Your Lying Eyes

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12 September 2008

Was I Too Harsh?

I was most horrified by her unhesitantly calling for Georgia's inclusion in NATO and agreement that it could mean war with Russia. Now I knew that this insanity came from McCain but felt she inartly pushed that matter unnecessarily. But I'm ashamed to admit I did not know to what extent this is the consensus view within the U.S. Government. NYT chief military correspondent Michael R. Gordon lays it out:
Ms. Palin reiterated a view long-held by Senators Obama, Biden, McCain and Clinton. They all voted in April for a Senate resolution calling for Georgia and Ukraine’s admission in NATO, a popular stance with Americans of Eastern European background and perhaps a geopolitically wise step as well. Senators Biden and McCain co-sponsored the resolution and Mr. Obama put out a press release at the time hailing its passage. After Russia intervened in Georgia in August, Mr. Obama reaffirmed his support for Georgia’s bid to join NATO in a statement issued from Hawaii. (Just as Senators McCain, Obama and Biden also supported Kosovo independence.)

Article V of the NATO treaty stipulates that an attack against one should be considered an attack against all. So in that sense, Georgia and Ukraine’s admission into NATO would make it possible that the United States would come to their defense in the event of a Russian attack, which is why some NATO members have been less enthusiastic about extending membership to these nations. Ms. Palin’s comments on this simply reaffirmed the obvious. No news here, though she spoke more bluntly than others might have.
So maybe my grade is too harsh. I might therefore consider it a C, and suppose be thankful that at least one candidate has given an honest answer as to what this insane policy actually means. Has Obama ever been asked about this? A bit of googling turns up nothing

13 Comments:

Blogger Michael Carr - Veritas Literary said...

Maybe she thought he was asking about the other Georgia. I mean, of course we have to keep the Russians out of Atlanta.

September 12, 2008 9:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

good one kingm...

September 13, 2008 10:15 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ziel, please check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NGXlsqPL2A

I said it first...

September 13, 2008 10:28 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why is it that important who attends funerals of foreign leaders for the next 4 years?

September 13, 2008 4:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Gee thanks, Jimbo, that was really helpful.

Good grief.

September 13, 2008 10:58 PM  
Blogger ziel said...

I think Jimbo's link was in reference to an earlier comment he had made that Palin reminded him of that South Carolina beauty contestant's notoriously rambling response to a question - and just wanted to mention that he thought of it before that YouTube prank video was made.

September 14, 2008 12:35 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for the clarification there Ziel... And, I did write "Ziel, please check this out:" not "Hey guys, check it out!"... So f..k off "anonymous." Good grief... are you still reading Charlie Brown?

September 14, 2008 6:37 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Another good one from my man Frank Rich at the NYT today... I think he cuts right to the heart of the whole Palin phenom... Basically, the guys who have been running the Bush show for the last 8 years have new legs (nicer ones at that) in Palin... McCain is just there to open the door and then drop dead ASAP... No coincidence that she invokes Truman...

September 14, 2008 6:41 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think it important that people at least choose a pseudonym when they post so we can tell the difference between various anonymous posters.

As for Clinton and Obama and others also favoring NATO membership for Georgia: I only which more people realized that both political parties are a disaster on foreign policy. Whether it is on Israel or the Caucasus they do not represent the interests of sane Americans.

September 14, 2008 7:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good grief, my humble apologies, Jimbo. However, might you admit that your post was in the "inside joke" mold?

No intent to offend.

September 14, 2008 10:44 PM  
Blogger Black Sea said...

It might be interesting to ask all the candidates (presidential and vice presidential) to explain the role of the European alliance system in the outbreak and expansion of WWI. How many of them, do you think, could answer that question in any depth? If you presented the question to our current president, do you think he would even know what you were talking about?

September 15, 2008 12:34 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

anonymous, no offense taken!! Best regards....

September 15, 2008 10:38 AM  
Blogger gcochran said...

Check out NATO MAPS (membership action plans). They require unanimous consent, they can take forever, and actual admission also takes unanimous consent. My reading is the Bush administration is not interested in quickly admitting Georgia to NATO, nor is Obama.
McCain? Maybe. He's the fool who has a Georgian lobbyist as his chief foreign policy adviser. Palin? Like it matters, but of course she's clueless. She's never shown the slightest interest in national or international affairs, nor has she bothered to learn jack about them. If it were up to me, she wouldn't even be allowed to vote.

September 16, 2008 11:26 AM  

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