Georgia War: A Neocon Election Ploy?

By Robert Scheer

Is it possible that this time the October surprise was tried in August, and that the garbage issue of brave little Georgia struggling for its survival from the grasp of the Russian bear was stoked to influence the US presidential election?

Before you dismiss that possibility, consider the role of one Randy Scheunemann, for four years a paid lobbyist for the Georgian government, ending his official lobbying connection only in March, months after he became Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain's senior foreign policy adviser.

Previously, Scheunemann was best known as one of the neoconservatives who engineered the war in Iraq when he was a director of the Project for a New American Century. It was Scheunemann who, after working on the McCain 2000 presidential campaign, headed the Committee for the Liberation of Iraq, which championed the US Iraq invasion.

There are telltale signs that he played a similar role in the recent Georgia flare-up. How else to explain the folly of his close friend and former employer, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, in ordering an invasion of the breakaway region of South Ossetia, which clearly was expected to produce a Russian counter-reaction.

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It is inconceivable that Saakashvili would have triggered this dangerous escalation without some assurance from influential Americans he trusted, like Scheunemann, that the United States would have his back. Scheunemann long guided McCain in these matters, even before he was officially running foreign policy for McCain's presidential campaign.

In 2005, while registered as a paid lobbyist for Georgia, Scheunemann worked with McCain to draft a congressional resolution pushing for Georgia's membership in NATO. A year later, while still on the Georgian payroll, Scheunemann accompanied McCain on a trip to that country, where they met with Saakashvili and supported his bellicose views toward Russia's Vladimir Putin.

Scheunemann is at the center of the neoconservative cabal that has come to dominate the Republican candidate's foreign policy stance in a replay of the run-up to the war against Iraq. These folks are always looking for a foreign enemy on which to base a new cold war, and with the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime, it was Putin's Russia that came increasingly to fit the bill.

Yes, it sounds diabolical, but that may be the most accurate way to assess the designs of the McCain campaign in matters of war and peace. There is every indication that the candidate's demonization of Putin is an even grander plan than the previous use of Hussein to fuel American militarism with the fearsome enemy that it desperately needs.

McCain gets to look tough with a new cold war to fight while Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama, scrambling to make sense of a more measured foreign policy posture, will seem weak in comparison. Meanwhile, the dire consequences of the Bush legacy McCain has inherited, from the disaster of Iraq to the economic meltdown, conveniently will be ignored. But it will provide the military-industrial complex, which has helped bankroll the neoconservatives, with an excuse for ramping up a military budget that is already bigger than that of the rest of the world combined.

What is at work here is a neoconservative, self-fulfilling prophecy in which Russia is turned into an enemy that ramps up its largely reduced military, and Putin is cast as the new Joseph Stalin bogeyman, evoking images of the old Soviet Union. McCain has condemned a "revanchist Russia" that should once again be contained. Although Putin has been the enormously popular elected leader of post-Communist Russia, it is assumed that imperialism is always lurking, not only in his DNA but in that of the Russian people.

How convenient to forget that Stalin was a Georgian, and indeed if Russian troops had occupied the threatened Georgian town of Gori, they would have found a museum still honoring their local boy, who made good by seizing control of the Russian revolution. Indeed, five Russian bombs were allegedly dropped on Gori's Stalin Square on Tuesday.

It should also be mentioned that the post-Communist Georgians have imperial designs on South Ossetia and Abkhazia. What a stark contradiction that the United States, which championed Kosovo's independence from Serbia, now is ignoring Georgia's invasion of its ethnically rebellious provinces.

For McCain to so fervently embrace Scheunemann's neoconservative line of demonizing Russia in the interest of appearing tough during an election is a reminder that a senator can be old and yet wildly irresponsible.

