Last Graph Messages to Moscow

Or, maybe, you can read McCain’s statement as many see Bush’s in the up-and-coming nations: that somehow, they assume The West is “Civilized World,” and it is on their sufferance that others get a membership in that group.
It really drives people up the wall back there. I should know – I am from India.

Obama is more mature in his response and i like his sense of diplomacy. Russia is a super power in its own right and a war with Russia will only hurt the west. Remember, Russia has a veto power in UN and Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapon.
Diplomacy is the right action

I want to add this to my earlier comment. Currently, the whole world is dealing with Iran’s nuclear ambition. Imagine if NATO goes to war with Russia, the war will distract from focusing attention on Iran, and that is dangerous for the entire Middle East.
The best line of action is to put pressure on Russia for restrain.

I don’t like either one of them but I think McCain is the lesser of two evils.

Wake: I hope you don’t have any children of draft age because if McCain is elected we will have more wars to fight than we know what to do with.

Diplomacy is the right action??? Come on – Obama’s quote shows how out of touch he is with the issue. This is no time to sit down and talk with Russia – this is a time for Congress to take action, come back from vacation and make moves to get the US energy independent NOW. Diplomacy has nothing to do with this – this is about Putin and Russia wanting to control Europe’s oil and natural gas pipeline. Because the US needs access to Russian oil and the European pipeline, we can’t do anything about Russia’s aggressiveness – just like the US can’t speak out too aggressively about human rights issues in China – they own too much US debt. It’s time for the US Congress to take care of the American people. Both Obama and McCain should be urging Congress to get back to work to lift bans on off shore drilling and solve this economic mess – that would send a much more powerful message to Russia than a diplomatic chat.

One thing for sure we can’t go it alone in Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, and Georgia.
How in 8 years did we get to this?
So much for bring it on!

McCain’s statement is straight from the Cold War, or at least the years immediately following the Cold War. We have no leverage against the Russians, thanks in good part to (a) the current administration’s head-in-the-sand approach to Russian over the past 8 years, (b) being bogged down in Iraq, and (c) our diminished standing in world politics. We can ill-afford this kind of bloviating. We need someone in office who understands the way the world is now, and isn’t trapped in the past.

I don’t really care about McCain v. Obama on Georgia at this point. I am more worried about the response from the term that is yet to finish. Georgia thought the US and its western allies would rise to the occasion if attacked by the Russians. I think it is dangerous for us to allow nations we have courted as allies to feel that when it gets rough we will abandon them for ‘diplomacy’ especially when their citizens are dying and their soveriegnty is at stake. This is the exact reason smaller countries want the nuclear weapons. Nobody pushes around any country with nukes.

This Georgia issue is another distraction and it doesn’t bode well for the entire world. Russia is like a sleeping bear that was provoked. The best line of action is Diplomacy.
Don’t be fool by another war. It is time we put our full throat diplomacy on display. US should continue to hammer Russia in UN, perhaps, demand a 24 hours diplomatic assort on Russia if they don’t withdraw within 24 hours. It is time we employ tactics we use during Cuba-Kennedy missile’s crisis
This time is so precarious, perhaps, this is an opportunity for Bush to regain control from Cheney and redeem his image.

Neither one have any business writing any letters on behalf of the US. That’s Bush’s job. I wonder if the letters were even sent, or just written to gain points on how they would handle it “if” they were POTUS.

Diplomacy!!! Russia has just invaded a sovereign country. And it wasn’t because of some potential threat to its own country. Russia should have used the diplomacy.

We would have troops to go to Georgia if they weren’t preoccupied in iraq. I wonder who voted to put 95% of our trooops there for something that wasn’t worth the risk or our american blood.

Bee, Manchester, NH – “My gut tells me, it is the Neo-Cons? I can see their handwriting all over this issue.” What???? How can you possibly blame republicans for Putin’s actions? Putin has said he wants Russia to become the new OPEC – he wants control of the pipeline that controls oil/natural gas reserves. Georgia doesn’t want to give up control of their portion of the pipeline(the US needs them for oil). This is about oil and nothing more. The best course is for Americans to start taking care of Americans so that we have can once again have the strength to stand up to bullies like Putin. We need to get off foreign oil to do that.

Diplomacy!!! Russia has just invaded a sovereign country. And it wasn’t because of some potential threat to its own country. Russia should have used the diplomacy
I think you need to stick to the fact.

Not one word about Georgia in Obama’s statement?? Does he know where it is and what significance it has as far as energy goes?

