McCain's Reckless Response to Russia -- So Says Everybody

In response to the Russia crisis McCain was seen widely as reckless in his condemnation of Russia. Kissinger said last week that "We have to face the fact that the first shot in Georgia was fired on the Georgian side." The funny thing in McCain's Russia answer is that he demonstrated the very reckless behavior that people have accused him of. He recited his over-used "KGB" line that when he looks into Putin's soul he sees the letters K-G-B.  Clever line that completely screws us with any future relationship with Russia. Which hey, three Republican Secretaries of State (Kissinger, Powell, and Baker) say is incredibly important and not worth sacrificing for a border conflict in the Caucuses. McCain's priorities are completely off base and his over-the-top rhetoric which was on display only makes the possibility of a new Cold War all the more likely.

McCain's response to Russia -- without waiting for the facts -- blamed and condemned Russia and pledged extensive commitments to Georgia. "McCain took a remarkably -- and uniquely -- more aggressive stance, siding clearly with Georgia's pro-Western leaders and placing the blame for the conflict entirely on Russia." The Politico assessed that "while virtually every other world leader called for calm in Georgia last Thursday morning, John McCain did something he's done many times over his career in public life: He condemned Russia." [Politico, 8/10/08. Politico, 8/13/08. CBS, 8/12/08]

Henry Kissinger: Georgia shot first, should not overreact to crisis. "We have to face the fact that the first shot in Georgia was fired on the Georgian side.  Now, Russia reacted in an excessive manner, but we should not make the whole relationship depend on the pictures that - (inaudible) -- to explore the possibilities of cooperation and be very sure before w go the route of cutting off WTO and the other international measures for which cooperation with Russia may be very important." [CNAS, 9/15/08]

Colin Powell: Georgians provoked and conflict was predictable. "Now, in the current situation the Russians acted brutally.  I think they acted foolishly.  But it was also absolutely predictable what the Russians would do.  You could see them stacking up their troops.  And I think it was foolhardy on the part of President Saakashvli and the Georgian government to kick over this can, to light a match in a room full of gasoline." When asked by CNN's Frank Sesno, "So you're saying the Georgians provoked this." Secretary Powell responded, "They did.  I mean, there was a lot of reasons to have provocations in the area, but the match that started the conflagration was from the Georgian side." [CNAS, 9/15/08]

Colin Powell dismisses McCain's reckless "we are all Georgians" statement - says we have to be careful in a crisis and act businesslike, not emotional. Asked by CNN's Christiane Amanpour to explain McCain's statement that "'we are all Georgians now.'  What does that mean?" Secretary Powell responded, "One candidate said that, and I'll let the candidate explain it for himself.  (Laughter.)  No, the fact of the matter is that you have to be very careful in a situation like this not just to leap to one side or the other until you've taken a good analysis of the whole situation....So you have to treat Russia...in a straightforward, businesslike, objective way and not emotionally." [CNAS, 9/15/08]

Henry Kissinger: U.S.-Russia relationship too important to sacrifice over situation in Georgia. "We have a number of common issues that we have to settle, if possible, with Russia.  We need Russia for a solution of the Iranian problem.  We may need Russia if Pakistan evolves in some of the directions that it might.  And it is helpful to cooperate with Russia not just on the [nuclear] question, but on the issues of energy.  It's - (unintelligible) - and it's an effort that should not be decided by what happened in Georgia." [CNAS, 9/15/08]

James Baker:  U.S. should not over react; we must look to big-picture issues. "Look at it in a strategic context and not tactically...we have some big-picture issues that we need to be conscious of when we think about our future with Russia, and we ought to cooperate with them where we can, where they fit, but we ought to also be willing to confront them where our vital interests are involved. We are committed to the independence of these former republics of the former Soviet Union, and that should continue to be our position.  That doesn't mean we ought to send the 101st Airborne in to guard the South Ossetian border.  I mean, that would not make very good sense and that's night the kind of thing we ought to be speculating about." [CNAS, 9/15/08]

Related: Major Gaffe: McCain Said Pakistan Was a Failed State

Comments

[jusion]

Russia is a gangster state run by ex-KGB types. They'd tricked Georgia's naive president into an unwinnable (for Georgia) conflict. Obama's initial "Both sides have to show restraint" was a pure soft liberal response, utterly lacking in its condemnation of the true aggressor.
Russia is going to be a major problem for the next president. The approach will have to be tough and, dare I say, confrontational (Cold War-lite style). People who run Russia now only understand might. Putin would have Obama for breakfast. McCain is the man for the job.
BTW I'm Russian.

