| 08.08.2008 |
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| I had written a couple of times that Russia is strangely absent as a foreign policy topic in this presidential campaign. Well, now it looks like the question of how to deal with Russia might insert itself with a vengeance after Russian and Georgian military forces have clashed in a dispute over the breakaway republic of South Ossetia. With Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Georgian President Michail Saakashvili both describing the conflict as a war, a quick resulution of the situation seems more unlikely than a further escalation of events. Barack Obama and John McCain's reaction to the outbreak of hostilities between Russian and Georgian troops were very different. The Republican candidate squarely sided with Georgia on the issue: "Russia should immediately and unconditionally cease its military operations and withdraw all forces from sovereign Georgian territory," John McCain said in a statement. He also called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to put pressure on Russia. His Democratic rival, meanwhile, took a more balanced approach: "Georgia's territorial integrity must be respected. All sides should enter into direct talks on behalf of stability in Georgia, and the United States, the United Nations Security Council, and the international community should fully support a peaceful resolution to this crisis," Obama said in a statement. With his statement, as Jonathan Martin points out accurately, McCain took a tougher stance on Russia than President George W. Bush. The White House's response was basically in line with Obama's demanding respect for Georgia's territorial integrity while urging restraint from all parties. What's the reason for the different reactions by McCain and Obama? As Martin writes, the McCain camp sees a "commander-in chief opportunity" for their candidate. But, adds Martin, Obama's team also sees an opportunity: To show that McCain is beholden once again to lobbying interests. His foreign policy adviser Randy Scheuneman lobbied for Georgia from 2003 until recently. Justin Login at the Cato blog has an interesting take on the issue as well. He alludes to Scheuneman's various hats and McCain's relationship with Russia, but thinks that Obama gets Russia totally wrong as well. And he is glad that Germany spoiled Georgia's membership in NATO, something both Obama and McCain favor. But what do you think? Who has the better argument on the Russia-Georgia conflict McCain or Obama? |
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| 15 Comments |
| They both are blaming Russian for stopping a massacre? Unbelievable. | ||
| Vic | Homepage | 12.08.2008, 19:53 | ||
| I believe John Mccain was way to quick to placing blame on the Russians...I did not like his speech at all...He did not acknowledge the fact that Georgia attacked Russian peacekeepers and that 90% of those living in South Ossetia are Russian citizen...Mccain seems to be stuck in the cold war mindset...Obama didnt really say anything specific but at least his not trying to flex his muscle on everyone | ||
| John | Homepage | E-Mail | 12.08.2008, 02:40 | ||
| The stark contrast between the candidates concerning the Georgia crisis comes as no surprise. As Farheed Zakarai noted, McCain's foreign policy stance toward Russia and China is antagonistic. But what's the upside to the tough-talk? That's the question. | ||
| Jotman | Homepage | E-Mail | 11.08.2008, 03:21 | ||
| Nonsense...McCain and US in general should just shut-up...the same way as world silently watched US invade a sovereign Iraq and murdered a million souls. Shameless human race. | ||
| Chinky | E-Mail | 10.08.2008, 17:32 | ||
| McCain is taking a tougher stance on Russia because dealing with Russia can be like talking to a wall. You never know what Obama plans to do because he keeps on flip-flopping and only holds three years of Senate experience. Plus Obama's plan is exactly what Russia wants to be approached by, because it takes no action agaisnt Russain military ambitions. | ||
| Nicolas Garofono | Homepage | E-Mail | 10.08.2008, 03:05 | ||
| McCain's tough talk on Georgia is a huge blunder ... would he send U.S. troops to stop the Russian attack? If not, then his words mean nothing. If yes, then we now know one of the "more wars" that McCain promised earlier this year to go along with Iran. Truth is, McCain is the biggest warmonger ever to seek the U.S. Presidency. If your idea of a good Commander in Chief is a hothead eager to get the U.S. in the middle of every armed conflict on earth, then McCain's your man. | ||
| Dan Conley | Homepage | E-Mail | 10.08.2008, 02:11 | ||
| Think about this -- If you think that McCain will be like Bush, you're wrong. Obama is the one siding with Bush; in general Bush really dislikes McCain. The other thing is, how well do you know Russia? As a Russian American I know that McCain is right, can you really talk things out with Russia? Do you think talks can do everything? No. Actions speak louder than words, and I would trust McCain with actions. Obama knows nothing of war, nor does George Bush. McCain is the only one that sees the most logical action in this situation; the Georgians have gotten the point. |
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| Katya | Homepage | E-Mail | 09.08.2008, 15:23 | ||
| When you talk about people living in pease, what you must do is think about the ordinary people on the street first, Russia, Georgia, USA, EU and South Ossetia are all democratic countries, why can't they all talk their way out of war, this is to show when people and their government says democracy is the answer to the world problems all this shows is its only a demonstration of crazyness. No body can claim higher ground moral, all the they want is their countries intrest OiLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL. | ||
| simon | Homepage | E-Mail | 09.08.2008, 10:08 | ||