Russia says they invaded the sovereign country to protect the russians that are there…
do you know any of the history of Georgia and Russia to be making such stupid comments.
do you know what has been going on in south ossetia?
the russians are able to right now do a whole pr offensive saying they are protecting them…invading for russian security…
guess what considering the world told us not to go into Iraq…and the mess it has created…you really think Mccain has a leg to stand on?
go read the history of what has gone on in Ossetia
then come back and comment.
and what Randy Scheunneman’s involvement was…

HOW WELL TO SOLVE A PROBLEM DEPENDS A LOT ON HOW OTHERS SEE YOU. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT PUTIN/RUSSIA DOES NOT RESPECT OBAMA OR HIS HIPPIE DEMEANOR.

When i said the i can see the Neo-Cons hand in this crisis, i mean it. Here is Joe Klein’s column today.
http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/08/its_raining_nazis_1.html

Susan they may be doing more than freeing those people but go look at the history of what has gone on now for years…and the President of Georgia’s involvement…
this is not a cut and dry case…
the Russians are wrong…but because of our ignoring the world community (and mccain was at the forefront and still is) very hard for the world to look the other way with us and condemn the Russians to the point of all of us sending in military or threatening military like moron McCain…who thinks that is the answer to everything.
when was the last time he said anything about resolving anything with diplomacy.
He doesn’t he says it only works with military always…
this guy is going to destroy us playing battle soldier instead of diplomat.
Mccain IS Dick Cheney.

well Tom
It seems they really respected Bush Cheney (and Mccain) and the rest of the neo con hawks.

Again we have a civil war, that somehow the US is supposed pick a side. Well that is easy we pick the opposite side that the Russians pick.
Before Russia moved in the Georgian army moved and 40,000 people fled the region for Russia. Why?

Secty Rice in July went to Georgia as part of the orchestration and push for NATO to put on the agenda Georgia being part of NATO. Something Russia had opposed, something many nations of NATO had clearly said was not and should not be part of the agenda considering that on-going war in Afghanistan and that NATO’s shift would be from military to political. But Secty Rice continued to speak and so did President Bush in his push for NATO. Russia did not begin the conflict – something to remember – Georgia attacked people of their own culture, history and arguably country because of their desire for separation and their alliance to Russia. When Russia responded the chorus from the militants in DC was NATO rattling and demands that Russia stop its aggression. The kettle does not have the right to call the pot black and I would suggest this Administration start learning the first steps of diplomacy by carefully weighing their action. First, Secty Rice knew full well that NATO was against putting the Georgia/NATO issue on the agenda. Secty Rice knew full well that the uprising in the South (which she spoke about IN Georgia in July) was already in progress and something she did absolutely nothing about by encouraging the Georgia government to quell it’s own disturbance before advancing such issues before NATO (for which it wasn’t even a member and for which consideration of being a member was something NATO members had not agreed upon). Next President Bush in an affront to the Russian government (after his defense shield agenda was over with) became “in your face” with Russia on his most recent trip over Georgia – knowing full well what Secty Rice had been and was doing on her junket. Well I say know full well is really not true, because this President knows very little of what VP Cheney et the neo-con agenda has been about since he agreed to be their puppet in 2000. Senator McCain’s statement is more tepid that his original remarks and Senator Obama’s remains in my opinion right on the mark and one which echoes international leadership that the world in which we live now requires the ability to quietly talk, reason and settle issues – not assume the “I’m right and this is the way it’s going to be” tone. I apologize if I offend anyone, but there is so, so very much more to this (including the Halliburton et al pipeline prior to 2000 contracts crossing Georgia) that requires a whole bunch of people to calm down and calmly install a cease fire. Providing foder for a government of Georgia which could not mediate or settle regional differences into the base for another generation of cold-war and stand-off is the last thing this old world needs. If I offend anyone, I’m sorry, but some deep breaths need to be taken.

That’s great Bee, except it leaves out the analysis of the proximity of the oil pipelines to Ossetia.

I think the most disturbing line from both paragraphs is from McCain’s: “World history is often made in remote, obscure countries.” This rhetoric reminds me of Bush’s “axis of evil” line. Mr. McCain, similar to Mr. Bush, truly doesn’t understand the world we live in today.

