GIBSON: Let's start, because we are near Russia, let's start with Russia and Georgia.i don't understand how anyone who followed the war could call russia's attack on russia as "unprovoked." the crisis began with a georgian military offensive against south ossetia. georgia took that action after russia warned georgia not to take military action against the breakaway provence and massed troops on its southern border with georgia/south ossetia. oh, and also the georgian attack killed 12 russian soldiers (not to mention a lot of south ossetians, who the russians consider to be their citizens).
The administration has said we've got to maintain the territorial integrity of Georgia. Do you believe the United States should try to restore Georgian sovereignty over South Ossetia and Abkhazia?
PALIN: First off, we're going to continue good relations with Saakashvili there. I was able to speak with him the other day and giving him my commitment, as John McCain's running mate, that we will be committed to Georgia. And we've got to keep an eye on Russia. For Russia to have exerted such pressure in terms of invading a smaller democratic country, unprovoked, is unacceptable and we have to keep...
GIBSON: You believe unprovoked.
PALIN: I do believe unprovoked and we have got to keep our eyes on Russia, under the leadership there. I think it was unfortunate. That manifestation that we saw with that invasion of Georgia shows us some steps backwards that Russia has recently taken away from the race toward a more democratic nation with democratic ideals.That's why we have to keep an eye on Russia.
you can argue whether russia or georgia was in the right in the conflict (personally, i think neither side was wearing a white hat), but it's the height of ignorance to call the russian response to georgia's attack "unprovoked." if attacking russian military positions and killing their soldiers isn't a provocation what is?
and this isn't just a criticism of palin. since the russian offensive began, the mccain campaign has been characterizing russia's actions as "unprovoked aggression."
