John McCain stressed his support for American ally Georgia today in The Wall Street Journal. Unlike his inexperienced political opponent, McCain has remained consistent in his support for Georgia during its crisis this week.
Here are a few paragraphs from his pledge of support to free Georgia:
“We Are All Georgians”
As Russian tanks and troops moved through the Roki Tunnel and across the internationally recognized border into Georgia, the Russian government stated that it was acting only to protect Ossetians. Yet regime change in Georgia appears to be the true Russian objective…
Russian claims of humanitarian motives were further belied by a bombing campaign that encompassed the whole of Georgia, destroying military bases, apartment buildings and other infrastructure, and leaving innocent civilians wounded and killed. As the Russian Black Sea Fleet began concentrating off of the Georgian coast and Russian troops advanced on one city after another, there could be no doubt about the nature of their aggression…
In the wake of this crisis, there are the stirrings of a new trans-Atlantic consensus about the way we should approach Russia and its neighbors. The leaders of Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Latvia flew to Tbilisi to demonstrate their support for Georgia, and to condemn Russian aggression. The French president traveled to Moscow in an attempt to end the fighting. The British foreign minister hinted of a G-8 without Russia, and the British opposition leader explicitly called for Russia to be suspended from the grouping.
The world has learned at great cost the price of allowing aggression against free nations to go unchecked. A cease-fire that holds is a vital first step, but only one. With our allies, we now must stand in united purpose to persuade the Russian government to end violence permanently and withdraw its troops from Georgia. International monitors must gain immediate access to war-torn areas in order to avert an even greater humanitarian disaster, and we should ensure that emergency aid lifted by air and sea is delivered…
The Georgian people have suffered before, and they suffer today. We must help them through this tragedy, and they should know that the thoughts, prayers and support of the American people are with them. This small democracy, far away from our shores, is an inspiration to all those who cherish our deepest ideals. As I told President Saakashvili on the day the cease-fire was declared, today we are all Georgians. We mustn’t forget it.
Hat Tip B. LeMaris
John McCain spoke out earlier this week in support of the democracy of Georgia. When the people of Georgia heard this during a massive rally in Tbilisi they cheered in gratitude.
Here is that video:
The leaders of Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Latvia flew to Tbilisi to demonstrate their support for the Georgian government. The leaders stood with Georgia’s President Mikheil Saakashvili during the massive democracy rally in Tbiblisi.
John McCain announced yesterday that Senator’s Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham are going to Georgia to offer support and assess the situation.
President Bush is also sending Condi Rice to Georgia to offer support.