Walk softly but carry a big stick comes to mind.
For too long we have valued Presidents who can swagger, taunt, and trash talk. But we haven’t been very demanding when it comes to wisdom and follow through. As a result, Russia views itself as morally equivalent to the United States in its war in Georgia. And, furthermore, given the condition of the global energy markets and the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Putin knows that there is little we can realistically do to stop them. In this political season, with a GOP obsessed with its own bleak political future, they are not going to blow an election over Georgia. So they will just kind of grumble and groan and try to say it is Obama’s fault or something.
In this campaign, I think Obama has demonstrated both a great deal of restraint and a lot of brass.
When McCain dared him to go to Iraq… Obama went… and the Iraqi government endorsed his plan!
Obama is cool. He is intelligent. And he is disciplined. If you back those three attributes with the greatest military on earth, the strongest economy on earth, the most magnetic culture on earth, and the best diplomats… Obama should be able to accomplish a lot.
McCain just goes on the attack without thinking. And… I would imagine if a foreign leader made fun of him… he would probably lead the US into another tragic mistake.
All this “I know how to win wars!” talk is just a lot of bluster that is hard to swallow given the GOP’s record of failure on the matter.

The biggest difference between the two is McCain reads what is handed to him by his puppeteers and Obama writes and speaks his own message.

McCain plagiarizes Wikipedia in Russia/Georgia speech.
Looks like McCain foreign policy is a real rip off.
McCain:Ready to cut and paste policy on day one.

Talking tough when you can’t back it up merely demonstrates how ineffectual you have become………..it merely highlights the fact America is not in a position of strength.
Unless we are prepared to launch nukes, and I truly hope we are not, we have no ‘strength’ to back up the kind of rhetoric McCain is offering. Besides we need Russia to back us on the issue of nukes in Iran.
And he called Obama naive??????

Honestly I feel that McCain’s rhetoric would get him and America into a lot of trouble. And shows the danger of Bush’s Iraq Mistake. On one hand McCain is lecturing Russia for its actions towards Georgia, whilst backing the US occupation and continued military presence in Iraq. How can the rest of the world take the US seriously on issues like this when they are being so obviously hypocritical. We need a genuinely new start.

Where is Paris Hilton when you need her?

Analyzing Obama’s statement:
Let me be clear: we seek a future of cooperative engagement with the Russian government, and friendship with the Russian people.
—————————————
Unclear Why he started speaking of future and not about Now? Did he mean he does not want to do anuthing before when he become President?
—————————————
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.
————————————–
Humm. Saintly Advice
—————————————
That is why the United States and the international community must speak out strongly against this aggression, and for peace and security.
————————————–
He is saying the same thing what Bush is doing now and is saying without acknowledging Bush. Didn’t Bush had a talk with Putin and lodge his protest with Russia.
————————————–

Bee, Manchester, NH – Do you realize that we are dependent on Russia for a good portion of our foreign oil? We are weak compared to Russia because we do not control our own energy – and Russia knows that. The US doesn’t have a leg to stand on in brokering any type of diplomacy until we are energy independent.

Putin knows that America is a politically divided country; we broadcast it to the world every day.
Putin also knows that America cannot do anything to stop his rebuilding of the Soviet Union, which has been his goal ever since he came to power.
It doesn’t matter WHO is our President; neither Bush, McCain, nor Obama is willing to go to war with Russia over Georgia. And the Russian military knows this.
We can beat the heck out of a country like Iraq, but when it comes to Russia, we will sit back and growl like a paper tiger. We have “used up” our military on a winless and meaningless conflict and have completely exhausted our credibility with the rest of the world, which is somehow going to muddle through without our “help”.

Missy M – you’re all over the place. Your post makes no sense. Russia doesn’t supply natural gas to the U.S. – this issue has nothing to do with energy independence for the U.S. and even if it did, Obama would still be right, because this is not an issue that can resolved militarily – especially with our troops stretched thin in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The military conflict in Iraq is quite differenc than what is happening in Georgia. Iraq had a ruthless dictator who had defied 17 UN resolutions. Georgia is a deomocratic nation trying to keep its country together. The word appeasement may become very popular again.

m21236 – so what? There are plenty of ruthless dictators that defy the UN that we do nothing about. How come Bush did nothing about Mugabe or Bashir or the Kim Jong Il? Because Bush knew it would be easy to push Saddam around, just like Putin knows that it will be easy to push around Georgia. There’s no moral difference between Putin and Bush.

Let me be clear: The Junior Senator would be eaten alive by the likes of Putin.
He needs to take his faux-seal and go back to Chicago.

Do Obama or McCain follower really know what exactly happened between Georgia and Russia Or they are just supporter Obama and McCain statements without going into details?

This incident should graphically display why we need McCain in the White House rather than a smooth-talking lightweight. If Obama gets in, can you imagine how hard our enemies would test him to see what they could get away with?

sambur – I agree – there should be something done about other dictators who are defying human rights and the UN. Just wanted to point out that there is a difference in the two conflicts. The US seems to be the only one willing to take risks. But I am sure that diplomacy with straighten out these thugs.

