Looks like Obama was right on Russia v Georgia after all

[Jackeens]

Remember a while back McCain attacked Obama for his response to the Russia v Georgia crisis - I pulled out a couple of quotes from a CNN report at the time (http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/13/candidates.georgia/index.html):



John McCain's campaign has stepped up its attacks on Barack Obama's foreign policy credentials. In response, Obama's top foreign policy aide suggested that McCain was willing to "shoot from the hip" and was acting irresponsibly by offering strong support for the Georgia government.

McCain continued his tough line against Russia, saying its potential membership in the WTO should be reviewed as a result of its actions in Georgia, as well its relationship with the G-8 nations...

McCain also said that an international peacekeeping mission should be sent to Georgia and that NATO should re-consider adding Georgia and Ukraine, another former Soviet republic, to the alliance.

Randy Scheunemann, McCain's top foreign policy adviser, attacked Obama's response to the situation in Georgia, saying his experience with the region amounted to a handful of paper statements. On the other hand, McCain's experience with Georgia runs deep, Scheunemann said, noting that McCain and the Georgian president were friends.

"There's a depth of knowledge, a breadth of knowledge and an extent of historical experience that doesn't compare between the two on Russia policy," Scheunemann said. "You can't compare a 15-year historical record to three or four statements over the course of 15 months."

But Susan Rice, Obama's senior foreign policy adviser, said that McCain's comments condemning Russia "may or may not have complicated the situation."

"We cannot shoot from the hip. We cannot act on the basis of ideology or preconceived notions. When this crisis began, Barack Obama, the administration ... and all of our NATO allies took a measured and reasoned approach because we were dealing with the facts as we knew them."




Okay, so now I'm watching a BBC investigation in to the 'war' in which they have discovered evidence that Georgia provoked the whole thing, were guilty of ethnic cleansing at the time in the region, violated the Geneva convention, carried out indiscriminate attacks on civilians including an attack on "a sleeping town", etc. Not sure if it's on the BBC website yet, but it should be later.

So, Obama was 100% correct to be cautious and measured in response to the crisis - yet again, his judgement proved to be perfect. McCain's? Hot-headed, dangerous - and wrong. Again.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. I'd agree but we're all Georgians now.

Damn.

[jimlup]

2. This isn't new information

If you followed non-mainstream sources it was clear early Georgia's hands were not at all clean in this affair. I wasn't particularly impressed with Obama's reaction to the Georgia-Russia situation but I was absolutely horrified by Mclames ideas which showed utter disregard for reality in the region.

By the way, the US media will essentially ignore this BBC report. And, I'll bit my tongue on complaining about Obama's reaction until after November 4th...

[DrToast]

3. Yep...the media bought it hook, line and sinker that McCain "won" that one

They bought it because it fit the preconceived notion that McCain was strong on foreign policy, even though he was terribly wrong here.

[FrenchieCat]

5. Our media is full of traitors.

[MarjorieG]

4. How much was the provoking part of creating a McCain opportunity. Encouraging the Georgians.

If true, dangerous and murderous.

[jimlup]

7. No, I think these guys have their own agenda

There is serious ethnic hatred in this situation and it isn't likely to be driven by US elections. The Georgians possibly thought they could get away with a little "child discipline" while the world was watching the Olympics but Russia (over) reacted quickly instead.

If the US media had reported the truth, it would have been a big embarrassment for McCain because of his ties to the aggressors, the Georgian government.

[Chulanowa]

8. I'm not sure I would call it overreacting

Georgia tried to obliterate an entire town that was full of Russian citizens (recognized a such by Russia, anyway). In Bushian logic, the Georgians used the fact the people of the town shot back as a legitimization of the preemptive attack. in response, the Russians marched in and slapped the Georgian military like a pimp on payday, and then kept marching in just to prove the damn point.

Compared to what could have been - and compared to what, say, an Israeli or American response to the same situation would have been - the russians were pretty darn measured. Only the fact that they're Russians is why we're even having this discussion.

[jimlup]

9. Yep, you're right...

I'll admit to being a victim of the propaganda system and mainstream media. Russia was restrained in the response. Your point about Israel is well taken.

[windshaper]

10. Economic Plan

what is it??

[HughMoran]

11. Freeper

[Uzybone]

6. Astute observers knew Georgia provoked the whole thing

yes Russias' reaction was over bearing and over reaching. Plus it was clear to me that Russia more or less laid a trap for Georgia. But Georgia took the bait, probably (stupidly) thinking the US would come to its aid militarily.

McCains advisor who is a lobbyist for Georgia is enough reason to disqualify McCain. He would let our foreign policy be determined by lobbyists.