East/West Rumblings in the Caucasus & Caspian - Worth a look.

[pinto]

The war of words has escalated, again, in the region following the very real war in Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Bushco will do little towards resolving the issues before they walk off stage. And, as reported today, is being accused by Putin of goading the Georgian conflict.

This will be on the foreign policy plate for Obama and Biden in January and is worth noting. Here are three articles posted in today's LBN forum, among others. - pinto

Russia wins backing from China
Source: News.com.au

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev said he hoped the "united position'' of a summit of Central Asian nations would ``serve as a serious signal to those who try to turn black into white.''

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=3458238

Russia Proposes Plan to Counter NATO as EU Considers Sanctions
Source: Bloomberg

Aug. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev proposed expanding a security alliance with China and Central Asia to counter NATO, as the European Union considered sanctions for its recognition of breakaway Georgian regions.

The alliance, known as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, ``has grown much stronger recently,'' Medvedev said today at a meeting in the Tajik capital Dushanbe. ``It's an authoritative organization that commands respect.'' The group has attracted interest from a number of countries and will consider adding new members, he said.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=3458225

US Mulls Scrapping Nuclear Pact With Russia
Source: Agence France-Presse

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The White House said Thursday that it was considering scrapping a US-Russia civilian nuclear cooperation pact in response to Moscow's actions in Georgia.

"I don't think there's anything to announce yet, but I know that that is under discussion," spokeswoman Dana Perino said when asked whether Washington might drop the May 6 accord over the conflict in the former Soviet republic.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=3458163