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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Georgia to become NATO member: Merkel
2008-08-18
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Sunday in the Georgian capital that the ex-Soviet republic, currently mired in conflict with Russia, will join NATO. "Georgia will become a member of NATO if it wants to -- and it does want to," she said before talks with President Mikheil Saakashvili in Tbilisi.

It was one of the strongest statements yet of support for Georgia's NATO membership bid, which is fiercely opposed by Russia.

Merkel was in Tbilisi to support Saakashvili and press for the withdrawal of Russian troops who attacked Georgia on April 8 to repulse an offensive by Georgian troops against a Moscow-backed separatist region.

Moscow is furious at Georgia's attempt to join NATO. The Western military alliance is divided over how fast to accept Georgia, but has indicated that membership is a matter of when, not if.
Posted by:Fred

#20  I find all this trolling upsetting. Sorry, I am out of here. I can't take this abuse. I'm weak. I'll still come here as Joseph Mendiola when the Percoden runs out.

do you guys hear that ringing sound?
Posted by: Weakling   2008-08-18 23:25  

#19  Italy, what about spain? The pain. They usually pipe up when we think we have it going our way.
Posted by: Slolurong Bonaparte1000   2008-08-18 17:01  

#18  good work guys! lets take out the trash!
Posted by: Red Dawg   2008-08-18 17:01  

#17  Nice to see that the typical angry troll bile has splashed upon this page again.
Cleanup on Isle #16!
Posted by: DarthVader   2008-08-18 16:57  

#16  #8, yeah, but so are the Germans. I mean Italy can still WANT to block Georgia, but are they really gonna stand alone against US-UK-France-Germany-New Europe?
Posted by: liberalhawk   2008-08-18 16:42  

#15  How many regulars does that make this year?

Two or three.
Posted by: Harcourt Clusomp8705   2008-08-18 13:43  

#14  Is that pappy's color?

Should have known.

Sez the brave one posting from an anonymiser in Germany.

For the record, I wasn't the one who poop-listed him. I'm not sure what he said to deserve it. But he's been dancing on the edge for some time.

Seems to be a sport with some folks here.
Posted by: Spats Cliter5355   2008-08-18 13:21  

#13  Another?
You're going to run out of memory in the pooplist file.

Doubtful. Besides, if posters quit being idiots/morons/a**holes/trolls, it wouldn't be thought to be a problem, would it?
Posted by: Slats Phorong2927   2008-08-18 13:00  

#12  Perhaps, but only after we get a big carrot from Russia.
Posted by: wxjames   2008-08-18 12:23  

#11  Stupid. The US should veto.
Posted by: mojo   2008-08-18 11:01  

#10  So why doesn't Italy build nuclear power plants? We all know why the Germans are down on them - crazed watermelon Greens whose pregnant mothers were scared by Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas, followed up by the Soviet disaster at Chernobyl. What's the Italian excuse? No money, or their large and loud Communist minority?
Posted by: Mitch H.   2008-08-18 10:40  

#9  What difference does it make if the remains of Georgia join NATO. In a test of wills between the Russian godfather and you'reapeon solidarity, I think we all know who wins.
Posted by: Slats Glans2659   2008-08-18 09:59  

#8  who is going to block it, Berlusconi?

Well, they are rather dependent on Russia for energy these days.
Posted by: Abdominal Snowman   2008-08-18 09:35  

#7  given that Germany has been the state pushing hardest of all against NATO membership for Georgia, I suspect if Germany says Georgia will be a NATO member, Georgia (or whats left of Georgia) will be. Given the POV of US, UK, and New Europe, its pushing on an open door for Germany to support it - who is going to block it, Berlusconi?
Posted by: liberalhawk   2008-08-18 09:09  

#6  I wasn't aware that Merkel ran NATO. You'd think Germany would keep her busy enough.
Posted by: bigjim-ky   2008-08-18 08:03  

#5  A self-important buffoon in Turkey, Spike Uniter? Perish the thought!
Posted by: trailing wife    2008-08-18 07:01  

#4  First of all, there'd have to be enough left over to join, and second, is NATO now a country club (oooh, good pun!) or a mutual defense pact?
Posted by: Bobby   2008-08-18 06:08  

#3  1) There is no NWO, yet, Joe.
2) Turk that said that is just a self-important buffoon.
Posted by: Spike Uniter   2008-08-18 01:25  

#2  It is a little late NOW, Germany.
Posted by: newc   2008-08-18 00:43  

#1  ION TOPIX > TURKEY: US MUST SHARE POWER IN NEW WORLD ORDER.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2008-08-18 00:20  

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