French President Nicolas Sarkozy has accused US President George W Bush of failing to take the initiative over the summer conflict in Georgia.

Receiving a prize in France for "political courage", he asked his audience "who defended human rights?" after the war erupted in August.

"Was it the president of the United States... Or was it France?" he asked.

Mr Sarkozy led a mission to Moscow that resulted in a ceasefire between Georgia and Russia.

Picking up the prize, awarded by Politique Internationale magazine, at a ceremony at his own Elysee Palace in Paris, Mr Sarkozy suggested the American president did not want to stake his credibility on a push for peace.

"When on 8 August someone had to leave for Moscow or Tbilisi, who defended human rights?" he asked rhetorically.

"Was it the president of the United States, who said 'This is unacceptable'? Or was it France which kept up the dialogue" between the leaders of Russia and Georgia, he asked, in a speech covered by the French AFP news agency.

"I remember the American president's call the day before our departure for Moscow: 'Don't go there, they [the Russians] want to go to Tbilisi, they're 40km away. Don't go, [just] condemn it'.

"I did go, along with [French Foreign Minister] Bernard Kouchner, and, as if by coincidence, while we were there the ceasefire was declared," Mr Sarkozy said.

Resumed relations

Mr Sarkozy will lead an EU delegation in talks with Russian officials in Nice on Friday, after which the two sides are expected to resume negotiations on a new partnership agreement.

The negotiations were frozen by the EU over Russia's role in the conflict.

The conflict in the region began on 7 August when Georgia tried to retake its breakaway region of South Ossetia by force after a series of lower-level clashes with Russian-backed rebels.

Russia launched a counter-attack and the Georgian troops were ejected from both South Ossetia and Abkhazia, a second breakaway region, days later.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7728073.stm

Bushie, bushie, bushie..

Don't whack a dead dog.

60 days to give Dubya a kick in the arse before the door hits him there!

I think it is great that France is engaging in World trouble spots.

Right on.

Now we can rest and you can be the one to take the calls.

When you want to play the cop, the most important thing is to learn how to retain fire, spot the real bad guy and not shoot at innocent bystanders..
The most important skill is not blazing away.

Sarkozy and what army? The FAILED Cease Fire that Russia REPEATEDLY violated and ignored until the U.S. got involved? Oh yeah, thanks Sarko!

quote:

Bush sends Rice to conflict


http://articles.latimes.com/2008/aug/14/world/fg-usrussia14
President Bush escalated the American response Wednesday to Russian military action in Georgia, ordering a humanitarian aid effort and dispatching Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to the stricken region as Pentagon officials announced plans to rebuild the Georgian military.

Speaking in the Rose Garden, Bush accused Russia of seizing territory in Georgia and continuing its military campaign despite agreeing to a cease-fire.

French have short memories....to say that Russia "VIOLATED" the ceasefire is to act as if they ever actually took it seriously, they didn't.

Until American military jets, and American Secretary of State actually was in place in Tiblisi, Russia was on the march.

Russia Violates Cease Fire Agreement
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Sswo20B_Pj8

And, didn't stop because Sarko wanted his name in the newspapers.

quote:

ordering a humanitarian aid effort

the 80 pallets of baby food in a country that had supermarkets opened and stocked up?

Edmond, in your false pride, even you can search "Russia Violates Ceasefire", and see that only until Americans got actively involved did Russia being to second guess their plan.

Sending the Secretary of State, sending U.S. military aircraft into the WAR ZONE...yeah, that had something to do with it, and it was NO coincidence.

Yes, the US involvment in this crisis was active but not exactly humanitarian.

Too much baby food and instructors delivered to one side of the conflict, if you know what I mean...

indeed.

quote:

Originally posted by DUK:
Yes, the US involvment in this crisis was active but not exactly humanitarian.

Too much baby food and instructors delivered to one side of the conflict, if you know what I mean...

It was enough "baby food" to make Russia stop their advance, Sarko's lip service did not accomplish.

Russians never wanted to occupy Georgia. Putin is not Bush, he has a brain.

quote:

Originally posted by Edmond:
indeed.

Bushmasters..... made in Windham, ME! I've got a few myself!

I can't be the only guy that gagged while his gut twisted in knots while loking at the pictures of the burned beautiful firearms.

Isn't there some kind of way to offer to act as a recipient/ keeper or monitor of firearms instead of burning them in such a despicable manner? If they'd pay the shipping costs I would have been more than happy to store and maintain the pictured freight.

I feel faint, I'm going to go lay down.

They were burned by the georgian troops when they had time to remove their uniforms, pile them up, put guns on the pile and set the fire on.
Most of the time, they simply ran. Russia thanks the US taxpayer.

quote:

Originally posted by Scott King:
I can't be the only guy that gagged while his gut twisted in knots while loking at the pictures of the burned beautiful firearms.

Isn't there some kind of way to offer to act as a recipient/ keeper or monitor of firearms instead of burning them in such a despicable manner? If they'd pay the shipping costs I would have been more than happy to store and maintain the pictured freight.

I feel faint, I'm going to go lay down.

Ask the Russians, Scott!

Evidentally they don't want to take them home.

quote:

Originally posted by Hardy:
Russians never wanted to occupy Georgia. Putin is not Bush, he has a brain.

Not exactly right...

quote:

Putin planned to topple the president of Georgia and 'hang him by the balls', says Nicolas Sarkozy's chief adviser

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-10854...s-chief-adviser.html

Russia Failed.

From your own quoted source:

quote:

n an interview with the magazine Le Nouvel Observateur, Mr Levitte said it happened after Sarkozy told Putin the world would not accept Russia toppling Georgian leader Mikhail Saakashvili and installing a puppet government.

Mr Putin stormed: ‘I am going to hang Saakashvili by the b****.’

Mr Sarkozy responded: ‘Hang him?’

Putin said: ‘Why not? The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein.’

Mr Sarkozy replied: ‘Yes, but do you want to end up like Bush?’

Mr Putin was briefly lost for words before answering: ‘Ah, you have scored a point there.’

Mr Sarkozy’s advisers said later the exchange marked the moment that Mr Sarkozy persuaded Mr Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev to begin withdrawing troops from Georgia.

quote:

Originally posted by Edmond:
From your own quoted source:

quote:

n an interview with the magazine Le Nouvel Observateur, Mr Levitte said it happened after Sarkozy told Putin the world would not accept Russia toppling Georgian leader Mikhail Saakashvili and installing a puppet government.

Mr Putin stormed: ‘I am going to hang Saakashvili by the b****.’

Mr Sarkozy responded: ‘Hang him?’

Putin said: ‘Why not? The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein.’

Mr Sarkozy replied: ‘Yes, but do you want to end up like Bush?’

Mr Putin was briefly lost for words before answering: ‘Ah, you have scored a point there.’

Mr Sarkozy’s advisers said later the exchange marked the moment that Mr Sarkozy persuaded Mr Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev to begin withdrawing troops from Georgia.

Meanwhile, he did not begin withdrawing troops and supported the advance.



Sarko, easily convinced.