Irony

Actually it highlights a great point and explains a lot as to why Putin is not paying as much attentiong to Bush and Condi Rice as they would like him to.

The casitgation of Russia came from the man who kicked off the New American Century by invading a sovereign state half way across the world and then wonders why appeals to Putins better nature do not get well understood.

Condi Rice? Who, what nation, anywhere in the world over the last 8 years has taken anything she says seriously?

...sigh...

Pres. McCain?
{shudder}

Pres. Obama?
{double shudder}

This next 4 years is going to be interesting, either way.

Wait a minute. Mac just didn't complete the sentence. We don't invade other countries without "exhausting all diplomatic options, securing a UN mandate, telling the Security Council what you're doing, and briefing the world on your intel.' Then, you don't decide to "regime change" a democratically elected president.

Jordan's right- and to add to it, McCain was probably thinking in the terms of the "Democratic Peace Theory" (which I also proscribe to) anyways.

And to add to Jordan's comments, Saddam's Iraq invaded 2 countries (3 if you count the Kurds), gassed tens of thousands of its own people, was a bloody police state, had no intentions of ever following the 1991 armistice accords, and with Oil-For-Food, was on the path to bribing its way back towards its 1991 war footing. And uh, Iraq also had varying levels of ties to a myriad of terror groups, including Al Quaeda.

Jason,
I've been to Iraq. A few times. I know quite a bit about Saddam Hussein's regime and its excesses. I supported the decision to invade, and still do. Sen McCain was sloppy with his rhetoric, and I saw a chance for some snark. Relax.

Whether Georgia has a democratically elected government is immaterial, if that government acts stupidly. The issue with Georgia is not about what is best for the Georgians-but what is best for the Americans.

And that is what the discussion is all about. If we really support NATO membership for Ukraine and Georgia, then revive LANDCENT or whatever the name was and put about 300,000 US troops in both countries as well as in the Latvia's. Make the NATO alliance about defending against Russia again. If you want to guarantee security of nations that are rightfully in the Russian sphere of influence, then you need a credible deterrent.

Basically its upping the ante against Putin. Because he does not have the chips to meet that ante.

Otherwise take your chips and go home.

Either way it has nothing to do with Iraq-which no matter how good it is that Saddam is gone, our continued presence there does nothing good for the United States. Our job there was done a long time ago. Take the cue from the "democratically" elected government of Arabs and leave. Give them what they are asking for, if we really care about national sovereignty. Foreign policy should be about narrow self interest.

" A iron curtain has descended across Europe", W. Churchhill.
Aint it an irony how history is repeating itself. Except this time the curtain is further east than before.