McCain earlier compared Russia’s incursion into Georgia to The Iraq invasion of Kuwait and the USSR’s assault on Czechoslovakia. His apparently more recent statement is an improvement over the initial knee jerk pronouncement.
South Ossetia is an ethnic Russian enclave which was invaded by the Georgians on Aug. 7-8th with around 2000 civilian deaths. My point in mentioning this is that there is also a serious problem with Georgia and its leadership which has been ignored and needs to be addressed for resolution.

“Let me be clear:…” -Barack Obama. Tell me, is there ANY better example of this man’s misplaced and unearned “audacity” then to start a foreign relations statement in that manner? Gee, Barack, you are SO important! The world had just BETTER listen to you and understand you CLEARLY! What a crock of BS. Also, I do not see Sen. John McCain’s intelligent statement as “war mongery” in any way, shape, or form. In fact, his statement is incredibly diplomatic and profoundly forward thinking.

B0 must be quivering in his flip-flops. After all, Russia is a BIG Country! Give me McCain any day! B0′s foreign experience is Indonesia, Kenya, and oh, the 7 additional States in US!

Obama can use his community organizing experience and expertise in this conflict.
How about door knocking and handing out flyers.

The rest of a lifetime be spent in going after Bush and it is just a waste of your hot air. We must stop looking at what the last 8 years have been about and start looking to the future.
I will ask all of you regardless of your political party if either candidate ask you to run back into a burning building would you. If not then you really have no one to vote for the time. We need a leader not a talking head.

Going by McCain’s cold war statement, I am beginning to agree with the Russians that the US government was behind Georgia’s bold miscalculation. The purpose I believe was to undermine Obama who is currently on holidays by presenting McCain with a platform to showcase his so called foreign policy / security credentials. McCain/Bush need to be educated that diplomatic language is far more effective in this highly charged situation than “whoof-whoof” from a tootless bull-dog.

We have no right to judge if either candidate’s statements are right or wrong. They have been briefed on the situation and we have not. They both seem like they’re calling for the same thing here. The difference is in the language. It does sound like Obama is trying to take a more diplomatic approach and McCain is trying to take a “this must stop or else” approach. In the end they are looking for the same result but the facts are Obama is more diplomatic and collaborative. I’ll take the guy who wants to figure stuff out together instead of unilaterally.

McCain is starting to scare me. This guy is trigger happy.

Mr. Obama is the President at the peace and Mr. McCain is the President at the war. American voters, make your decision.

Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, Cant wait for Mr. Community Organizer Barry! Just like Carter, (when the Russians invaded Afghanastan),Will it be A) Putin invades another Cold war territory and sends more weapons to Iran, B) China invades Taiwan and sends more weapons to Iran C)Civil war escalates in Lebanon and sends hundreds of suicide bombers into Israel d) The Soviets place missles in Venezuala and cuba (again)or E) All OF THE ABOVE!

I’d say this particular comparison is a case of the media trying to spin a difference where no real difference exist. What both men said was an appropriate response and better and more presidential than anything we can expect out of President who set the Georgians up with all of his “we’re right behind you” fawning for the adoring crowds.

There are reports that the
Russians may lease military
bases in Cuba and Vietnam.
The eastward expansion of NATO
and the proposed missile
defense system overwhelmingly
rejected by the people of
Poland and the Czech Republic
are provoking Russia to assert
itself.

So far it;s all talk by both sides, but thanks to Bush and those like McCain,we have no military ready to to otherwise. We are still bogged down in Iraq, remember.

Let’s see — a big powerful country unvades a smaller, sovereign nation for questionable reasons, which appear to be regime change. You’d think John McCain, as a supporter of the Iraq War, would understand and sympathize with Russia.

I am embarrassed by some of the comments from fellow Obama supporters. The war in Georgia is dead serious. It is a well planned and calculated move by the most dangerous man in the world today: Vladimir Putin (Yes, Bin Laden is a kid in comparison). He has been playing the world like a game of chess since before he became president. No right or wrong, winning is all that matters.
This is no time for soft diplomacy. It is time to wake up.
Sure the history of South Ossetia is complicated, and I feel for that people who have been pushed around for a thousand years. But this is not about South Ossetia. This is about Russia rising. The sooner everybody realize that, the better.

The Russians are going to do
exactly what they want to do.
Their intent may well be to
topple the present government
in Georgia and replace it
with a friendly one.

