Rice slams Russia for playing 'dangerous game'

Tuesday 19th August, 04:00 PM JST

WASHINGTON —

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice castigated Russia on Monday for playing a ‘‘dangerous game’’ with the United States and its allies by flexing its military muscle to assert power and clout. Speaking to reporters on her way to Brussels, she said Moscow’s invasion of Georgia is part of a recent pattern of military assertiveness on Russia’s part. ‘‘I think everybody recognizes that this is not the first time that we’ve seen this problem,’’ Rice said. ‘‘We’ve had Russian strategic aviation challenging in ways that they haven’t, even along borders with the United States, which I might note is a very dangerous game and perhaps one the Russians want to reconsider,’’ she said.

Rice was referring to the resumption of Cold War-era strategic bomber patrols off the coast of Alaska about six months ago, as she touched on the crisis in Georgia. Rice called on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to reaffirm Georgia’s bid for membership and prevent Russia from achieving a ‘‘strategic objective’’ of stopping the alliance’s expansion. ‘‘We are also going to send a message that we’re not going to allow Russia to draw a new line at those states that are not yet integrated into the transatlantic structures like Georgia and Ukraine,’’ she said. ‘‘We are determined to deny them their strategic objective,’’ she said. Rice flew into Brussels for an emergency meeting of NATO foreign ministers on Tuesday. A transcript of her remarks was made available in Washington

Kyodo

Latest 15 of 35 Total Comments Show All

undecidedbout08 at 09:33 AM JST - 20th August

What Russia is doing is atrocious, and inexcusable, but it's funny to watch the one or two remaining bush supporters on this site jump in and start saying how terrible Russia is, forgetting that the US has been and is doing the exact same thing in many different places.

Can you name one, smith?
skipthesong at 01:57 PM JST - 20th August

Has anyone heard of any Russian citizens protesting Russia's invasion? Or are they patriotically backing their nation to the fullest?

I ask this as we have US Secretary of State Dr. Rice, making a statement, one btw that I don't agree should be spoken at this point by her and her administration, which she can do in Russian. Where are Russian citizens in this matter? Are they going to be having anti-war protests, are they going to criticize their government?
Sarge at 03:15 PM JST - 20th August

smith - "What Russia is doing is atrocious, and inexcusable, but it's funny to watch the one or two remaining bush supporters on this site jump in and start saying how terrible Russia is, forgetting that the US has been and is doing the exact same thing in many different places"

undecided - "Can you name one, smith?"

He can't.

undecided -
dennis0bauer at 03:50 PM JST - 20th August

Is this a case of the pot and the Kettle?
Sarge at 03:59 PM JST - 20th August

"Is this a case of the pot and the kettle?"

No.
AlliedForces at 01:48 AM JST - 21st August

Russia is trying to exert its power by aggression. The US does not use these methods. The US is a liberator not an attacker.Rice conveys US foreign policy, which is based on peace. Russia should beware the US is watchng evry move, and will not tolerate rogue nations.
adaydream at 01:55 AM JST - 21st August

SuperLib, Are you upset that I answered the question or that the you didn't like the correct answer?

This is a real dangerous game. Both countries have charged by each other for war crimes.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/20/europe/EU-War-Crimes-Georgia.php

Innocent people are dieing. Feeling of war a being generated on both sides and hate is growing.

Poland signs the agreement with the United States for Anti-ballistic missiles. So we'll be putting missiles on the Russian border. Sure the United States says they won't be pointed at Russia. They have to be pointed somewhere. Will they point them at themselves.

All this helps to add fuel to the fire.

We also have to acknowledge that by going into Georgian territory, Russia encroaches on ally territory. Russia in effect is slapping at the United States without actually attacking the US.

This just rachets up the cold-war even more. < :-)
undecidedbout08 at 08:40 AM JST - 21st August

Russian General Vyachislav Borisov in Gori, Georgia:

"We summoned the Israeli Foreign Minister to Moscow. And he was told that if he continues to supply arms to the Georgians we would continue to supply Hezbollah and Hamas."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bernardhenri-levy/georgia-at-war-what-i-sawb120076.html
adaydream at 09:38 AM JST - 21st August

So does Isreal supply weapons to Georgia? Does Isreal supply military aid to Georgia? Why the hell are we gioving money to Isreal if they are going to give it away? It appears that Isreal doesn't need our money.

rice continues to tell the Russians this and telling them that. That they will have to pay for their attacking.........

Does rice and the bush administrations advancements of anti-ballistic weapons into Poland and the Czech Rep. look like it's trying to keep harmony in the area?

Does anti-ballistic weapons next to their border look like it's trying to keep friendly relations?

By attacking Georgia, Russia has done several things. It's slapped down Georgia. It slapped an American ally. It's scared the hell out of Europe that the pipeline might get damaged.

It is a dangerous game for all sides. < :-)
undecidedbout08 at 01:40 PM JST - 21st August

Still waiting... Why don't we read that 'Putin is Hitler' ?
Madverts at 04:12 PM JST - 21st August

Uhm, because Putin is Putin?

Your counterparts on the shrieky left made that claim about bush when he was bombing Iraq to "peace", which is what you're refering too, but I never saw the connection other than obviously, the use of Josef Goebels propaganda theories on the American public.
undecidedbout08 at 12:54 AM JST - 22nd August

the use of Josef Goebels propaganda theories on the American public.

Pretty, uh, Deep Thought there,adverts. Sounds like you're on your second decade in France.
undecidedbout08 at 01:21 PM JST - 22nd August

“The West saved the capital. They were moving to Tbilisi. There was one night that was very dangerous. The Russian tanks were very close to the capital. I don’t know what happened, but they moved the tanks back.” And my translator, whose husband works for Georgia’s ministry of foreign affairs, made a similar guess that the West helped save the capital. “The night they came close to Tbilisi,” she said, “Bush and McCain made their strongest speeches yet. The Russians seemed to back down. Bush and McCain have been very good for us.”

http://www.city-journal.org/2008/eon0820mt.html
Madverts at 03:32 PM JST - 22nd August

" Sounds like you're on your second decade in France."

Heh, better that than my tenth handle here I guess.
undecidedbout08 at 12:30 AM JST - 23rd August

Still waiting.

Is Putin another Hitler?

Where are all the protesters?