Obama On Russian Invasion Of Georgia: "No Possible Justification" (VIDEO)

***UPDATE***

Obama addressed reporters Monday afternoon on the conflict in Georgia. CNN has the video:

Barack Obama has been criticized by some for letting John McCain dominate on the crisis in Georgia. Now he's out with a statement.

Key graphs:

For many months, I have warned that there needs to be active international engagement to peacefully address the disputes over South Ossetia and Abkhazia, including a high-level and neutral international mediator, and a genuine international peacekeeping force - not simply Russian troops.

No matter how this conflict started, Russia has escalated it well beyond the dispute over South Ossetia and invaded another country. Russia has escalated its military campaign through strategic bombing and the movement of its ground forces into the heart of Georgia. There is no possible justification for these attacks.

The United States, Europe and all other concerned countries must stand united in condemning this aggression, and seeking a peaceful resolution to this crisis. We should continue to push for a United Nations Security Council Resolution calling for an immediate end to the violence. This is a clear violation of the sovereignty and internationally recognized borders of Georgia - the UN must stand up for the sovereignty of its members, and peace in the world.

The full statement:

Good morning. The situation in Georgia continues to deteriorate because of the escalation of Russia's use of military force. I have spoken to President Saakashvili, and conveyed my deep regret over the loss of life, and the suffering of the people of Georgia.

Story continues below

advertisement

For many months, I have warned that there needs to be active international engagement to peacefully address the disputes over South Ossetia and Abkhazia, including a high-level and neutral international mediator, and a genuine international peacekeeping force - not simply Russian troops.

No matter how this conflict started, Russia has escalated it well beyond the dispute over South Ossetia and invaded another country. Russia has escalated its military campaign through strategic bombing and the movement of its ground forces into the heart of Georgia. There is no possible justification for these attacks.

I reiterate my call for Russia to stop its bombing campaign, to stop flights of Russian aircraft in Georgian airspace, and to withdraw its ground forces from Georgia. The Georgian government has proposed a cease-fire and the Russian government should accept it. There is also an urgent need for humanitarian assistance to reach the people of Georgia, and casualties on both sides.

The United States, Europe and all other concerned countries must stand united in condemning this aggression, and seeking a peaceful resolution to this crisis. We should continue to push for a United Nations Security Council Resolution calling for an immediate end to the violence. This is a clear violation of the sovereignty and internationally recognized borders of Georgia - the UN must stand up for the sovereignty of its members, and peace in the world.

I welcome the visit of the French and Finnish foreign ministers to Georgia as a first step toward mediation. There should also be a United Nations mediator to address this crisis, and the United States should fully support this effort. We should also convene other international forums to condemn this aggression, to call for an immediate halt to the violence, and to review multilateral and bilateral arrangements with Russia - including Russia's interest in joining the World Trade Organization.

The violence taking place along the Black Sea is just miles from Sochi, the site for the Winter Olympics in 2014. It only adds to the tragedy and outrage of the current situation that Russia has acted while the world has come together in peace and athletic competition in Beijing. This action is wholly inconsistent with the Olympic ideal.

While returning to a pre-August 8 military posture is a necessary first step to resolving this crisis, we cannot tolerate the unacceptable status quo that led to this escalation. That means Russian peacekeeping troops should be replaced by a genuine international peacekeeping force, Georgia should refrain from using force in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and a political settlement must be reached that addresses the status of these disputed regions.

Going forward, the United States and Europe must support the people of Georgia. Beyond immediate humanitarian assistance, we must provide economic assistance, and help rebuild what has been destroyed. I have consistently called for deepening relations between Georgia and transatlantic institutions, including a Membership Action Plan for NATO, and we must continue to press for that deeper relationship.

The relationship between Russia and the West is long and complicated. There have been many turning points, for good and ill. This is another turning point.

Let me be clear: we seek a future of cooperative engagement with the Russian government, and friendship with the Russian people. We want Russia to play its rightful role as a great nation - but with that role comes the responsibility to act as a force for progress in this new century, not regression to the conflicts of the past. That is why the United States and the international community must speak out strongly against this aggression, and for peace and security.

Comments

[marthlois]

Need to write to CNN folks! This article was put on at 2:45 PAC time. As I reported before, right around that time CNN read just a short part of Obama's lengthy speech. Then, for the next hour, they had people talking about McCain's "chance" to speak out" - Obama is on vacation, etc. Over and over and over.
Just now, at 3:40 pac, they said the footage was in. Would you believe that they did not run the total speech - just yet another parsing of it. Certainly CNN is not up to the minute and the BIAS is still - even after all of these months - shocking. I'm off now to Media Matters.

[scandals&skeletons]

Unfortunately writing CNN will do no good. They are firmly entrenched in Johnny M's backside.
It's all about money and white power.

[steamboat]

Show your EVIDENCE to what you just said? ACTUAL PROOF?

[Coinyer101]

i saw it on cnn and immediately came to huffpost to get the real story.