| Wasn't Stalin his ownself a Georgian ? Imperial Russia was an empire -- Soviet Russia was too. So is present today Russia, with its extensive ethnic and linguistic minorities, even though many ethnic minorities from Soviet Union. now have their own countries. The South Ossetians should have the same democratic right to secede from Georgia as the Georgians did from the Soviet Union. Why not? If they want to rejoin Russia - so what? The territorial rights of Georgia are in no way morally superior to the rights of the South Ossetians and Abhazians to determine their destiny. The hypocritical US should recall the way it has treated its own native peoples. The rest of the world doesn't have the luxury of space to push its minority natives into an Indian Territory. Poor Mexico, so close to US, but far from God. Poor Georgia, so close to Russia. Imperial Russia gained the Caucausian region piecemeal. Soviet Russia lost it piecemeal, New Russia is trying to regain influence in the region. Poor Russia, it has been the buffer between the west and the mongol hordes. The thanks it got, in the 19th Century, was to have Britain and France to side with the Turks against it. And then in the 20th Century, the Germans thanked the Russian for holding off the Mongol horde by invading it twice. Hey, Russia may of use yet against the Mongol horde. Shouldn't Georgia USA have the same right to secede as Soviet Georgia? Some parts might want to, some might not. Appalachian Georgia might want to join East Tennessee and Western North Carolina instead. Many diehards in Georgia want to reenact and relive their first secession, the state has honored that secession on their flag. If states rights and no big government are urgently wanted, why not go all out and just Support Your Local Warlord.... |
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| Support Your Local Warlord | Homepage | E-Mail | 09.08.2008, 06:36 | ||
| I believe that Obama took the generic stance without any real commitment and called for a peacful resolution without actually weighing in on the matter. McCain, who has been working in foreign policy for years, took a definite stance with Georgia rightfully criticized Russia for threatening the sovereignty of a smaller neighbor. Russia has been supporting armed separatist groups in Georgia, only for the purpose of trying to maintain their monopolistic control over the regions oil pipelines. Had they been content with allowing a smaller republic to develop the resources it rightfully owned, this conflict would not be going on. |
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| Christian | Homepage | E-Mail | 09.08.2008, 05:10 | ||
| What you know about Georgia and what Russia ever did to it. Have you even ever been there, Have you seen how Russian troops have been cutting the heads of children and playing soccer with them. Have you seen them cutting there troughts open. Have you seen them putting car tires around the kids and burning them. If not than you know now. That Russians are killers they can never get enough blood. Georgia never went to Russia to fight with them.They come To us. I know all this because I am Georgian and I have seen all this with my eyes. God Help Georgia. | ||
| Tamar | Homepage | 09.08.2008, 03:06 | ||
| "I looked into his eyes and saw three letters: K, G, B."-John McCain on Vladimir Putin. John McCain just dosent like Russia and has been aggressive towards them his entire political career. I hope that he is not president, for there will be many fireworks between the U.S. and Russia if there is. I think that if McCain if elected deals aggressively with Iran, or upsets Putin elsewhere, bad things will happen in the future. Obama's approach is much better in my opinion, in fact I think we should just sit back and leave Russia to it's own devices. | ||
| Chris | Homepage | E-Mail | 09.08.2008, 01:47 | ||
| Conventional campaign wisdom says that the response a candidate has to an international crisis during a campaign provides insight into how they will respond once in office. This was not Hillary’s “3 a.m. phone call”; rather, it was a 4 a.m. phone call. Obama responded with his typical campaign rhetoric: not assigning blame and failing to provide a detailed, effective U.S. response to resolve the crisis. McCain meanwhile immediately condemned Russia for violating Georgia’s sovereignty, pre-empting an attack on the Georgian border, and crossing into South Ossetia. He immediately called for Russia to withdraw its troops and cease military operations, stating the “consequences for Euro Atlantic security and stability are grave.” He supported Georgia’s call for an immediate ceasefire with international mediators. He called for the U.S. to immediately convene an emergency session of the Security Council in order to get Russia to reverse course, meet with the EU and the OSCE to apply additional pressure, and move to create a “truly independent” peacekeeping force to send to South Ossetia. Obama’s response was a condemnation of “the outbreak of violence in Georgia” and a call for “an immediate end to armed conflict.” He did not outline any kind of U.S. response, but – true to form – acted to be above the urgency of the conflict, merely calling for “Georgia and Russia to show restraint.” He failed to provide details about how to respond, only saying “All sides should enter into direct talks… and the international community should fully support a peaceful resolution to the crisis.” This is a grave warning to the public at-large as the response to the crisis in Georgia is a commentary on the candidates’ experience (or inexperience) and understanding (or misunderstanding) of the nature of world affairs. It is also a warning, and a wake-up call, to the American public as to what is really at stake in this election. | ||
| Jaren | Homepage | E-Mail | 09.08.2008, 00:29 | ||
| gergia attacked russian troops first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! mccain.... again has no clue what the hell is going on.........!!!!! he loves to shoot his mouth off and act tough.. hes an idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! can someone get that old retarded man off my t.v. |
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| dean | Homepage | E-Mail | 08.08.2008, 22:00 | ||
| I think McCain will try everything to appear strong. Especialy in terms of foreign policy after Obama toured the Middle East and Europe and McCain ate at a "Sausage Haus" and visited supermarkets. |
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| Max | Homepage | E-Mail | 08.08.2008, 21:37 | ||