El_Pajaro———- So what do you suggest we do. Nuke em. Send what few ships and troops we have left and show our lack of force. We have 5 carrier groups in the middle east alone right now.
Russia isnt Iraq or Iran. They dont ride around in rubber boats with 22 rifles. We are responding the only way we can right now but without the backing of the world there isnt much we can do. One step at a time. Obama 08

What is George “Armstrong Custer” Bush going to do? Absolutely nothing! Once again this President has inserted his cowboy boot into his mouth, he promised Georgia America’s support and there’s nothing we can or will do. Amazing, I don’t hear people crying for military action against Russia for the sack of democracy or because of the actions of a “dictator” killing innocence civilians. What no oil!!

John McCain want’s to fight the world. He don’t know and cable news have not driving home just how weak our army really is. Barack Obama continue to speak peace to the world and trying to save it from desturction.
Go Barack!

For the US to talk to Russia about
starting a stupid war is not worth talking
about …. But if Obama or Mcbush
want to sent US troops Into Russia
It will be known as the 100 Minute War!
The Russians must think we went to war
with Iraq by mistake, we have lost it…
as in not even going after the planners
of 9/11 were we say they are now…
The US. puts out a statement oh.. One man does not count … yea right…

Any kind of fighting is stupid. For me it’s a group of grown men acting like a bunch spoil rotten brats. Who thinks they should have there way. I will say this if we are going to have any kind of fighting I whether it be some where besides the United States. I also Thank the soldiers for there part in this. I would also like to thank the families. As for me Russia and Georgia should find a way to work this out. As for the United States stay out of it. It’s none of our business. Look at all the people who were killed from Bushes actions. He may not have pulled the trigger, but he just as well have. I believe McCain wants to go down the same path as Bush. We don’t need to be involved in another war specially since most of our soldiers is fighting in Irag. Obama is using his brain. Try to work it out. We need to stay out the situation between Russia and Georgia, unless they turn on us.

Man or mouse, it’s your choice. Maybe Obama could hold hands and have a rev. Wright prayer vigil.

Big America invade Iraq (cheers) Big Russia invades Georgia (jeers)..I am a proud American but I believe the American army is not ready to confront Russia in any War. Iraq has a few Alqueda so called soldiers and they killed 4000 plus of our well trained men..so trying to threaten Russia or even China is playing a fools game. McCain loves war so elect him so we can have some wars and destroy the American Economy. Obama seeks peace and unity…Talk and compromise wins every time compared to cowboy stance and big bad talk. Oh! how I long for peace and unity among countries of the world..but under a Republican government that will never be possible because their mindset is war,war, war..strange enough it wins elections because the typical American reasons that we should not change a gov’t in the middle of a war. The Republicans perpetuate wars to win elections. I am not a democrat..I am an Independent..that is how I view the Republican party..Its the worse of the two evils..so to speak. Vote Barack”Peace” Vote McCain “War” Its as simple as that.

The Russians have been meddling in the so called “separatist” region for years to further there designs against Georgia. It’s sad that some commenters here are falling for this image of the Russians as the great protector. In reality it’s the same Russia of old that occupied it’s neighbors and instituted a reign of terror behind the iron curtain. I was in Estonia this past summer, which got it’s independence back in 1992. Still there are 300,000 Russian interlopers remaining in that country. Brought there after Russia shipped hundreds of thousands of Estonians to misery an death in Siberian labor camps. Putin now uses those Russians to stir up trouble as desired – claiming mistreatment. And now he executes the same charade in Georgia – don’t be fooled.

Does anyone here really think McCain would talk so tough from the Oval Office? The US won’t lift a finger to help Georgia under GWB; what makes any of you think that McCain can offer anything other than rhetoric? After a decade in Chechnya, the Russian military are far from battle-shy amateurs. Grow up and remove your hands from your members!

El_Pajaro,
Thanks for the feedback and I agree 100 percent.

cp1978
“I think the moset disturbing line from both paragraphs is from McCain’s: “World history is often made in remote, obscure countries.” This rhetoric reminds me of Bush’s “axis of evil” line. Mr. McCain, similar to Mr. Bush, truly doesn’t understand the world we live in today.”
No. It shows he understands his history. That is a direct reference to Sarajevo, 1914. A remote, obscure place, and the ignition point for WWI.
War monger? McCain knows the price of war, and he knows the far greater price of appeasment. You can’t negotiate with monsters. You can only offer them two options – be sensible or face utter destruction. My father flew off to the South Pacific in 1943 and KNEW he wasn’t coming home until it was over or he was dead. What has happened to us? How dear we hold our comfort, and how cheap our freedom.

