Russia's first Georgia move legitimate: U.S. envoy

[inanna]

Source: Globe & Mail

MOSCOW — The U.S. ambassador to Moscow, in a rare U.S. comment endorsing Russia's initial moves in Georgia, described the Kremlin's first military response as legitimate after Russian troops came under attack.

U.S officials, including President George W. Bush, have strongly criticized Moscow's subsequent action but have not focused on the initial chain of events that triggered the conflict between Russian and U.S.-ally Georgia.

<snip>

“We did not want to see a recourse to violence and force and we made that very, very clear,” Mr. Beyrle was cited as saying in quotes the U.S. embassy confirmed as accurate.

“The fact that we were trying to convince the Georgian side not to take this step is clear evidence that we did not want all this to happen,” Mr. Beyrle said in the interview, which was published on Friday.


Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080822.wambassador0822/BNStory/International

[bahrbearian]

1. The Russians have an exit strategy

Who we going to play checkers with?

[LiberalFighter]

2. Russia didn't force them to take the first step?