - Stratfor, Military National Security Intel Watch, World Middle East Georgia, World Russia

_____

Patrick J. Buchanan: Blowback From Bear-Baiting

08/15/2008

Mikheil Saakashvili's decision to use the opening of the Olympic Games to cover Georgia's invasion of its breakaway province of South Ossetia must rank in stupidity with Gamal Abdel-Nasser's decision to close the Straits of Tiran to Israeli ships.

Nasser's blunder cost him the Sinai in the Six-Day War. Saakashvili's blunder probably means permanent loss of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

After shelling and attacking what he claims is his own country, killing scores of his own Ossetian citizens and sending tens of thousands fleeing into Russia, Saakashvili's army was whipped back into Georgia in 48 hours.

Vladimir Putin took the opportunity to kick the Georgian army out of Abkhazia, as well, to bomb Tbilisi and to seize Gori, birthplace of Stalin.

Reveling in his status as an intimate of George Bush, Dick Cheney and John McCain, and America's lone democratic ally in the Caucasus, Saakashvili thought he could get away with a lightning coup and present the world with a fait accompli.

Mikheil did not reckon on the rage or resolve of the Bear.

American charges of Russian aggression ring hollow. Georgia started this fight -- Russia finished it. People who start wars don't get to decide how and when they end.

Russia's response was "disproportionate" and "brutal," wailed Bush.

True. But did we not authorize Israel to bomb Lebanon for 35 days in response to a border skirmish where several Israel soldiers were killed and two captured? Was that not many times more "disproportionate"?

Russia has invaded a sovereign country, railed Bush. But did not the United States bomb Serbia for 78 days and invade to force it to surrender a province, Kosovo, to which Serbia had a far greater historic claim than Georgia had to Abkhazia or South Ossetia, both of which prefer Moscow to Tbilisi?

Is not Western hypocrisy astonishing?

When the Soviet Union broke into 15 nations, we celebrated…

[…]

Read the rest here: Blowback From Bear-Baiting

20080815 Patrick J Buchanan: Blowback From Bear Baiting

Stratfor: The Russo-Georgian War and the Balance of Power

Stratfor: The Russo-Georgian War and the Balance of Power

http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/russo_georgian_war_and_balance_power

August 12, 2008 1508 GMT

By George Friedman

Related Special Topic Pages

Crisis in South Ossetia
U.S. Weakness and Russia’s Window of Opportunity
The Russian Resurgence
Kosovo, Russia and the West

The Russian invasion of Georgia has not changed the balance of power in Eurasia. It simply announced that the balance of power had already shifted.

The United States has been absorbed in its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as potential conflict with Iran and a destabilizing situation in Pakistan. It has no strategic ground forces in reserve and is in no position to intervene on the Russian periphery.

This, as we have argued, has opened a window of opportunity for the Russians to reassert their influence in the former Soviet sphere. Moscow did not have to concern itself with the potential response of the United States or Europe; hence, the invasion did not shift the balance of power.

The balance of power had already shifted, and it was up to the Russians when to make this public.

They did that Aug. 8.

Let’s begin simply by reviewing the last few days.

On the night of Thursday, Aug. 7, forces of the Republic of Georgia drove across the border of South Ossetia, a secessionist region of Georgia that has functioned as an independent entity since the fall of the Soviet Union. The forces drove on to the capital, Tskhinvali, which is close to the border. Georgian forces got bogged down while trying to take the city. In spite of heavy fighting, they never fully secured the city, nor the rest of South Ossetia.

On the morning of Aug. 8, Russian forces entered South Ossetia, using armored and motorized infantry forces along with air power. South Ossetia was informally aligned with Russia, and Russia acted to prevent the region’s absorption by Georgia. Given the speed with which the Russians responded — within hours of the Georgian attack — the Russians were expecting the Georgian attack and were themselves at their jumping-off points. The counterattack was carefully planned and competently executed, and over the next 48 hours, the Russians succeeded in defeating the main Georgian force and forcing a retreat. By Sunday, Aug. 10, the Russians had consolidated their position in South Ossetia.





(click image to enlarge)

On Monday, the Russians extended their offensive into Georgia proper, attacking on two axes. One was south from South Ossetia to the Georgian city of Gori. The other drive was from Abkhazia, another secessionist region of Georgia aligned with the Russians. This drive was designed to cut the road between the Georgian capital of Tbilisi and its ports. By this point, the Russians had bombed the military airfields at Marneuli and Vaziani and appeared to have disabled radars at the international airport in Tbilisi. These moves brought Russian forces to within 40 miles of the Georgian capital, while making outside reinforcement and resupply of Georgian forces extremely difficult should anyone wish to undertake it.