Countries with the most Nuclear Weapons
Rank Country Number of warheads
1 Russia 28,240
2 United States 12,070
3 France 510
4 China 425
5 United Kingdom 400
6 Israel uncertain
7 India uncertain
8 Pakistan uncertain
– —- —
All the tough talk by Pres bush is nothing but lip service. all talk and NO bite , the USA have NO leverage, most of the troops and resources is stuck in iraq.
Had Bush NOT GONE to iraq… then you have plenty of OPTIONS.
Then to make matters worse Bush stuck MISSLE DEFENSE SHEILD against Russia wishes in the Chech Republic; And want to throw a fit when Russia want to do the same in Cuba.. some nerve.
WE need someone in that Whitehouse to change our foreign POLICIES. the current occupant have NO CLUE.
Obama 08 , sound judgement

Steve: Bush took more vacation days than any other president in history. Furthermore, Obama has been discussing and holding conferences while on vacation. He has been campaigning 24-7 for the past year. He needed a break. Doesn’t look like he’ll get one though.

Someone close to McCain, I forgot who, said that another terrorist attack in the US would help McCain win the election. Bad choice of words, he got pushed off the bus. But it was a good point, as this crisis shows. It should remind Americans we are living in a complicated and dangerous world and we need an experienced, strong hand at the helm.

I used to support Republican candidates but now I am seeing–with Bush and McCain that these people care nothing about our future or our childrens’ futures. Of what benefit is it for us to provoke Russia further by following McCain’s prescription? What do we gain? The friendship of that very remote and obscure (and unimportant) country–that is, Georgia–that McCain refers to, I suppose. I know both these countries well and I assure you that Russia and Russians are far more like Americans (and far more civilized and worthy of our diplomatic and economic ties) than Georgia–the home of Stalin. Today’s Republicans (like many of the bloggers here) need to stop hiding their ignorance and bigotry behind a party line and start becoming more informed and secure about themselves so that some respect can be brought back to the party. Think of your own children for God’s sake!

Angie,
I will take the likes of McCain over Obama’s lack of experience, BLARING inability to speak properly and radical associations ANY DAY.
And guess what I’ve never voted republican in my life!
COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY!

We do need a steady hand at the helm. Someone with all of their senses. McCain is too old and has a temper problem that could be lethal for the U.S. We need someone steady and Obama is that person. I’m afraid with McCain we’ll launch a nuclear war. I don’t want to see Seattle wiped out.

Anna: Talk about radical associations; look at McBush. His radical right-wing affiliations are just as crazy. Or maybe the McValues McCheater who had a mistess (Cindy) should be pointed out. His warmongering needs to stop. Obama was the first to talk about a “timetable”. Now Bush wants a “time-horizen”, while McCain wants to keep us in Iraq indefinately. McCain is actually alot more warmongering now than Bush or Obama.

Hillary is at least an American; now we’re having to decipher if Obama still is a citizen of Indonesia (he was at age 20 using an Indonesian passport to go to Pakistan). McCain is unquestionably an American.

It should remind Americans we are living in a complicated and dangerous world
______________________________________
Agree , the last thing it need is some JOURNEYMAN UNEDUCATED politician like McCain… who all this time in Congress ‘ Still can’t claim anything meaningingful he has ever done.
Any new president is INEXPERIENCE; the term experience all relative , give me the one with the SMARTS and VISION.
John McCain is not educated to take the OVAL office, he thinks this is some ARMY OUTPOST.
Obama08

The talking points of Bush and McCain were identical today. Both talking trash to Russia, instead of trying to calm the situation, they continue to perpetuate a conflict.
Cowboy diplomacy at it’s finest.
McCain=Bush

Obama is weak, confused, and unpatriotic. If McCain is president, the world may fear us, but if Obama is president the world will laugh at us.

Obama sure knows how to stay calm. Unlike crazy white haired dude who almost creamed his pants today.

I wonder why you chose to insist that McCain as “war-mongery” and “aggressive” and chose to say that Obama is “diplomatic” and “statesman like”. They both said the same thing in different ways:

Barak will rule cause Edwards showed him using Pelosi and Dean to peddle junk to the Dems , Baaah baaah bayyyden sheep. good judgement Dems whoo got cegars?

Imagine if Alaska succeeded from our nation with the nudging of Russia. Then Russia started to send military equipment there. They sent them missiles, bombs, aircraft and military specialists. Not only that but now they went to Canada and persuaded them to build a missile shield. How would Americans react? How would our government respond? Well this is pretty much what we did in Georgia and Poland. I think the Russians have shown much more restraint then we would of. Russia can be our best allies or worst enemy. Under Bush they are becoming the latter.

McCain has no bone to pick with Russia nor scores to settle. Putin is a former USSR glorydays guy and has a far bigger agenda than Georgia’s minor provocations. Also McCain and was never a citizen of Panama, whereas Barry may still BE a citizen of Indonesia (we know he was as an adult at age 20).