Copyright © 2008 The Nation

A Voice in the Wilderness...We are many... Participate TODAY!

by Theodoros Karakostas

The following letter of protest is intended to express complete opposition to the administration's announcement that military assistance will be provided to the regime that presently occupies the Serbian province of Kosovo. This is a policy that is morally and politically repugnant, as the AlQaeda connected KLA government is responsible for the violation of the human rights and religious freedom of Serbs living in Kosovo. I write as a Greek Orthodox believer and American citizen that abhors the unrelenting bullying of Serbia. While I fully understand that the staff is quite busy, I would be most appreciative if someoneat the Embassy could explain to me why Serb suffering in Kosovo for the past nine years has been entirely unopposed by our government, NATO, United Nations, and European Union while any time any Serbs are complicit in some sort of stupid behavior as in the attack on the Embassies there seems to be unanimous condemnation of all Serbs collectively? I would like to know why there have been no arrests since the Orthodox Monks Father Chariton Lukicand Stefan Purim were decapitated by the Muslims in 1999, and why the KLA leadership has not been held responsible for the March 2004 pogroms in Kosovo that resulted in four days of terror against innocent Serb civilians? I would like to know why the destruction of beautiful Serbian Churches and Monasteries that survived the Ottoman centuries of occupation, the Nazis, and decades of Communism have not survived under the occupation of NATO, the United Nations, and the European Union? I would like to express my grief at the horrendous suffering that Serbs are enduring in Kosovo. As an Orthodox Christian, my suffering brothers of Kosovo are in my thoughts and prayers during this lenten season that is being observed by Eastern Orthodox Churches. I am particularly distressed over thed estruction of all the Churches, with the Sacred Chalices, Icons, Crucifixes, and Gospels. As a Greek Orthodox, the events in Kosovo bring to mind the status of the Greek Churches of occupied Cyprus which have been systematically destroyed under the Turkish occupation. I would like to ask why it is that Orthodox Christians are exempt from the protection of international law, and why the vile desecration of Orthodox houses of worship from Kosovo to Cyprus are tolerated? The United States has gone out of its way to placate Muslim sensibilities, why are the religious sensibilities of Orthodox Christians treated with such indifference? Kosovo is Serbia! This is a historic fact, as is the reality that Serbia was a staunch American ally in two World Wars! The Croats, Bosnian Muslims, and Muslims of Kosovo were collaborators of the Nazis that aided and abetted the Holocaust. It is oxy moronic for the administration to support military aid to the KLA regime while claiming to be waging a "War on terror". The KLA has been hosting Al Qaeda, a fact that has been documented by terrorism expert Yossef Bodansky, and by numerous journalists and Balkan experts.

Capitulation a recourse to False Peace...

"If I knew then what I know now!"

Athens, 16/11/1993 (ANA): The government said yesterday that no neighbouring country should intervene in any way in the conflict in former Yugoslavia. "As you know, the commitment undertaken by the previous government remains in effect, according to which Greece believes that no neighbouring country should intervene in any way in the conflict in former Yugoslavia, either directly or indirectly, that is, either by sending troops or arms and munitions", Alternate Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos told the press.

He was replying to a question on possible measures to be taken by the EC Council of Ministers to prevent the break-up of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and the outbreak of fresh conflict in the region. Stressing that Greece was against all sources of tension and unrest, especially armed conflict, Mr. Pangalos said the government desired that the human rights and the rights of "strong" minorities in Skopje would be respected. He said the government also wished that extremist views be avoided, such as re-consideration of the borders, and also extremist actions such as arming and plotting schemes. Nine ethnic Albanians in FYROM, including Deputy
Defence Minister Hisen Haskaj were arrested early last week on alleged charges of conspiracy against the state, with the Skopjan press reporting that the conspirators had smuggled some 300 automatic rifles from Albania for an estimated 20,000
supporters.

According to Skopjan television, Haskaj belongs to a group plotting union with Albania. This organisation is reportedly linked with like-minded Albanian nationalist groups in the neighbouring Serbian province of Kosovo. Ethnic Albanians account for at least a quarter of FYROM's two million people, and 90 per cent of Kosovo's (southern Serbia) two million.

Albania itself has three million people.

Greek soldiers protecting the Sokolica Monastery in Kosovo

No matter the weather, time of day or level of danger, Greek soldiers can be found standing guard over one of Kosovo’s most famous Orthodox monasteries.

Members of the 647th Mechanised Infantry Battalion have been protecting Sokolica Monastery since 2002.

One squad, including one officer and 10 non-commissioned officers, is always on duty on monastery grounds watching for possible threats and preparing to take action in case of any emergency. Should a crisis present itself, additional forces are always on standby to quickly respond.

“My main mission here is to keep the monastery in a safe and secure environment,” said Sergeant Tzivis, 647th MIB. “We protect it from the three Albanian villages nearby.”

