Crossing the line? (UPDATED)

YES

From Elise Labott
CNN
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WASHINGTON (CNN) — Russia’s use of strategic bombers and ballistic missiles against Georgia’s civilians outside of the South Ossetian conflict is “far disproportionate” to Georgia’s alleged attack on Russian peacekeepers, a senior U.S. official said Saturday.
An apartment building damaged by a Russian airstrike burns in the northern Georgian town of Gori.

Russian military vehicles line the road to the South Ossetia area of Georgia.

The official was not authorized to speak on the record due to the sensitive nature of the diplomacy.

When the U.S. uses artillery in Iraq and Afghanistan, we are accused of war crimes.

Ace of Spades has an interesting compare and contrast:

The Chosen One:

I strongly condemn the outbreak of violence in Georgia, and urge an immediate end to armed conflict. Now is the time for Georgia and Russia to show restraint, and to avoid an escalation to full scale war….

John McCain:

For many years, I have warned against Russian actions that undermine the sovereignty of its neighbors. Unfortunately, we have seen in recent days Russia demonstrate that these concerns were well-founded.

While Obama talks about change and hope,John McCain deals with the reality of a hostile world. In many discussions with liberal friends, I bring up the hostile world we live in. These memes come up:

1. it’s our fault
2. people want peace. (usually said in a dreamy manner,or in condescending tones)
3. it’s about greed and oil (usually America’s)
4. LALALALAL I CAN”T HEAR YOU (pretending that the problems don’t exist)
5. other problems are more important (a variant of the above)

To which the best aswer is “Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum” (if you want peace prepare for war). I would like to live in a peaceful world. While defense spending (a hot topic among peaceniks) is large, it is nowhere near as large as (put together) the spending on all of the other programs. I hope the people of the world can grow out of war. But as a soldier I’m not holding my breath.

As a father of two let me quote one of the founding fathers:

“If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace” Thomas Paine.

Update:

Georgian breakaway city in ruins, via CNN.com:

TSKHINVALI, South Ossetia (CNN) — Tskhinvali, the capital of the separatist Georgian province of South Ossetia, lay in smoldering ruins Sunday after three days of fighting between Georgian troops and Russian forces.
A burning apartment building, damaged by a Russian airstrike, in the northern Georgian town of Gori.

Russia’s deputy foreign minister said at least 2,000 people, mostly South Ossetians who claim Russian citizenship, have been killed in Tskhinvali.

The fighting had spread well beyond South Ossetia, with Russian airstrikes on Georgian cities and with thousands of Russian troops in the breakaway province of Abkhazia.

Some analysis at Ace o’ Spades

U.S. Begins Flying Georgian Troops out of Iraq Fox News.

Russia Deploys Ships, Expands Georgia Bombing Blitz Fox News.

and lastly what is important to the Democrats:

Democrats Shrug Off Edwards’ Affair, Paternity Questions (yes it’s from Fox News, deal with it 😛 )