[Blaheleven]

Every Russian person I know is a staunch Republican, so it makes perfect sense to me that you would have this viewpoint. While I agree with you that Putin is an incredibly dangerous man, there is no such situation as "Cold War-lite." If we are to have a successfully tough approach to the situation (which I agree with you whole-heartedly on,) we are going to need allies. McCain's everyone-e­lse-be-dam­ned disposition and bull-headed posturing will A) not win us any allies and B) throw us into an actual Cold War. Unfortunately, McCain does not have the mental fortitude or foresight to handle such a complex situation. Impassioned posturing has its place, but that place is not the position of Commander-in-Chief.

[JPHR]

I checked your comments and somehow I very much doubt you are russian...

[shel3364]

My mom thought I was a conspiracy theorist when I said that I'd bet there's something else that went on there. I told her that I wouldn't be surprised to hear that Georgia provoked Russia.

No doubt, Russia responded with excessive force.

[cactusgal]

Is there any character in Dr. Strangelove McCain couldn't have played? God help us if he starts thinking the Russians are stealing our precious bodily fluids.

[ProudLiberalDemocrat]

I feel it's more like Manchurian Candidate.

[DMcD]

Its time for McCain to be a good "Old Soldier" and just "fade-away".

[nibblybits]

It is an absolute shame that the video of this hour-long event, which was broadcast on CNN, is not available on the CNN website. It was riveting and so informative, to have 5 of our most respected and recent Secretaries of State on one stage with Christiane Amanpour as one of the moderators.

Watching it, then watching the debate last night, I was struck at how wisely Obama answered the foreign policy questions, whereas McCain was reckless and rash. McCain also got many of the facts wrong, which I noticed some at the time (the Russia-Georgia issue, which I have followed so closely). I'm glad that today, several of McCain's statements have been factchecked to be wrong. For a so-called 'expert' who spoke with such definitive confidence, I was thinking how dangerous he actually was. He got it wrong, yet didn't doubt himself for a moment. So very reckless.

I thought at the time that in substance, the debate was a tie, with Obama finishing much stronger. But that in overall demeanor and impression, Obama won it. Now as more comes out about how wrong McCain actually got his 'facts' it's Obama who is emerging as winning on substance. I think this might be the final nail in McCain presidential hopes.

[Bitsko]

I seem to recall that even with all the insanity that went on during the cold war, president Nixon managed to meet face to face with both Breshnev and Mao, our great enemies of the time. Senator McCain needs an in-depth history lesson.

[DMcD]

Quite true; In addition, I wish Obama had been more savvy on this issue as well. From what I've seen in the international press, "Georgia started it" by invading Ossetia and Russia responded because most Ossetians consider themselves Russian --- we should just 'butt-out' and not go backwards , into the Cold War, again --- the Presidential thing to do.

[Peteyman]

My woods teacher put it best.

"What kind of idiot fires on a nation that wants to join with Russia, knowing Russia would retalliate? What do they want to do, poke Putin in the eye?"

[Liberal2]

While the "wrongs" of the Georgian/Russia miniwar are hard to define, legalistically isn't whether the citizens of the two provinces in question consider themselves "Russian" (or any other ethnicity, including Martian), it is whether Russia and Georgia both thought Abkhazia and South Ossetia were part of Georgia or Russia three seconds before anyone fired a shot. As far as I can tell even Russia acknowledged these provinces were part of Georgia. I suspect Putin actually enjoyed proving the US was powerless to defend Georgia's territorial integrity. This isn't to argue whether the US should or shouldn't do so.

