Gates warns Russia to pull back in Georgia fight

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned Thursday that if Russia doesn't pull back from its fighting in Georgia it could hurt Moscow-Washington relations "for years to come."Speaking at his first Pentagon news conference since the fighting started, Gates also said he does not see "any prospect" for the use of U.S. military force there."The United States spent 45 years working very hard to avoid a military confrontation with Russia," said Gates. "I see no reason to change that approach today."But Gates said Russia must face retribution for a military assault on Georgia that appears aimed at punishing the small nation for "daring to try to integrate with the West economically, and politically, and in security arrangements."Saying Russia has serious work to do to restore its place in the international community, he said Moscow's actions have given other European nations a greater incentive to stand with the West."I think what happens in the days and months to come will determine the future course of U.S.-Russian relations," said Gates. "My personal view is that there need to be some consequences for ... the actions that Russia has taken against a sovereign state."At his side, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. James Cartwright said the military assesses that Russia is "generally complying" with the truce that called for its withdrawal from the hostilities.He said Russian forces appeared to be forming up in Georgia in preparation for withdrawal.Gates noted that the Bush administration last year started talks with Russia that officials hoped would be a long-term strategic dialogue. But Russia's invasion of Georgia has called that into question, he said.Gates, a former director of the CIA and regarded as an expert on the former Soviet Union as well as Russian policies, said he believes Russian leaders are trying to redress what they regard as the many concessions forced on them amid the breakup of the former Soviet Union and that they want to "reassert their international status." Acknowledging that some reports coming out of Georgia have simply not been true, Gates said it appears the Georgian port is intact and usable, and that the Russians did not block the waterway.He said it is unlikely that the U.S. would send peacekeepers to the region, but suggested the Pentagon could provide support, such as transportation for other nations — probably European — that were doing so.Gates and Cartwright stressed that the small military assessment team now in Georgia is not looking for any military interaction with the Russians, but will move out into the country as necessary to determine what assistance the Georgians need. The U.S., Cartwright said, will continue to let the Russians know where the American team is and what it is doing.Asked about any additional U.S. military actions against Russia, Gates said the Pentagon plans to "re-examine the entire gamut of our military-to-military activities with Russia and will make changes as necessary and appropriate, depending on Russian actions in the days ahead."He also suggested that some of the lag in U.S. intelligence and actions during the early days of the conflict were the result, in part, of inaccurate information given to U.S. cabinet members by Russian leaders in phone conversations.Asked if he trusted Putin, Gates smiled."I have never believed that one should make national security policy on the basis of trust," said Gates, who has jousted with Putin routinely over the years. "I think you make national security policy based on interests and on realities." http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080814/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/gates
As in the days of Noah....