[zippywpinhead]

CNN was particularly bad today with John in for Wolfie. He "interviewed" R.ichrdson and it was a blatant hack job of "when did you stop beating your wife" type questions- rather pathetic...

[JulieKay]

I also heard CNN saying the same thing. should Obama have gone on vacation.

I do not understand why either McCain or Obama make statements. Isn't that Bush's job? What if McCain or Obama said something that conflicted with Bush.

[Passenger57]

Julie, they make these statements because,as candidates for POTUS, they may be dealing with this Bush-instigated mess when one of them takes over.
And I think Obama should cut his vacation short and start cracking him some JohnnyHead. I've seen more McCain ads since Obama's been on vacation.
CNN also did a report this weekend about their poll showing that people are "tired" of hearing about Obama-then went on to explain how it was "the media's fault" - as if she did NOT work for one of the largest media outlets on the planet! It was a real head-shaker...

[NoSandwiches]

Today I watched CNN do a piece on Nuclear power and it was an unpaid commercial for John McCain, specifically saying that McCain has the correct plan. It was disgusting. They aren't even pretending to be a news channel any more.

so...good luck with that.

[kkuate]

We have always pretended to believe that the work of news media was to report the news..... But now there is a sickening feeling the news media is more interested in the confrontational methods of McCain and Bush, rather than in the mature response of Obama, to reconcile the parties involved in this conflict.

The disregard for human life in the current Bush administration, and in Senator McCain, is just too evident to be confortable with... We can not elect this kind of people anymore, given they have proven to be the worst part of our society.

[Americanium]

America cannot afford to disengage from Russia. Not now when there are so many opportunities for Russia to really make it tough for America.

By thumbing his nose at Russian concerns, Bush has all but created the perfect Russian storm.

This is Russia saying you set the precedent, live by it.

[chinationreport]

Obama's stance is clear, while blaming Russia he emphasized on international efforts to resolve the issue going forward. Which is what needs to be done.
The conflict is in Russia, Georgia, geographically close to Europe, China!!! US will NOT be able to achieve anything without EU support in this 'fight' The last thing US wants is to engage in another war.

I see that in Obama's head, he has this figured out what to do. But it might not be what Putin wants for Russia. That's why it is so important to have EU behind the plan, even China.

Do you guys see how McCain would form an alliance with European allies? Or Obama would do a better job at that? Having just tough talk at home is easy. To form a workable solution with many countries involved takes more than just a few words from McCain's war vocabulary.

http://www.chinationreport.com/ one stop shop for news about China

[steamboat]

International efforts sure worked in Rwanda and Darfur, didn't it.. And was working so well in Bosnia and Kosovo that Pres. Clinton finally had seen enough and had to take it upon himself to commence bombing.

[scandals&skeletons]

Are you suggesting that we respond militarily?

[missusam]

Want to send some troops over there? Oh that's right, they are busy in an illegal occupation brought about through a bogus justification for the invasion of a sovereign nation so the evangelicals can force Christianity and democracy down their throats.

[bessie1]

He starts all his statements with something like: "I've been saying this for many months" or "As I've said before". He is full of baloney and never says anything more than platitudes anyway.

[kellygrrrl]

so you are offended that he prefaces his comments by pointing out that he has held and shared his position previously?
Really?
that's really "the problem" for you?

and you have no problem with the fact that MkKain and Boosh continue to blast 0bama's positions, and then they adopt them and call them their own?

wow! you got it bad, bessie

[kitrat33]

That was just idiotic. The little messiah held his little Hawaiian conference one hour AFTER President Bush held his. The messiah has no answers just plagiarized speeches and chants to get the cultist and Berliners wild eyed and crazy.

[Seral]

If you think that, all he is doing is just talking, why would I care? There are zillions of people who are doing just that. Talking and talking and talking. At the end, I don't see anything being done, do you? That makes him no different than any other. Who knows, maybe he just ordered another to prepare a report on everything so that he can have enough subjects to just talk about. In that aspect, he is doing great. But, if you look at the result, I see no difference between a no-talking no-working someone and a talking no-working another. Well, of course, you are free to admire him as much as you like, that is why we have religions.

[OnePartyEqualsTyranny]

Statement 1
Statement 2
Statement 3
Statement 4

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/group/ObamaHQ/

[scandals&skeletons]

There you go trying to educate the ignorant.

[scandals&skeletons]

He has said this before.

Pay attention. Why sound ignorant?

[Seral]

What can you do? He is the kind that cannot close his mouth, in a way to prevent doing actually something about what that mouth is producing.

[scandals&skeletons]

How about posting a cogent sentence.

[GuyFawkes]

"My friend", you don't know how to start a statement.

[lisakaz2]

Sure. But you know as well as I that Russia was baited -- by the Booo$hies in fact. So calling for peace is going to be put off. Well, Pootie won't stand for American interference in a problem in its own backyard. Guess what? America wouldn't like it if the situation was reversed. More recognition and nuance as well as the cessation of hostilities is called for. Don't play into the neos hands, O.