Mother Abbess Makaria, head nun, said Danish forces were the first Kosovo Force members to guard the monastery in 1999. She said with them, as with the Greek forces now, she looks at the soldiers as protectors rather than occupiers.

“After the arrival of Nato (in Kosovo), 168 churches were destroyed,” said Mother Makaria. “If it wasn’t for Nato, they would have all been destroyed.”

Mother Makaria said the Greek soldiers have the common bond of the Orthodox religion with her and the other sisters of Sokolica/Sokollice. This shared faith has allowed the two groups to live like a family.

“I am happy we have the Greek soldiers here,” said Mother Makaria. “Last year for Holy Week we made services together. On Good Friday we had a special service with two groups of singers, one Greek and one Serbian. I sang with the Greek group, and we sounded better.” She laughs.

Mother Makaria’s agenda is one of peace. She feels her Kosovo-Albanian neighbours would respect the monastery even if the Greek soldiers weren’t present, but she enjoys the protection.

“I’m not expecting something bad in the future, but it isn’t all roses here,” said Mother Makaria. “God will decide what happens with Kosovo, and everyone will have to accept His will.”

Mother Makaria was clear that anyone in need was always welcome at the monastery. She has numerous stories of providing help to Serbian and Kosovo-Albanian people. She also has many stories of miracles occurring when people pray to the Virgin Mary for help.

According to the Kosovo.net, this famous Orthodox monastery was built between the 14th and 15th centuries, probably by a landlord from the nearby town of Zvecan. The area probably earned its status as a monastery because legend has it that a sculpture of the Virgin Mary with Christ was brought there from the Banjska Monastery in order to hide the statue from the Turks.

Mother Makaria offers two additional stories of how the statue was brought to the monastery. It’s easy to trust in Mother Makaria’s historic accounts of the monastery because she is an educated and well-spoken woman. In addition to having a doctorate’s degree in chemistry and a master’s in theology, the 66-year-old nun is fluent in multiple languages.

Regardless of what story is historically accurate, Mother Makaria is sure of the power of prayer to the Virgin Mary through this statue.

“The statue gives children to husbands and wives who are told by doctors that they can’t have children,” said Mother Makaria. “One Muslim woman came here to pray. She was married for 11 years with no children. Her husband was a good man and stayed with her even though he could have left her after five years without children.

“She said the doctor told her she could not have children,” Mother Makaria continued. “She prayed to Mary. She asked Mary for one son, and she received one son shortly after.”

Mother Makaria laughed as she told the story of the woman’s return to the statue to pray many years after she gave birth to her son.

“I asked her why she was praying to the statue again,” said Mother Makaria. “I know she had been given a son so many years ago when she asked. She said that now that her son has grown up and isn’t married, she needed to ask Mary for a bride for him.”

All of the stories of the miracles and good deeds that have occurred at the monastery have been spread through the local villages, said Mother Makaria. This could be why a day will come when some people would try to bring harm to the site in some kind of political riot. Although the Greek soldiers hope that day will never come, they will make sure they are ready for any situation.

“Of course I’m proud to protect this monastery,” said Sergeant Tzivis. “I am Orthodox, and that helps also. I miss my family, but I know this in an important site.”

Sergeant Tzivis is not married, but said he misses his parents and girlfriend very much. This is his third mission in Kosovo and second at the monastery. At the end of this tour, he will have spent two years in Kosovo. Still, he stays focused on his mission and remains proud to serve.

Tech Sgt Jason Smith is with the US Air Force, Kosovo Force.

No Independence For Kosovo Petition

THIS PETITION IS CURRENT

Additional Targets: Senators: Joseph Lieberman (IN-CT) , John McCain(R-AZ), Joseph Biden(D-DE) and Gordon Smith(R-OR)

A Petiton to Urge That Kosovo is Not Severed From Serbia and Respect of Nation-State Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity

VOTE NO ON SENATE RESOLUTION 135

VOTE NO ON HOUSE RESOLUTION 309

VOTE NO ON HOUSE RESOLUTIONS 36

VOTE YES ON House Resolution 445 sponsored by Reps. Melissa Bean (D-IL) and Dan Burton (R-IN).


Sign the Petition for - NO Independence for KOSOVO