NATO counterbalanced the militay
might of the Warsaw Pact nations.
The Soviet Union is no more. NATO
should be disbanded. It has no
reason to exist. That’s the
Russian argument.
Far from dismantling itself, NATO
has been expanding by bringing in
former republics of the USSR as
its new members.
The proposed missile defense
system to be stationed in Poland
and the Czech Republic is
ostensibly to shoot down Iranian
missiles aimed at Europe. The
Russians say Iranian missile
threat to Europe is non-existent
either now or long into the
future if ever.
They have also proposed setting
up the missile defense system in
Azerbaijan or within Russia
itself. But the intrepid and
invincible duo of Bush and McCain
have not taken into account
Russian security concerns and
have been moving full steam
ahead with their expansionist
policies.
These are the real sources of
increasing tension with Russia.

Has anybody been able to figure out why Jake thought these two paragraphs were saying anything different?

jock Barry used an Indonesian passport at age 20 to go to Pakistan, he’s ineligible to be POTUS as per Article II of the United States Constitution, he’s MOOT, let’s talk about the differences in policy between Hillary and McCain. I don’t doubt Hillary is a true American, nor McCain, though their approaches may differ. NO AMERICAN in their right mind trusts Barry the liar.

I’m afraid that McCain won’t have a chance to start a Nuke war…Bush will beat him to it. After all, Bush has the belief in Armageddon and has the power to end it all for everyone. The Muslim religion is not the only religion that has religious crazies. I think Bush will cause a Nuke war before he leaves office.

HI no, …see you can’t have an Indonesian passport unless you are a citizen of Indonesia, and Indonesia does not allow dual citizenships, and having been a citizen of another country as an adult disqualifies Barry to be POTUS. He may still BE a citizen of Indonesia.

He was a kid when he was in Indonesia. Not an adult.

He never dropped his Indonesian citizenship and used an Indonesian passport at age 20 to go to Pakistan, and there’s no evidence he ever did drop his Indonesian citizenship.

Who cares if he has duel citizenship???? Who cares, really? Plenty of Americans do too. I certainly think it’s great that Obama has real world experience with other people and cultures such as Indonesia. Better than white bread McBush.

Obama is an empty suit who’s never led any organization in his life, community organizing not included. A few years ago he was an Illinois State Legislator FCS and he’s gonna stand up to Putin? Yeah, pull my other leg and it plays Jingle Bells.

” Let me be clear….” my eyes …Obama is trying to Stay away from making a decision , the way that he is all the time , never specific on anything, always leave room for backing out or changing stances , always trying to have it all and play it safe for his political survival , Obama is actually the most cunning of the politicians out there . That was why he join the racist church in Chicago , that was why he hardly go out of his way to work on something meaningful when in congress, that was why he favored pulling out of Iraq and let millions innocent people be left to terrorists ….Russia is clearly the aggressor here and there is no room for trying to twist the truth . The aggressor needs to be told in strong language so he stops his violence , otherwise , he will muscle it on , just like Hitler …Obama has shown again what a novice he is , a boy has no business in a man’s world.

Question of the day , How do one be ALWAYS RIGHT ? Never make a decision , dance around as much as you can , appeal to both sides so you can be on both sides , Never speak about your position on anything , being in 100 different directions at the same time , that way , no matter how things turn out , no one can blame you for it ..NEVER MAKE ANY DECISION AT ALL, THAT WAY , ONE CAN NEVER BE WRONG ….Play it safe , flowery rhetorics that sound good to the ears but actually impossible to pin down …Obama , the master has shown us that , yes , one in fact can always be right ! Vote Mc Cain!

Sounds to me like McCain has just changed his position on the war against Iraq. Unless of course, he is trying to say ‘do as I say, not as I do’.

I don’t see much difference in their statements. They’re both saying we need to speak out strongly against this aggression, and persuade Russia it is in their best interests to negotiate with Georgia, and Europe should do it’s part. Neither one of them are going to go any further at this point.

We should consider seriously voting for Cain. He will definitely press the bottom and send some nukes to Russia…and Russia will answer back.
We need another war.
We need an unbalanced man taken by hatred of having lost a war himself, to be in charge of getting back at the world to show them whose leader.
We need another Bush term to make sure we get on track with as many wars as we can. We need to make sure we get more soldiers and civilians destroyed.
CAIN is not a true Christian and is not pro-life. He is pro-death.

A link to the original speeches would be helpful. Did either of them mention how stupid Georgia was in invading South Ossetia?

