Twofer:

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In rebuff to Bush, NATO keeps Georgia, Ukraine in the cold

European leaders kept Georgia and Ukraine waiting at NATO's doorstep Thursday, dealing George W. Bush a rebuff at the last summit of the transatlantic alliance he will attend as US president. NATO leaders did, however, endorse Bush's quest for a missile defense shield across Europe, and leaned towards sending more troops to Afghanistan to join the 47,000 already there to wrangle with a resurgent Taliban.

[typical. This was a truly remarkable accomplishment for the US: Bush has taken BMD from constant disparagement since he withdrew us from the flawed SALT treaty in 2001 to today' unanimous backing of it in NATO - 'closing the question' of if there is to be one. France announced its intention to rejoin the body after a 40 year absence (in left in in 1966), and is sending additional troops to Afghanistan - as are 12 other nations - and Afghanistan the first NATO action outside its stated 'theater'. AND all this right in the face of a threatening Russia, on the eve of a US-Russian summit. Cumulatively this was quite huge - particularly as both Georgia and Ukraine never stood a chance at this time, they're both too unstable (regrettably, Russia, again). And the press? 'Rebuffed'. they just can't help themselves]

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[UPDATE: and on this side of the pond?

"Putin Scores Big Win in Bucharest"

brought to you by naturally.]

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