[notthistime]

Obama said -- No matter how this conflict started, Russia has escalated it well beyond the dispute over South Ossetia and invaded another country. Russia has escalated its military campaign through strategic bombing and the movement of its ground forces into the heart of Georgia. There is no possible justification for these attacks.

The relationship between Russia and the West is long and complicated. There have been many turning points, for good and ill. This is another turning point.

Let me be clear: we seek a future of cooperative engagement with the Russian government, and friendship with the Russian people. We want Russia to play its rightful role as a great nation - but with that role comes the responsibility to act as a force for progress in this new century, not regression to the conflicts of the past. That is why the United States and the international community must speak out strongly against this aggression, and for peace and security.

[gloriar8]

After Iraq, we don't have a leg to stand on.

[venicesurfer]

as usual obama offers nothing more than a soft stance on a grave international crisis. he really is not ready to lead. i dont care how big of a celebrity he is.

[OuterBoroughPrincess]

How many points did you earn towards your McCain '08 golf tee with that post?

[ShawnMichel]

Really. But then again, venicesurfer, who's probably in high school, gets brownie points from his recruiter for posting his crap.

[PuppaX]

I'm saving up for a motorized scooter!

[Crake]

'soft stance'
Do you really want a return to the cold war? If so I guess it makes sense you are voting McCain.

[proudloudlib]

Cold War, hell! It wouldn't surprise me a bit if Bush decided to just bomb Russia. Nothing will get a (R) elected like a whole new war.

Obama 08

[venicesurfer]

im not voting for mccain or obama. unlike you. i will criticize both. im not in love with either one. i will remain an objective independent.

[BarackMan]

Wow....great post!! And so original.

Obama/biden '08!!

[cdub1991]

It's an appropriate stance in a situation where the US near-term options are limited. No one's going to war to save Georgia, but we can start the mechanisms for trying to stabilize the situation and to make it clear to Russia that there's a long-term price to imperialist intents. (Although, it's better coming from Europe, since we have little moral authority here.)

[macaframa]

so you got your talking point in, great, but how is that a weak stance, this response is much more detailed than anything mccain has said.

[venicesurfer]

of course you would say that.

[Puddin]

People...make up your minds, either you want Obama to be president; act presidential or not. He is dadamme if he does and if he doesn't!!! My God, this is really silly.

[cdub1991]

I'm actually no more a fan of Obama politicizing this situation than of McCain doing it. At least Obama does it better. Let the government perform the way it is suppose to (even though we know they will find a way to screw it up).

Wikipedia...good gravy.

[memphispaul]

This is an excellent statement.
However, it is clear that Germany will not place their energy supplies from Russia at risk over this. therefore, any sort of meaningful response from the North Atlantic Council and the G-8 is problematic at best.
The Russian Anschluss is now the de facto reality.

[Faith101]

That is a good and well thought out statement. This is what being prudent means. Always looking to the future. He covered his basis. Obama is definitely a visionary. Come on America, let vote this man into office this fall.

[cimwright]

I like Obama but here Obama is just spouting US propaganda. Georgia attacked first. Georgia wants to be respected as independent but it doesn't want to respect a province that wants to break away. America has no credibility left after what it has done to Iraq. America illegally invaded Iraq. Russia is responding and thus they are more in the right than America ever was. This whole mess goes back to the 90's. Look it up instead of buying political propaganda. Obama is not the messiah. Think for yourselves. US oil companies and members of the current administration started this whole mess in the 90's. In the last 5 years they also pumped in Blackwater goons. I find it funny that people listen to politicians instead of researching the crisis themselves.

[lawchic]

Why are people so silly> It has already been recognized that there is not much the US in regards to this situation except issue strong words to condemn Russia, so isn't this whole thing a battle of the press releases?

I swear, people are looking for things to criticize this man for. I get it. He's not perfect, he has and will make mistakes. But this faux concern about him not speaking out soon enough is tiresome.

[joselopez]

FUNNY THING: I just finished listening to the McCain ad mocking Obama and now finished reading Obama's statement. Makes you wonder if these two campaigns are even in the same galaxy!!

[Crake]

While what he says is true, I'm disappointed there is no mention of the Georgian murder of South Ossetian civilians... and this kind of rhetoric holds little water when coming from a US statesman after the Bush Administrations actions over the last seven years.

[Gma11]

Excellent!!

This is man who knows what he's talking about - and has been working on the issue BEFORE it exploded.

[dontomas]

The only problem I have with the US take on this is why no denouncement of Georgia killing 2000 people in Ossetia, they have been doing this genocide for some time. Also, who are we to criticise the "shock and awe" of Russia, that seems to be a US thing to pound the hell out of places and ask questions later. I am an avid Obama supporter but his speech is no different than Bush/McCain,

[sever]

What we need is a clear-headed assessment of the situation from at least one candidate. Thank you Mr. O.

He should be able to take as much time as he wants...he ISNT POTUS yet. Besides, if he had been like McStrain and printed a wiki article onto some notecards just to say 'lol, first!' then he'd be blasted as being pretentious anyway. For being TOO quick to react, he'd be 'politicizing' the issue. He'll never win with some, so...eh, whatever.