14 Comments

• 1. congressive  |  August 11th, 2008 at 3:42 pm

  And I’ll just tell you his favorite thing to say about Vladimir Putin is, When I look into his eyes, I see a K, a G and a B. ‘ He’s been very, very tough on Putin for quite some time.” (Fox News’ “Fox News Sunday,” 8/10/08)

  Putin obviously hasn’t noticed just how tough McSame is, or he’d have pulled out of Georgia the first time Sydney III gave him the stink-eye.

  Q: When will neocons learn that isolationism and threats of military actions have achieved NOTHING but war, war and more war?

  A: Trick question. That’s actually their plan. And it has worked brilliantly to militarize most of the planet. Peace is boring. War = Profits.

• 2. Joe  |  August 12th, 2008 at 8:19 am

  km, what is up with the headline?
  McCain’s Handling of the Georgia Russia Conflict

  What exactly did he “handle”? The guy is a Senator and Presidential NOMINEE.

  McCain sounds like he will follow the same “diplomacy” as the current disaster of an Administration. Start bombing immediately!!!

• 3. KMorrison  |  August 12th, 2008 at 10:23 am

  Fair criticism Joe; wasn’t quite sure what to title it. Don’t typically re-post reviews and quotes like that, but thought it would be a bit of a stretch to for me to pretend that I had some deep knowlege of the Georgian Russian conflict.

  The element that I can report on is that Senator McCain has shown concern about Russia for quite some time and has been critical of Bush’s ‘looking into his soul’ remark.

  I would argue that this is quite different from Iraq, in that reports are stating that this is clearly Russian aggression towards Georgia. Protecting a sovereign nation is definitely different than invading and overthrowing the government of Iraq. Also, McCain is asking for a reaction from the UN Security Council an absolutely reasonable request.

• 4. Joe  |  August 12th, 2008 at 12:45 pm

  Fair enough KM. Just giving you a hard time with the headline.

  Having said that and recognizing that their statements and opinions really have NO effect on the conflict… there really is nothing different between what McCain said/did and what Obama said/did.

  Obama:

  For many months, I have warned that there needs to be active international engagement to peacefully address the disputes over South Ossetia and Abkhazia, including a high-level and neutral international mediator, and a genuine international peacekeeping force – not simply Russian troops.
  No matter how this conflict started, Russia has escalated it well beyond the dispute over South Ossetia and invaded another country. Russia has escalated its military campaign through strategic bombing and the movement of its ground forces into the heart of Georgia. There is no possible justification for these attacks.
  I reiterate my call for Russia to stop its bombing campaign, to stop flights of Russian aircraft in Georgian airspace, and to withdraw its ground forces from Georgia. The Georgian government has proposed a cease-fire and the Russian government should accept it. There is also an urgent need for humanitarian assistance to reach the people of Georgia, and casualties on both sides.
  The United States, Europe and all other concerned countries must stand united in condemning this aggression, and seeking a peaceful resolution to this crisis. We should continue to push for a United Nations Security Council Resolution calling for an immediate end to the violence. This is a clear violation of the sovereignty and internationally recognized borders of Georgia – the UN must stand up for the sovereignty of its members, and peace in the world.
  I welcome the visit of the French and Finnish foreign ministers to Georgia as a first step toward mediation. There should also be a United Nations mediator to address this crisis, and the United States should fully support this effort. We should also convene other international forums to condemn this aggression, to call for an immediate halt to the violence, and to review multilateral and bilateral arrangements with Russia – including Russia’s interest in joining the World Trade Organization.
  Let me be clear: we seek a future of cooperative engagement with the Russian government, and friendship with the Russian people. We want Russia to play its rightful role as a great nation – but with that role comes the responsibility to act as a force for progress in this new century, not regression to the conflicts of the past. That is why the United States and the international community must speak out strongly against this aggression, and for peace and security.

  McCain:

  In recent days Moscow has sent its tanks and troops across the internationally recognized border into the Georgian region of South Ossetia. Statements by Moscow that it was merely aiding the Ossetians are belied by reports of Russian troops in the region of Abkhazia, repeated Russian bombing raids across Georgia, and reports of a de facto Russian naval blockade of the Georgian coast. Whatever tensions and hostilities might have existed between Georgians and Ossetians, they in no way justify Moscow’s path of violent aggression. Russian actions, in clear violation of international law, have no place in 21st century Europe.
  The implications of Russian actions go beyond their threat to the territorial integrity and independence of a democratic Georgia. Russia is using violence against Georgia, in part, to intimidate other neighbors - such as Ukraine - for choosing to associate with the West and adhering to Western political and economic values. As such, the fate of Georgia should be of grave concern to Americans and all people who welcomed the end of a divided of Europe, and the independence of former Soviet republics. The international response to this crisis will determine how Russia manages its relationships with other neighbors. We have other important strategic interests at stake in Georgia, especially the continued flow of oil through the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline, which Russia attempted to bomb in recent days…
  The United States and our allies should continue efforts to bring a resolution before the UN Security Council condemning Russian aggression, noting the withdrawal of Georgian troops from South Ossetia, and calling for an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgian territory. We should move ahead with the resolution despite Russian veto threats, and submit Russia to the court of world public opinion.
  “NATO’s North Atlantic Council should convene in emergency session to demand a ceasefire and begin discussions on both the deployment of an international peacekeeping force to South Ossetia and the implications for NATO’s future relationship with Russia, a Partnership for Peace nation. NATO’s decision to withhold a Membership Action Plan for Georgia might have been viewed as a green light by Russia for its attacks on Georgia, and I urge the NATO allies to revisit the decision.
  “The Secretary of State should begin high-level diplomacy, including visiting Europe, to establish a common Euro-Atlantic position aimed at ending the war and supporting the independence of Georgia. With the same aim, the U.S. should coordinate with our partners in Germany, France, and Britain, to seek an emergency meeting of the G-7 foreign ministers to discuss the current crisis. The visit of French President Sarkozy to Moscow this week is a welcome expression of transatlantic activism.
  The U.S. should work with Azerbaijan and Turkey, and other interested friends, to develop plans to strengthen the security of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline.
  The U.S. should send immediate economic and humanitarian assistance to help mitigate the impact the invasion has had on the people of Georgia.
  Our united purpose should be to persuade the Russian government to cease its attacks, withdraw its troops, and enter into negotiations with Georgia. We must remind Russia’s leaders that the benefits they enjoy from being part of the civilized world require their respect for the values, stability and peace of that world. World history is often made in remote, obscure countries. It is being made in Georgia today. It is the responsibility of the leading nations of the world to ensure that history continues to be a record of humanity’s progress toward respecting the values and security of free people.

  The only difference I know of is that McCain has been rather antagonistic in his comments towards Putin and Russia in general in the past. That is not a great way to carry out diplomacy with a foreign power.

• 5. KMorrison  |  August 12th, 2008 at 2:19 pm

  Except that Putin really appears to be pushing the boundaries of acceptable behavior. Medvedev appears to be his puppet, and now McCain’s previous statements about Russia’s desire to reconstitute the old USSR boundaries seems dead on. Not sure it’s a bad thing to have someone willing to call them on their bad behavior.

  -Senator Biden just put out a statement too. Looks like the consensus is that Russian behavior is unacceptable in a variety of ways.

• 6. SEW  |  August 13th, 2008 at 10:53 am

  McCain may be ahead on foreign policy, but Obama wins on health care. He has it down cold to the penny. And this is without a teleprompter for everyone who says he needs one.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omHUsRTYFAU

• 7. congressive  |  August 13th, 2008 at 10:55 am

  I really can’t believe you Republicans are REALLY supporting the George Soros puppet government of Georgia:

  Soros has publicly committed himself to funding the “democratic” presidency of Mikhail Saakashvili, just as he has publicly committed himself and his money to the destruction of the presidency of George W. Bush, whom he has compared to Yasser Arafat and Hitler. Soros and the United Nations are paying the wages of all of Saakashvili’s top government officials–ministers, deputies, the road police, and others

  READ THIS STORY FROM KRISTOL’S WEEKLY STANDARD

• 8. Joe  |  August 13th, 2008 at 2:29 pm

  I have to say… with all the attention that has been given to Obama associates, acquaintances, and advisors, why doesn’t anyone really bring this up?

  Washington Post
  While Aide Advised McCain, His Firm Lobbied for Georgia Campaign Dismisses Timing of Phone Call, Contract
  By Matthew Mosk and Jeffrey H. Birnbaum
  Washington Post Staff Writers
  Sen. John McCain’s top foreign policy adviser prepped his boss for an April 17 phone call with the president of Georgia and then helped the presumptive Republican presidential nominee prepare a strong statement of support for the fledgling republic.
  The day of the call, a lobbying firm partly owned by the adviser, Randy Scheunemann, signed a $200,000 contract to continue providing strategic advice to the Georgian government in Washington.
  “The question is, who is the client? Is the adviser loyal to income from a foreign client, or is he loyal to the candidate he is working for now?” said James Thurber, a lobbying expert at American University. “It’s dangerous if you’re getting advice from people who are very close to countries on one side or another of a conflict.”
  For months while McCain’s presidential campaign was gearing up, Scheunemann held dual roles, advising the candidate on foreign policy while working as Georgia’s lobbyist. Between Jan. 1, 2007, and May 15, 2008, the campaign paid Scheunemann nearly $70,000 to provide foreign policy advice. During the same period, the government of Georgia paid his firm $290,000 in lobbying fees.
  Since 2004, Orion has collected $800,000 from the government of Georgia.