The Mystery Behind the Georgian Invasion

In this simple chronicle, there is something quite mysterious: Why did the Georgians choose to invade South Ossetia on Thursday night? There had been a great deal of shelling by the South Ossetians of Georgian villages for the previous three nights, but while possibly more intense than usual, artillery exchanges were routine. The Georgians might not have fought well, but they committed fairly substantial forces that must have taken at the very least several days to deploy and supply. Georgia’s move was deliberate.

The United States is Georgia’s closest ally. It maintained about 130 military advisers in Georgia, along with civilian advisers, contractors involved in all aspects of the Georgian government and people doing business in Georgia. It is inconceivable that the Americans were unaware of Georgia’s mobilization and intentions. It is also inconceivable that the Americans were unaware that the Russians had deployed substantial forces on the South Ossetian frontier. U.S. technical intelligence, from satellite imagery and signals intelligence to unmanned aerial vehicles, could not miss the fact that thousands of Russian troops were moving to forward positions. The Russians clearly knew the Georgians were ready to move. How could the United States not be aware of the Russians? Indeed, given the posture of Russian troops, how could intelligence analysts have missed the possibility that the Russians had laid a trap, hoping for a Georgian invasion to justify its own counterattack?

It is very difficult to imagine that the Georgians launched their attack against U.S. wishes. The Georgians rely on the United States, and they were in no position to defy it. This leaves two possibilities. The first is a massive breakdown in intelligence, in which the United States either was unaware of the existence of Russian forces, or knew of the Russian forces but — along with the Georgians — miscalculated Russia’s intentions. The second is that the United States, along with other countries, has viewed Russia through the prism of the 1990s, when the Russian military was in shambles and the Russian government was paralyzed. The United States has not seen Russia make a decisive military move beyond its borders since the Afghan war of the 1970s-1980s. The Russians had systematically avoided such moves for years. The United States had assumed that the Russians would not risk the consequences of an invasion.

If this was the case, then it points to the central reality of this situation: The Russians had changed dramatically, along with the balance of power in the region. They welcomed the opportunity to drive home the new reality, which was that they could invade Georgia and the United States and Europe could not respond. As for risk, they did not view the invasion as risky. Militarily, there was no counter. Economically, Russia is an energy exporter doing quite well — indeed, the Europeans need Russian energy even more than the Russians need to sell it to them. Politically, as we shall see, the Americans needed the Russians more than the Russians needed the Americans. Moscow’s calculus was that this was the moment to strike. The Russians had been building up to it for months, as we have discussed, and they struck.

The Western Encirclement of Russia

To understand Russian thinking, we need to look at two events. The first is the Orange Revolution in Ukraine. From the U.S. and European point of view, the Orange Revolution represented a triumph of democracy and Western influence. From the Russian point of view, as Moscow made clear, the Orange Revolution was a CIA-funded intrusion into the internal affairs of Ukraine, designed to draw Ukraine into NATO and add to the encirclement of Russia. U.S. Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton had promised the Russians that NATO would not expand into the former Soviet Union empire.

That promise had already been broken in 1998 by NATO’s expansion to Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic — and again in the 2004 expansion, which absorbed not only the rest of the former Soviet satellites in what is now Central Europe, but also the three Baltic states, which had been components of the Soviet Union.

The Russians had tolerated all that, but the discussion of including Ukraine in NATO represented a fundamental threat to Russia’s national security. It would have rendered Russia indefensible and threatened to destabilize the Russian Federation itself. When the United States went so far as to suggest that Georgia be included as well, bringing NATO deeper into the Caucasus, the Russian conclusion — publicly stated — was that the United States in particular intended to encircle and break Russia.

The second and lesser event was the decision by Europe and the United States to back Kosovo’s separation from Serbia. The Russians were friendly with Serbia, but the deeper issue for Russia was this: The principle of Europe since World War II was that, to prevent conflict, national borders would not be changed. If that principle were violated in Kosovo, other border shifts — including demands by various regions for independence from Russia — might follow. The Russians publicly and privately asked that Kosovo not be given formal independence, but instead continue its informal autonomy, which was the same thing in practical terms. Russia’s requests were ignored.

From the Ukrainian experience, the Russians became convinced that the United States was engaged in a plan of strategic encirclement and strangulation of Russia. From the Kosovo experience, they concluded that the United States and Europe were not prepared to consider Russian wishes even in fairly minor affairs. That was the breaking point. If Russian desires could not be accommodated even in a minor matter like this, then clearly Russia and the West were in conflict. For the Russians, as we said, the question was how to respond. Having declined to respond in Kosovo, the Russians decided to respond where they had all the cards: in South Ossetia.