If Russia is so concerned about those poor wannabe Russians, let Russia allow them to settle in Russia.

[MYQUEEN7]

It is abundantly clear that either of these former Secretary of State dignitaries would gladly serve with pride and honor in an Obama Administration. Their vision, direction, and hope for a safer tomorrow at home and abroad is in direct line with the message of a President Obama.

[kathy001]

Russia could be a serious threat to the U.S. Russia knows it and most intelligent people in the U.S. know it. McCain is a complete fool for blustering like he did in the debates and if he is elected President he will have already created big problems with Russia. We can't even afford to fund enough troops to cover Iraq and Afghanistan. How is the world does McCain think we can muster up more troops to cover Russia? Sure, we can draft all the troops we want. But we don't have the money to even outfit them and we sure don't have the money to fund another war. The man is a complete fool.

[thirteen13]

Communist China and Russia have more dollars than the USA has. Russia is energy independent.

The USA is debt ridden and controlled by fear mongers and war profiteers.

[jingles32]

I'm wondering now then, after Bar*ack's more than solid performance last night, proving beyond a doubt that he has the temperament and judgement and command of the issues to be CIC, if Co*in Pow*ell will finally endorse him. He didn't rule out endorsing either one; he merely stated that he wanted to hear more from them. Between McC's erratic behavior over the past 2 weeks re: the financial crisis; his less than presidential, "angry" performance last night at the debate, this should be any easy one, Gen. Pow*ell!

[simkmer]

How can McCain call himself a Maverick? He's a plane crasher! How can he call Palin a Maverick?
How can he talk about transparen­cy....When everything that happens on his plane is off the record. Palin is kept away from reporters, media is not let in while she meets with heads of State.
How can he blame government spending for the crash on wall street? This man is determined to crash again. I hope America is not with him!!

Obama/Biden 08

[BarackMarley]

McCain is 20 years behind. He's still fighting the cold war. He called Bin Laden's mujahadeen 'Freedom Fighters' for driving the russians out..

Read about it here
http://newsone.com/elections/article/mccain-called-bin-laden-a-freedom-fighters

[BethStuart]

I also have grave concerns that McCain's foreign policy "expertise" in this area was fed to him by Randy Scheunemann, McCain's foreign policy advisor. Scheunemann was a paid lobbyist for Georgia for years. Not suprisingly, he pushes Georgia's interests.

Scheuneman was also the organizer for the Committee for the Liberation of Iraq in 2002. One of the committee members was none other than John McCain. I don't know how much Scheunemann was paid for that. Here is the link:

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/06/17/randy_scheunemann_mccain_advis.html

[pcplz]

If you connect the dots here......

Scheunemann handling McCain's failing campaign.....

the idea that if a war or conflict happens, McCain's numbers go up......

.Georgia fires first shot...........

McCain immediately responds as if he were already president with the ridiculous statement that "We are all Georgians" even before our own potus responded.

Cinderblock being sent over immediately to assess the situation.....

Cheney....­.?????????

Loads of dots there.

[BethStuart]

I don't think you have to connect very many dots.

[lincheryl]

I thought the same thing at the time. Still do.

[Shadow08]

McCain's Reckless response to everything disquaifies him as presidential material.

[Shadow08]

Antagonism is fast becoming a republican characteristic. They try to bait countries into conflicts. We have had enough of the "bring 'em on" nonsense.

In watching this campaign like a hawk, I have yet to see John, Sarah or their surrogates mention diplomacy.

The republicans are "The W A R Party." And, in a nuclear world, that is not, NOT a good thing.

I know the republican cronies use war as a way of making huge obscene profits, but do they ever consider the "Sanctity Of Life" other than a zygote?

[thirteen13]

The USA populace must love war and financial colapse because they keep voting in Republicans.

[NuOrigin]

Although it would have been unpopular, I wish Obama would have called McCain on his "we are all georgians" comment. That basically means that he is ready to go to war with Russia, not to mention Iran, and umm Spain.