  If this was one of Obama’s aides that was lobbying for Georgia and advising Obama at the same time, the collective right-wing would have had a complete and utter breakdown. All hell would have broken loose and the collective right-wing would have been at Obama headquarters with pitchforks.

  But it is McCain… so I guess it is all okie-dokie.

• 9. Joe  |  August 13th, 2008 at 2:39 pm

  Again…. All this talk about “questionable acquaintances” of Obama.

  Yahoo News
  Figure in Abramoff scandal raises money for McCain
  WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. - A political strategist tied to the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal is helping raise money for John McCain, urging his fellow Georgia Republicans to attend a fundraiser for the presidential candidate in Atlanta.
  Ralph Reed, former director of the Christian Coalition, touted himself as a member of McCain’s “Victory 2008 Team” in an e-mail that solicited donations on McCain’s behalf. The Republican National Committee is hosting the fundraiser set for an Atlanta hotel on Aug. 18.
  A House investigative committee in 2006 found that Reed interceded with the Bush White House to help some of Abramoff’s clients. Reed’s public relations firm also received $4.2 million from Abramoff to mobilize Christian voters to fight the opening of casinos that could compete with Abramoff’s Indian tribe clients.

  Just asking what would be said by the right-wing talking heads if it was Obama that had this acquaintance??? I’m guessing they’d be calling for Obama to step down……. even more than they currently are.

• 10. KMorrison  |  August 13th, 2008 at 3:35 pm

  First, I’ll DQ myself from answering what the right wing or Republican party would do/act, but here’s my take. 1. Serously doubt Soros ties had anything to do with McCain’s foreign policy decissions, seems rather counterintuitive. Though frankly I have no answer for Soros’ involvement in the Georgian government. 2. Don’t see a real conflict in having a lobbyist for Georgia on staff. Georgia was invaded; McCain’s reaction being influenced by a staffer seems to be a bit of a stretch. How would his reaction have changed if he didn’t have that aid on staff? 3. McCain was one of the people that pushed for the investigation of Abramoff, and that was not appreciated by Republicans. Frankly that’s one of the things I like about him; he fights corruption and if one of his guys gets ensnared in the process then so be it.

  As for Obama associates. I see Wright as fair game because he had a long standing relationship with him, and he was even connected with his campaign. Personally I don’t write about some of his briefer associations because I’m unsure of what that association really is. However, I don’t think those criticisms are off limits. I do wish people would stop criticizing his wife. Technically, some of her comments made on the campaign trail make her fair game, but I don’t like. Think the families should be left alone.

• 11. Mary  |  August 14th, 2008 at 4:41 am

  This week that red phone did ring, figuratively, at 3 A.M. McCain, instantly awake, picked it up said, in effect, “Russia, get out, and take your tanks wih you.” Obama, nine-tenths asleep, picked it up and said, in effect, “Why can’t we all just get along?” McCain sounded like a President. Obama sounded like … a ninny.

• 12. congressive  |  August 14th, 2008 at 11:40 am

  Mr. Saakashvili’s latest show of bravado came only a day after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that she and a special State Department envoy had explicitly and repeatedly warned him not to take any military action against Georgian separatists that might provoke Russia, cautioning that the United States was not prepared to back him militarily if he did.

  Why is McCain undermining official United States foreign policy with his bluster? Oh, yeah. He got paid by Soros-puppet Saakashvili, that’s why.

  Man, it was EMBARASSING to see Saakashvili actually name McCain as a big-hat-no-cattle politician. Guess he felt cheated for paying all that money for nothing.

  No, Mr. McCain, we are NOT all Georgians. Some of us are the dead souls of the autonimous Ossetian people, gunned down in cold blood by this Georgian tyrant.

• 13. KMorrison  |  August 14th, 2008 at 12:40 pm

  C - That has to be one of the most bizarre theories you’ve floated to date. Both McCain and Obama have condemned Russia’s aggression, and the only one to have demanded the removal of Saakashvili is Putin. A number of these small countries that were formerly part of the USSR are standing by Saakashvili. While I’m no expert on Soros, the idea that McCain is making decissions based on Soros’ desires is loopy considering Soros has given huge dollars in attempts to defeat McCain.

• 14. congressive  |  August 14th, 2008 at 4:18 pm

  It is loopy, isn’t it? But it’s KRISTOL’S Weekly Standard that reported the story, not me.

  READ IT FOR YOURSELF: Georgia on His Mind - George Soros’s Potemkin Revolution.

  Don’t trust me. You are getting punked by all these players.