Posted on 08/12/2008 9:36:13 AM PDT by McGruff
PRESIDENT Bush's assurance back in 2001 that he looked into Vladimir Putin's soul and liked what he saw was the international equivalent of his "heckuva job" boosterism of Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown in the immediate wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Bush's endorsement of Putin was partly a matter of calculation; when he says glowing things about foreign leaders in public, he tells those leaders in private how he expects them to deliver. But with Putin, Bush seemed to be playing Ned Flanders to the Russian's Tony Soprano.
John McCain's assessment stands up much better: He said that, looking at Putin, he "saw three letters: a K, a G and a B."
Putin's neo-Soviet state has launched a nakedly illegal invasion of neighboring Georgia. The Russian press is pumping out absurd lies about Georgian acts of genocide, even as the Russian military indiscriminately bombs and shells Georgian cities.
The Bush administration made twin mistakes with Russia. It overpersonalized relations, with Bush hoping to coax out Putin's better side, and tiptoed around Moscow in the hopes that gentle treatment would encourage it to act responsibly. The irony is that Barack Obama - with his commitment to personal diplomacy and a gentler US footprint around the world - wants to make those two tendencies centerpieces of his foreign policy.
The Bush and Obama statements in the immediate wake of the crisis could have been issued by a joint campaign:
* Bush's spokeswoman urged "all parties," both Georgians and Russians, "to de-escalate the tension and avoid conflict."
* Obama declared that "now is the time for Georgia and Russia to show restraint."
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
If this has been posted before I'll have it removed.
One of the unintended consequences of your actions Putin is that you may be dealing with a President McCain thanks to your little Olympics Surprise.
Lowry assault on Bush was unfair.
I’ve heard another explanation as to what is going on. It is said that Russia has been dealing with Georgia for quite some time now. The Georgia President started shelling Russian troops and Russia is now responding. Some say Russia over reacted with too much force. If this is true, I don’t blame Russia. They just responded the way we SHOULD respond when someone attacks us...........but don’t. Russia has said you don’t mess with a 800 pound gurilla.
I'm glad I wasn't the only one who saw the Irony of the Chinese adopting this theme. Putin is telling them just whose dream counts!!
Putin’s neo-Soviet state has launched a nakedly illegal invasion of neighboring Georgia. The Russian press is pumping out absurd lies about Georgian acts of genocide, even as the Russian military indiscriminately bombs and shells Georgian cities.
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No problem. With Obama as president, he will talk Putin out of being a hardline, old KGB communist dictator who rules with absolute power. Piece of cake.
I have been receiving McCain letters daily ( sometimes 2 or 3 a day) and have just been throwing them away; but that response got me to actually donate something.
Anyone who thinks that Obama is suitable for commander in chief is insane. McCain is right and we need a President like him that isn’t afraid to call a spade a spade! President Bush while admirable in his steadfastness on the War on Terror has failed to stand even by his own articulated policy. North Korea has exploded Nuclear bombs, Iran is well on its way to doing the same, and Russia has invaded a friend and free nation. If we can not intervene in countries that love America and support our efforts with thousands of their soldiers then how can we expect any trust in the world at all?
The world remains a dangerous place. Anyone with half a brain is not surprised by the medieval actions of Rutin-Tutin-Putin, Mister KGB himself.
The grab bag is open.
I’m still pitching them into the `round file’. Heard on the news last night the GOP is going into the convention owing 10 million.
**(MCCAIN THE ONLY GROWNUP ON GEORGIA)**
Agree, although I think the President took a strong stand too.
Not at all. Bush looks like a scared kid compared to Putin. He once was a Commander in Chief. The Democrats and liberals have effectively cut his balls off. That is what has been on display with North Korea, with Iran, and now with Russia.
Maybe, but his assessment on McCain on foreign policy matters is very enlightening. As much as McCain ticks me off domestically, he was the best choice on security and international relations. I wonder if he can whip the State Department into shape like Reagan did.
McCain was spot on about this, Obama looks like the naif that he actually is.
Do you think we should go to war with Russsia over Georgia? What should Bush do?
But it's not just about Obama's age and/or lack of experience. It's about the strong communist influence on who and what he is. We should thank our stars that someone like him is "inexperienced". Let's just hope that it stays that way!
Sounds like something straight from Air America. I heard that argument on Keith Obermann. You are naive. Russia set this in action. The KGB is alive and well. And the Russians attacked Georgian troops first not the other way around.
Stalin took FDR and Truman to the cleaners and the rest is history.
Vladimir Putin is KGB. Bush was a fool to trust this commie. Putin was counting on Bush and the west doing nothing.
(The President was complimenting each official, one by one, at the opening of that Katrina presser, when he got to the FEMA guy, he simple did the same.)
Him and the rest of the Libs. Have you heard any of our "peace-loving" Liberal friends protesting Russia's action?
It should have become obvious to everybody a long, long time ago that, as Rush pointed out, these people are not anti-war, they are simply anti-American.
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