WASHINGTON - What does it mean to be Georgian? To President Mikheil Saakashvili, who is looking toward the United States for help in his battle with Russia, it is more than just words.
“Yesterday I heard Sen. (John) McCain say we are all Georgians. Well very nice … but of course it’s time to pass from words to deeds,” Saakashvili said in an interview with CNN.
The Republican presidential candidate in a strongly worded statement against Russia’s military operations in Georgia on Tuesday said the United States and its allies “must stand united” in trying to persuade Russia to withdraw its troops from Georgia.
McCain told reporters after he spoke by telephone with Saakashvili that the Georgian president knew that the “brave little nation” had the thoughts and prayers of Americans.
“I know I speak for every American when I say today we are all Georgians,” McCain said.
It is unclear what McCain meant by those words or what sort of deeds Saakashvili is expecting.
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5 comments so far
It’s a shame to be a Georgian like Saakashvili (I don’t say the ordinary Georgian) who burns his nation for his ambition. If Senator McCain wants to be another Saakashvili, send him to Georgia.
- Posted by JohnWow. McCain gets to “speak for every American”? And they call Obama presumptuous. Now that Georgian president has made McCain look like a total pandering buffoon. John McCain isn’t fit to be condo association president of Boca Raton Vista Del Mar Gardens Phase III.
- Posted by Former RepublicanMcCains words only sound ok for some Americans on Fox etc. There is way too much evidence in the public domain and global media to put Saakashvili in the cell next to Karadzice.
- Posted by IanEU efforts to settle things as quickly as possible in current positions seems the best way to restrain Russian advantage of a “loose cannon” / “exploding torpedo” nightmare.
I’m Russian living in NY and this guy definitely NOT gets to speak for me! The world has changed, Hello, Mr McCain, we live here too! But I don’t blame you, you probably got to look at Soviet ships at the Ho Chi Min harbor for 7 years though the bars of your cell, or something of this kind. But now I believe we all have a problem if you become the president, and more, if then I have to pay for whatever military and “humanitarian” adventures in Russia’s backyard you will invent. Who do you think will pay for re-building, re-arming and restoring the dignity of this clown? The US taxpayers, like me. So back off! I fine it extremely cynical that he is using this complex human tragedy as a lucky break in his campain trail. Can he even spell the name of his newly acquired best friend???
- Posted by NickRegarding Georgia, I grew up in Russia and went to Georgia many times and I can tell you this is a gorgeous country, with mountains, the sea, wineries. Russians have always been friends with Georgians, we have very similar religion. It is because of this aggressive cold-war mentality on both sides it is now so messed up, destroyed and divided.
Maybe some RESPECT would help, Mr McCain. A lot of people in Russia do not like Putin. But reading your comments (and make no mistake, they are all over the media in Russia) makes them to turn to Putin, who is probably enjoying all this show…
I find it highly ironic that Sen. McCain supports Pres. Saakashvili, who was elected president of Georgia at 36, and had no previous administrative or foreign policy experience.
- Posted by TommyMIf anything, he should be comparing Sen. Obama to Pres. Saakashvili, for it is Saakashvilis lack of experience, overconfidence and recklesness that has destroyed his country and spilled the blood of hundred of his own citizens.