Russia Is Now Foreign Policy Issue #1---Or Should Be

On June 16, 2001, with Vladimir Putin at his side, George Bush said of the Russian President, "I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy. "

That part of the story we know.

The part we don't know for fact, but can make an educated guess about is what Putin thought when he looked Bush in the eye. Given Putin's actions since then it was probably, "Jesus, this guy is a fucking idiot. I can put anything over on this fool."

And so he did.

U.S. relations, or lack of them, with Russia should be a hot campaign issue. I mean, is there another country in the world with a giant nuclear arsenal who has invaded a sovereign country in order to control the flow of oil? Well, besides us.

Yes, Obama made a typically nuanced statement when Russia invaded Georgia, but it didn't say a whole hell of a lot. And it certainly didn't assuage my concerns. Of course, it was vastly superior to McCain's war-mongering on behalf of his client.

Is this the first time in American history that one of an American Presidential candidate's chief advisors was in the employ of a foreign government. Is there any doubt that McCain's statements on the Russian invasion are a direct result of Randy Scheunneman's lobbying contract with Georgia? I have no doubts at all.

Clearly, McCain never met a war he didn't like, except one where he's getting shot at.

Still, when Russia goes running around invading other countries, especially ones which use to belong to it, (Georgia = Sudatenland) and threatening others nearby (Poland), I expect Obama to tell us what he's going to do. If he's going to be running the show come January 20, I'd like to know his plans for Russia.

This should be the major foreign policy question of this campaign. A few religious nuts in the mountains of Pakistan don't even come close.

Tom D'Antoni and fellow Huffingtonposter Art Levine do a talk show on Blogtalkradio live on Thursdays at 5:30pm ET. All shows are archived. Listen here.

Comments

[repearwo]

The issues surrounding the Russia - Georgia event is important, but do not make the mistake of assuming that the future will be like the past. It appears that Russia has a adopted a double pronged strategy. A club in one hand and goodies in the other. Sound familiar? They are not folowing the German model, they are following the model of us, the US. They are moving economically to control the Oil and Gas that all of Europe uses. They are aligning themselves with Oil Producing States that give them a foot hold in the Western Hemisphere.

They have not renounced Military Actrion - clearly - but hey are not going to make that the only card they hold.

Bottom line. If the US is to retain any of the power and wealth we have we muct move tothe next phase, independance of Oil and Gas, rather than try to fight for it. That is the policy issue for us, do we fight wars that no one will win, or do we move past that to compete peacefully in the Economic Areana that is just as much life and death, but less distructive and in the end maybe productive.

[Incredulous]

Still, when Americaa goes running around invading other countries, especially ones which it sold WMDs to, ("Saddam, here's some gas) and threatening others nearby (Iran), I expect McCain to tell us what he's going to do. If he's going to be running the show come January 20, I'd like to know his plans for Russia, outside of more bombs and dead American soldiers.