I know I’m probably preaching to the choir here, but I just couldn’t let this pass.

* Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili called for an immediate cease-fire with South Ossetian separatists on Thursday, 7 August. Hours AFTER this announcement, Georgian troops killed Russian peacekeepers stationed at South Ossetia, and started bombing South Ossetia. (See 7th paragraph of this article.)

* On Friday, 8 August, Russia proposed, and Belgium drafted, an urgent UN Security Council statement, in an emergency session called by Russia, urging both the Georgians and South Ossetians to “show restraint and to refrain from any further acts of violence or force.” This statement was VETOED by the United States, Great Britain and France. See here and here.

* There were — and still are — hundreds of United States, and allied, military/security advisors in Georgia. They were openly training the Georgian troops in combat operations but — considering that Georgia has the 3rd highest contingency in Iraq — NOT in any of the kind of warfare occurring in Iraq. Don’t take my word for it, go here to the United States European Command itself and read — and see — for yourself. See also the Georgia embassy site for a public article on the US training, and an interesting article from EurasiaNet. For more details of US funding of initiatives in Georgia (in 2003, at least), go to the State Department site. See also here for a State Department profile on Georgia. There’s a heading of “US-Georgia relations” that’s interesting to read.

This kind of stuff has been like burrs in Russia’s socks since 2002, if truth be known. So Russia decided to wipe the floor with the Georgians. (Remember, Russia went to the UN Security Council FIRST, and got no joy from the leaders of democracy in the West.)

And now, what do we have?

* Dick Cheney says that “Russian aggression must not go unanswered” and William Kristol from the New York Times, says “Surely we cannot simply stand by as an autocratic aggressor gobbles up part of — and perhaps destabilizes all of — a friendly democratic nation that we were sponsoring for NATO membership a few months ago.” Just open your local paper for more like this.

Actually, let’s think on Kristol’s words for a while. Exactly how friendly and democratic is Georgia?

* Well, Human Rights Watch was moved to write an open letter to Georgian President Saakashvili in 2007 regarding Georgia’s treatment of accused persons and prisoners.

* The International Federation of Human Rights has a report on “Human Rights violations in Georgia”. It’s amongst a gaggle of other items; just search on “Georgia”.

* This EurasiaNet article also sets out some pretty damning accusations, including torture, arbitrary detentions and humiliating treatment.

* Even someone who admired him, author Mark MacKinnon (he’s published a book, The New Cold War, on the region), is wondering what’s going on in Georgia and in Saakashvili’s head, and readily admits that Saakashvili started the whole thing.

Which brings us back to the start of this blog again. War is hell. People die. Both sides are dirty. But is it too much to expect some cold, clear-eyed reporting on this conflict? Russia is not the devil incarnate in this, just as Georgia is not the spotless angel. What I would like to read is less propaganda and more news. Or are we all long past that point?