Biden To Georgia At Saakshvili's Request

President Bush warned Russia on Saturday against trying to pry loose two separatist regions in Georgia and said Moscow must end military operations in the West-leaning democracy that once was part of the Soviet empire.

Bush told reporters at his Texas ranch that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's signing of a cease-fire plan with Georgia was "a hopeful step." But Russia's vision of Georgia without the provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia was a nonstarter, the president said.

...

At the request of Saakshvili, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joe Biden, D-Del., scheduled a trip to Georgia this weekend for meetings with government officials as well as citizens forced to flee their homes.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[nonconformist2]

Biden's the man! If he's not VP, he should be secretary of state.

[PAposter]

Well, Obama said he spoke with Saakashvili, maybe he suggested he give Joe Biden a call. As we have seen Saakashvili loves to talk, so maybe we can find out exactly what precipitated this conflict, and why Saakashvili felt comfortable striking against Russia, a country he knew would retaliate, and that he was no match for.

It will be interesting to hear what Biden has to say once he returns. We may have to wait until after his acceptance speech at the convention. (fingers crossed)

[nonconformist2]

Fingers crossed!

[scandals&skeletons]

There is a theory that Georgia struck to possibly help Johnny Mack in the upcoming election.

[WritusMaximus]

Food for thought already expressed that I worry about; Biden is being set up so as to have dems share with Bush another foreign policy blunder. Misery loves company, don't we know!

[sherbug]

Why didn't Bush send his foreign policy expert, John "Know how to win a war" McCain.

[instagladiator]

Oh, he's busy whipping up new slander ads for O.

[SheriChardonnay]

thank you!

[k6007]

mccrashtest, sent his lobbyist.

[nonconformist2]

It conflicted with McSpongeBath's planned trip to Chekoslovakia!

[PAposter]

Really, especially since he IS a Georgian, along with the rest of us of course. He supposedly spent a lot of time there and knows the situation. So, why not go in and become a REAL hero, Mr. McCain? You had your chance, sparky, guess you blew it.

[WritusMaximus]

Could it be that Bush told Georgia to drop dead? If that's the case, then no repub need call again!

[trollsbwild]

Any way you slice it, JB has more expertise than anyone in the current Bush WH combined.
The Ct. Cowboy is in over his head.

[WritusMaximus]

Yeah, me thinks if the situation gets worse during/after Biden's visit, expect the Repub media/bloggersphere/politicians to blame it on the dems. Then expect follow up chat re: how McSame would have quite correctly handled it---you know, that "experience" thing he has going for him.

[TrueThis]

McSame people are already there. Isn't one of McSame lobbyist represents Georgia?

[instagladiator]

Me thinks you're right about ole Dum ya blaming any failures on the dems. Poor ole Condi just can't fluff her feathers effectively with all of her (coff coff) experience.

[SheriChardonnay]

I dont think it will get worse after Bidens visit. Why? He will tell them the Obama/Biden Administration will handle this and as of now he can only do so much as sentaor. So say positive things about the situation so we can elected and help you. That is what I would tell them LOL LOL....Hey win by any ,means neccesary lol

[riverhouse]

Well, there went another potential vp. He's scratched.

[TrueThis]

This only make Joe Biden look even more v -presidential when you have Saakshvili requesting for the democratic expertise than McBush.

[nonconformist2]

Why is he "scratched"? This just shows how important and smart Biden is.

[hydenorhare]

Lucky for Joe he heads the right committee.
He must've popped his plugs hearing about this opportunity.
He's a very important fellow, you know, just ask him.

[Kache]

Why would we ask him? Ask the President of Georgia.

[nonconformist2]

He's smarter than all the republicans combined. No one, and I mean NO ONE can out think or out debate Biden on foreign policy.

What are you missing your daily catch phrase or simplistic sound bite?

[TXfemmom]

McCain and his idiots are nothing but big mouths. Biden has had successes in foreign policy, and it has begun to sink in on the President of Georgia that he should never, ever have taken Bush's advice.