Moscow had two motives, the lesser of which was as a tit-for-tat over Kosovo. If Kosovo could be declared independent under Western sponsorship, then South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the two breakaway regions of Georgia, could be declared independent under Russian sponsorship. Any objections from the United States and Europe would simply confirm their hypocrisy. This was important for internal Russian political reasons, but the second motive was far more important.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin once said that the fall of the Soviet Union was a geopolitical disaster. This didn’t mean that he wanted to retain the Soviet state; rather, it meant that the disintegration of the Soviet Union had created a situation in which Russian national security was threatened by Western interests. As an example, consider that during the Cold War, St. Petersburg was about 1,200 miles away from a NATO country. Today it is about 60 miles away from Estonia, a NATO member. The disintegration of the Soviet Union had left Russia surrounded by a group of countries hostile to Russian interests in various degrees and heavily influenced by the United States, Europe and, in some cases, China.

Resurrecting the Russian Sphere

Putin did not want to re-establish the Soviet Union, but he did want to re-establish the Russian sphere of influence in the former Soviet Union region. To accomplish that, he had to do two things. First, he had to re-establish the credibility of the Russian army as a fighting force, at least in the context of its region. Second, he had to establish that Western guarantees, including NATO membership, meant nothing in the face of Russian power. He did not want to confront NATO directly, but he did want to confront and defeat a power that was closely aligned with the United States, had U.S. support, aid and advisers and was widely seen as being under American protection. Georgia was the perfect choice.

By invading Georgia as Russia did (competently if not brilliantly), Putin re-established the credibility of the Russian army. But far more importantly, by doing this Putin revealed an open secret: While the United States is tied down in the Middle East, American guarantees have no value. This lesson is not for American consumption. It is something that, from the Russian point of view, the Ukrainians, the Balts and the Central Asians need to digest. Indeed, it is a lesson Putin wants to transmit to Poland and the Czech Republic as well. The United States wants to place ballistic missile defense installations in those countries, and the Russians want them to understand that allowing this to happen increases their risk, not their security.

The Russians knew the United States would denounce their attack. This actually plays into Russian hands. The more vocal senior leaders are, the greater the contrast with their inaction, and the Russians wanted to drive home the idea that American guarantees are empty talk.

The Russians also know something else that is of vital importance: For the United States, the Middle East is far more important than the Caucasus, and Iran is particularly important. The United States wants the Russians to participate in sanctions against Iran. Even more importantly, they do not want the Russians to sell weapons to Iran, particularly the highly effective S-300 air defense system. Georgia is a marginal issue to the United States; Iran is a central issue. The Russians are in a position to pose serious problems for the United States not only in Iran, but also with weapons sales to other countries, like Syria.

Therefore, the United States has a problem — it either must reorient its strategy away from the Middle East and toward the Caucasus, or it has to seriously limit its response to Georgia to avoid a Russian counter in Iran. Even if the United States had an appetite for another war in Georgia at this time, it would have to calculate the Russian response in Iran — and possibly in Afghanistan (even though Moscow’s interests there are currently aligned with those of Washington).

In other words, the Russians have backed the Americans into a corner. The Europeans, who for the most part lack expeditionary militaries and are dependent upon Russian energy exports, have even fewer options. If nothing else happens, the Russians will have demonstrated that they have resumed their role as a regional power. Russia is not a global power by any means, but a significant regional power with lots of nuclear weapons and an economy that isn’t all too shabby at the moment. It has also compelled every state on the Russian periphery to re-evaluate its position relative to Moscow. As for Georgia, the Russians appear ready to demand the resignation of President Mikhail Saakashvili. Militarily, that is their option. That is all they wanted to demonstrate, and they have demonstrated it.

The war in Georgia, therefore, is Russia’s public return to great power status. This is not something that just happened — it has been unfolding ever since Putin took power, and with growing intensity in the past five years. Part of it has to do with the increase of Russian power, but a great deal of it has to do with the fact that the Middle Eastern wars have left the United States off-balance and short on resources. As we have written, this conflict created a window of opportunity. The Russian goal is to use that window to assert a new reality throughout the region while the Americans are tied down elsewhere and dependent on the Russians. The war was far from a surprise; it has been building for months. But the geopolitical foundations of the war have been building since 1992. Russia has been an empire for centuries. The last 15 years or so were not the new reality, but simply an aberration that would be rectified. And now it is being rectified.

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20080812 Stratfor: The Russo Georgian War and the Balance of Power