Obama without his script
Judging by his reaction to the Georgia-Russia crisis, Obama’s make-believe presidency isn’t ready for prime time.

“The talking points of Bush and McCain were identical today. Both talking trash to Russia, instead of trying to calm the situation, they continue to perpetuate a conflict.
Cowboy diplomacy at it’s finest.
McCain=Bush”
Thank Gawd for Obama. He reminds me of Reagan. He took the right approach and Russia ceased fired. We need this steady hand who can think clearly. Not McSame who is obviously trigger happy and hoping to use nukes as soon as he gets his grubby little hands on them.

wow – a lot of the comments here are just ridiculous. People here sure are misinformed about Obama. A lot of posts seem to be confusing crackpot opinions and outright lies with reality. So sad.

Can someone mention that fact that McCain has wanted to put Georgia on a path to NATO membership and that Randy Scheunemann was in charge of doing just that. However, when the conflict was in its initial phase, the Obama campaign blasted the McCain campaign for having Mr. Sheunemann as an employee?
Why is this awfule because Obama now wants to put Georgia on a path to NATO membership as well.
Geez, Obama, make up your mind! Do you want NATO membership for Georgia or not?

How many more super powers are left? We have outsourced everything and Russia, is just coming into money from it’s oil revenues. The U.S. is not the world police and will never be anymore. We (the U.S.) has damaged our clout on the international stage and now smaller countries are looking to China and Russia for leadership. Russia and China will always be soft on Iran, because the U.S. will keep it’s focus in the middle east while they (Russia & China) will rule in their backyards. So, I say…let Europe deal with Georgia and we will assist in a diplomatic role, if needed. I am sure Germany, France and Briton does not want a Russia going crazy. I see NO reason to use American dollars to bail out Georgia, who started the offensive.

You know no one is perfect. For from it. The biggest problem is we try to help as many countries has we can. That’s all find and good, but we need to start helping our country. We have children and grown-ups doing without food and a good place to stay. There’s people who send work to another country cause they can get labor cheaper. These are the people who is killing the United States. Because they are so money hunger. We need to start getting this country back on track and working our problems out and let the other countries work there’s out. Once we get back on track help the other counties, but not at the point that it takes away from our people. We need a president that will get us out of this hole that we’re in. We need a congress that will giving there self a raise every few days. Get oil prices down, help people find jobs, so they can pay there bills and home loans. We also need health care for everyone. The health care needs to be affordable. We need a president that won’t start a stupid war. We need some one who will be man enough to step up and work out what’s in the best interest for the people. Not for self gain. As for Russia and Georgia let them work there problems out. They don’t need Bush sticking is nose in there business and starting another war. I don’t really know which man Obama or McCain would be the best one for president.

Don’t rule out the Russians arming
the Al Qaeda, the Taliban and the
tribal militias in Afghanistan and
Pakistan fighting NATO forces.

In the end it doesn’t matter what either Obama or McCain say – the US is powerless in this matter. We can do nothing but ask Russia to comply. Russia is the superpower now, not the US – we don’t have a diplomatic foot to stand on.

This is the consequence of the Bush’s obsessive focus on terrorism. We have no power or leverage with anything else in the world.

Well it is a good thing Obama had advisors, before he asked them what he should do he was thinking the Russians invaded the State of Georgia…It is starting to look like the hard stance of Bush, McCain and the other leaders of the G7 was the right thing to do. Obama wants to reason with and use diplomacy to handle everything. He is not qualified to be President and having him in that office will put our safety and our lives and risk. He does not seem to understand you can not negotiate your way out of everything, sometimes you have to flex your muscle to diffuse the situation. How does he expect to negotiate with terrorist? They do not want to negotiate the only thing they want is us to be wiped of the map and our values of religious and personal freedoms for all MEN and WOMEN be gone…Sometimes the saying Older and Wiser is true. McCain 08!!

Honestly as sad a situation as any war is, this happens to yet again be none of our business but we are insisting that russia do this and they do that. Who are we to tell them what to do, and especially when Russia feels they were invaded, “Flex our muscles to get a resolution” is one of the worst comments on here by the way

Sure does seem like Obama talks an awful lot about “a new world order”. Every time in history when some orator speaks in such terms it never turns out good. I think he wants to be “THE” leader of not just America but the world.

To Wit, McCain clearly shows his leadership skills on this.

And BUSH Fiddled in China While Georgia Burned.
The Important Point is on Who’s Watch is this tragedy happening!

Senator McCain’s words are very powerful and legitimate. But how hollow they sounds when applied to the plight of Palastinians. These words are word only. All nations are increasingly depependent on military power. May be it is the way world work