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• Wednesday, August 13, 2008 11:58 AM

  CecilBeanie, I considered what you wrote about Glenn Greenwald on the Russia/Georgia conflict

  but all that appeared in his article was another commentary from a Professor King of Georgetown University. Not very immediate, I'm sure you'll agree, when a report from Der Spiegel preceded it by a day or two. The Germans would have greater access to unbiased news and the "realpolitik" of the situation east of Germany than an American professor, however eminent. The conflict broke out last week; Glenn Greenwald came to it on Monday, almost as if it was some doctoral thesis he was working on.

  Salon had already flagged the fighting around the Black Sea before Greenwald dipped his toes in it and fewer than 50 or so Salon readers showed the slightest interest. France's Sarkozy has already been to Moscow to try and arrange a ceasefire. Sarkozy is President of the European Union until January when that role is handed over to the Czech Republic for the following six months. Georg W. has given a speech in which he reprimands the Russians and promises that there will be American boots on the ground in Georgia for the purpose of administering "humanitarian aid". AND, of course, we all believe him. I can't see how the American public can have any opinion on this volatile situation, or indeed the situation leading up to the invasion of Iraq, unless they're prepared to take the trouble of informing themselves. Apart from British PM Tony Blair, European leaders were far from supportive of the Iraq war. Oh yes, there was the Spanish Prime Minister Aznar who paid the price when jihadists bombed the Madrid transport system and Aznar was defeated in a general election shortly afterwards.

  Cecil Beanie, there's a widespread perception that average Americans, either because of the Internet or otherwise, have a totally skewed view of the world - that's when they think of it at all unless its affecting their comforts. The Internet is an ancillary, as I've previously said, but is not a substitute for complex matters. I know as much about Georgia as you might do but I've tried to learn something about modern Georgia in the last week. The title of a Yeats' poem comes to mind: "The Fascination of What's Difficult". Now I see that the illustrious academic, Camille Paglia, has focused her amazing intellect on Madonna and Obama so I'll have to read her sybilline pronouncements if I have the time. It's evening here;I was at a funeral earlier in the day so I hope I have enough fortitude to read through Signorina Paglia's effusions.

  —maureenodonnell Read maureenodonnell's other letters
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