[seriously29]

i agree. saakkshvili must have also realized what we have; the connection of mcbush and bush. he now knows that it was all hot hair from the mcbush = bush connection.

[WritusMaximus]

Aha! So poor Georgia fell for the old USA/Israel ploy! Tales of Conspiracy should be a fine title for the next blockbuster Mystery/Suspense/Thriller novel!

[instagladiator]

And if they think that Russia is going to turn those provinces back..... dream a little dream with me.

[Kache]

And why would 150,000 Ossesians want to be "given" back to the murdering thugs who obliterated their capital in the dark of night and forced 35,000 of them to flee for their lives?

[morefromLA]

How interesting that President Saakshvili didn't invite his country's lobbyist and his tool (also known as Fightin Johnnie RaiseCain) to visit and offer guidance. It's hard to miss how Saakshvili called Fightin Johnnie out as offering the good talk but being real short on action (can anyone say, "betrayed?"). Gee, wasn't that supposed to be the other guy? And now he's calling the other guy's guy for help. He's supposed to be smart and this proves it. That Karl Rove kool-aid had a bitter deadly taste. Saakshvili's not whining he's just moving on to a more reasoned hand. I hope our nation is watching closely.

[Kache]

I doubt Smokin Joe can broker a face saving for Saakashvili that will allow Russian troops to withdraw before the Convention in Denver. Joe is off the table for VP. I just can't imagine Joe making his acceptance speech from Tbilisi via satellite. OK, it WOULD be cool, but it aint gonna happen.

[PAposter]

He's not relocating, he went to talk. He' ll be back in plenty time to make the convention.

[TrueThis]

I guess know one told you that Biden is speaking on Wednesday at the convention but they haven't said which slot but I understand that the VP speaks after Clinton on Wednesday. And my money is on Biden, he is no nonsense and when need someone to attack the warmongering McBush and out of touch Republicans.

It is cool......Obama a admire of Biden.

[mogelsberg]

Being from Iowa, I was able to listen to most of the candidates speak and Joe Biden was absolutely spell-binding with his knowledge of world affairs, much less his personal knowledge of the players on the world stage. I think he'd be an excellent VP or Sec. of State. Obama could do a lot worse. Look at who Bush picked!

[Kache]

I hope you're all right and I'm wrong. I just read that Russian troops are preparing to withdraw from their Georgia proper positions tomorrow. So maybe Joe can pull this off in time for the convention. I certainly hope so.

But Putin loves to bargain and so does Joe. I can see them both still smokin old stoggies deep into the wee hours of the morning of Aug. 28 and Joe missing the chance in Denver. Depends I guess on if Putin says, "You got things to do I want done. Let's work this out later Mr. Vice President".

[BatedBreath]

Ms Reichmann uses a spelling of Saakashvili that no one else seems to use. Is this a typo or does she know something the NY Times and the BBC don't know?

[genseric13]

Nucelar Freeze Joe, oh wait, is it Partition Iraq Joe. This guy has been wrong more times then Zbig. Being a foreign policy expert unfortunately does not prevent you from always being wrong.

[corsair1917]

what makes you think that Joe's plan in Iraq would not succeed? It passed in the Senate by the way. So now with this brilliant surge, now what? Without a poltical plan the military plan is moot.

[Kache]

Actually Joe's plan in Iraq is what IS succeeding. The Kurds, Shiites, and Sunnis are informally partitioning the country. One of the results of the Awakening is that the Iraqi army has now fractued into 3 lines of command on ethnic lines.

[bluesnot]

And invading Iraq was the right decision?

Aren't you Republicans happy now that you have a brand new war to talk about instead of old boring Iraq and Afghanistan that you screwed up so royally?

[PAposter]

Is it generic tro//, or a useless tro//?

[LizM]

Speaking of being wrong...there isn't one aspect of your comment that is right.

[k6007]

Is that why there are cement partitions in eyerack? Because, he was wrong? That's one of the FIRST things gen. P did.