President George W. Bush said Wednesday that “the world must stand for freedom in Georgia” and that Russia must withdraw its forces. Georgia had contributed troops to U.S.-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq “to help others realize the blessings of liberty,” Bush told the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) in Orlando, Florida. “Georgia stood for freedom around the world. Now the world must stand for freedom in Georgia.” Bush praised Georgia's democratization as “one of the most inspiring chapters of history” and warned that the world would not be complacent as fragile reforms come “under siege” by Moscow. “The world has come together to condemn this assault,” the U.S. president said of Russia actions, noting NATO criticism of Moscow and repeated warnings from the West that it cannot do “business as usual” with Russia because of the conflict. According to Bush, NATO “agreed that Russia must honor its commitment to withdraw its troops from Georgia and to return to the status quo before the hostilities began on August the 6th.” “The United States of America will continue to support Georgia's democracy. Our military will continue to provide needed humanitarian aid to the Georgian people,” Bush said. “South Ossetia and Abkhazia are part of Georgia. The United States will work with our allies to ensure Georgia's independence and territorial integrity.”
