Cheney Says Russia Runs Risk Confrontation With NATO

*Cheney…sigh*

Sept. 6 (Bloomberg) — Vice President Dick Cheney said Russia’s military action in Georgia and assertiveness elsewhere run the risk of confrontation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization military alliance.

“Our principles are being tested anew,” Cheney said in prepared remarks today at a global security conference in Cernobbio, Italy. “We must meet those tests with candor and resolve and, above all, with unity. Russia has a choice to make, and we in the trans-Atlantic alliance have responsibilities.”

While Cheney made no specific threats of retaliation, his message to Russia was a blunt reminder of the alliance’s mutual defense accord among the 26-member nations against threat from outside forces. Cheney spoke at a global forum, capping a three- day visit with leaders of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine, U.S. allies in the former Soviet Union.

Cheney accused Russia of “bullying others” while using its oil wealth to fuel its own economic progress. “They cannot presume to gather up all the benefits of commerce, consultation and global prestige, while engaging in brute force, threats or other forms of intimidation against sovereign countries.”

President George W. Bush sent Cheney on the mission to reaffirm U.S. support and reassert U.S. interests in the energy- rich region, where pipelines that deliver oil and natural gas supplies to Europe are vulnerable to Russia’s influence and disruption.

“In central Asia, the Caucasus and beyond, Russia has continued to use energy as a tool of force and manipulation,” Cheney said in the text of his speech.

Oil, Gas Supplies

He said Russia has “interrupted or threatened to interrupt” oil or natural gas flows to Georgia, Ukraine, the Baltic states and Belarus and earlier this year reduced deliveries to the Czech Republic.

“No part of this continent should leave itself vulnerable to a single country’s efforts to corner supplies or control the distribution system,” Cheney said.

Throughout the tour of ex-Soviet republics that ended yesterday, Cheney has maintained pressure on Russia, whose relations with the U.S. and NATO allies have plunged to a post- Cold War low.

He has stressed U.S. support for struggling democracies in Georgia and the Caucusus area, while criticizing Russia’s military attacks last month in Georgia’s breakaway South Ossetia region.

NATO Membership

Georgia and Ukraine want to become NATO members, and Cheney said their time to begin formal steps leading to membership “has come.”

“In the space of the last 30 days, Russia has violated the sovereignty of a democracy; made and then breached a solemn (cease-fire) agreement, in a direct affront to the European Union; severely damaged its credibility and undermined its own relations with the U.S. and other countries,” he said.

These actions, he said, have intensified debate about whether Russia has larger objectives in Ukraine, “which Russia has attempted to intimidate by threats and severe economic pressure” and in the Baltic states, which he said have also faced pressure.

Cheney’s mention of the NATO defense treaty was reminder that the U.S., Europe and NATO are pondering a collective response to Russia’s military actions.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aY95i50C9Ags&refer=home

There is something wrong with the world right now

Perhaps I am in the matrix. Perhaps I am not even alive. Something weird is going on, it is very difficult for me to articulate.

I am having a hard time describing humanity, or the lack thereof.

The past month or so has been almost a dream-like quality. Nothing seems real, at the same time, everything seems dreadfully real.

We are being prepared for something. Something very big.

Some strange things have been happening to me.

I am no real stranger to paranormal type events. Recently, these events have been increasing.

My television set has turned itself off twice in the past 24 hours.

I lost my Nintendo DS. I couldn’t find it anywhere. I looked all over, in different places, at least five times. I was in panic mode. I looked in my bag, the bag I had already looked in FIVE TIMES, and it was there. I had even emptied out the bag! IT WAS NOT THERE WHEN I HAD LOOKED. It was there twenty minutes later. Nobody was in here, nobody was messing with my mind…it just magically reappeared. I cannot explain this.

Things are starting to scare me…I see the glitches, I see the cycles…it is all there. BUT I HAVEN’T CRACKED THE DAMN CODE YET. What is the code? I keep asking myself questions that cannot possibly be answered.

Perhaps I think too much…

Anyone else feeling this way??

HL

Texas Official Demands Answers About Alleged UFO

STEPHENVILLE (CBS 11 News) ― Dozens of Stephenville residents reported seeing UFOs in the area in January. At first, the military reported there were no aircraft in the area that night. Two weeks later, officials said they were conducting training exercises in the area.

Now some city officials want to know if a government exercise was being performed, why they weren’t notified ahead of time.

“I want to know why public officials weren’t notified of a large military operation in our area,” said Stephenville City Councilmember Mark Murphy. He has filed a complaint with U. S. Air Force and the Federal Aviation Administration, demanding answers.

“My main concern is public safety,” said Councilman Murphy. “I want to make sure that if anything like this is going on, people are alerted.”

But residents were mixed on what the public needs to know.

“I think the government needs to let us know when we need to know, but on something like this, it’s not appropriate,” said Stephenville resident Cliff McMinn.

“I think the city has a right to know,” said Dell Eastwood, a resident of Stephenville. “I guess the federal government doesn’t think they do.”

According to a local aviation expert, the military must communicate with the FAA, but they are not required to contact city officials. Councilman Murphy thinks that rule should be changed.

“Just so we know they’re going to be operating in this area,” he said. “It’s only a courtesy – intergovernmental courtesy.”

Councilman Murphy says he doesn’t need to know details about what the military was doing over the skies of Stephenville that night, he just wants corrective action to be taken.

http://cbs11tv.com/local/Stephenville.UFO.Latest.2.811195.html