STATEMENT BY JOHN MCCAIN ON RUSSIA'S AGGRESSION IN GEORGIA For Immediate Release Contact: Press Office Friday, August 8, 2008 703-650-5550
ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain issued the following statement regarding the current conflict between Georgia and Russia:
"Today, news reports indicate that Russian military forces crossed an internationally-recognized border into the sovereign territory of Georgia. Russia should immediately and unconditionally cease its military operations and withdraw all forces from sovereign Georgian territory. What is most critical now is to avoid further confrontation between Russian and Georgian military forces. The consequences for Euro-Atlantic stability and security are grave.
"The government of Georgia has called for a cease-fire and for a resumption of direct talks on South Ossetia with international mediators. The U.S. should immediately convene an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council to call on Russia to reverse course. The U.S. should immediately work with the EU and the OSCE to put diplomatic pressure on Russia to reverse this perilous course it has chosen. We should immediately call a meeting of the North Atlantic Council to assess Georgia's security and review measures NATO can take to contribute to stabilizing this very dangerous situation. Finally, the international community needs to establish a truly independent and neutral peacekeeping force in South Ossetia."
For reference, Obamaites
Dave_in_Fla August 8th, 2008 at 12:23 p.m. CDT (link)
This is what foreign policy experience looks like. It isn't vapid speeches about phantom walls and "the moment we have been waiting for".
Real aggressors in the real world aren't waiting for moments, they are waiting for weakness.
"If they were merely incompetent, then at least SOME of their actions would have been to the benefit of the country."
Real Foreign Policy Experience
Kelly Browning August 8th, 2008 at 12:58 p.m. CDT (link)
As this world gets more dangerous, now is not the time to elect a newbie. We may not all be crazy about McCain, but he at least has vast experience in foreign policy and he will use it. McCain isn't out there giving empty speeches about hope and change and having people pass the kool-aide. A certain amount of ego is necessary in a leader, but Obama's ego won't let him make a definitive decision about any issue. He just wants to be Robin Hood and take from the wealthy and give to the poor so that they can remain on the government teat for their entire lives.
Jonathan Alter and "Newsweak" - The Offical Water Carriers for the Campaign of Barack H. Obama.
Bush is still President
Olsonist August 8th, 2008 at 1 p.m. CDT (link)
and Putin decides to do this when Bush is watching the Olympics. You can parse phrases by Senators McCain and Obama, but you need to look inward.
we parse the words of Obama and McCain because they are running for POTUS....
Aaron Gardner August 8th, 2008 at 1:12 p.m. CDT (link)
as far as President Bush, I am sure that he is doing what he needs to be doing.
"Land of the Free and Home of da Whopper" Peter Griffin...Family Guy
conform and celebrate diversity....or else!!!
Steel-Belted Radial Right Winger
"I'll create 5 million jobs from out of unicorn farts and pixie dust" Justatron paraphrasing Obamessiah...yes I love it that much.
Good because
Olsonist August 8th, 2008 at 1:32 p.m. CDT (link)
Senator McCain is addressing Bush.
McCain
"The U.S. should immediately convene an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council to call on Russia to reverse course."
Obama's response
Brandon August 8th, 2008 at 12:30 p.m. CDT (link)
“I strongly condemn the outbreak of violence in Georgia, and urge an immediate end to armed conflict," he said.
"Now is the time for Georgia and Russia to show restraint, and to avoid an escalation to full scale war. Georgia’s territorial integrity must be respected. All sides should enter into direct talks on behalf of stability in Georgia, and the United States, the United Nations Security Council, and the international community should fully support a peaceful resolution to this crisis.”
Note the contrast between his response and McCain's. Obama condemns the violence, rather then the aggressor Russia, who crossing borders with OUR ALLY.
McCain tells it like it is, tells Russia to knock it off and leave Georgia.
Actually, that looks like it was from two weeks ago.
Moe Lane August 8th, 2008 at 12:35 p.m. CDT (link)
As I rather embarrassingly discovered earlier today. :)
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC.I've been usurped!the quote?
Brandon August 8th, 2008 at 12:41 p.m. CDT (link)
CNN is running it like it was made today.
See here.
So they did, so they did.
Moe Lane August 8th, 2008 at 1:03 p.m. CDT (link)
My mistake.
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC.I've been usurped!Sounds like Obama is responding to a riot after a soccer game
Joe_Schmo August 8th, 2008 at 1:35 p.m. CDT (link)
With that lame statement.
Joe Schmo's blog
Yep...you could have ended at the titles....
Jaded August 8th, 2008 at 12:36 p.m. CDT (link)
one is serious and strong and one is wishy washy and weak.
Whoever has his enemy at his mercy & does not destroy him is his own enemy
McCain should issue a statement
Brandon August 8th, 2008 at 12:36 p.m. CDT (link)
Saying "I regret that my opponent, who I believe is vacationing in Hawaii, has refused to condemn this dangerous and aggressive act by Russia."
Sherman's March.....
Gary Cook August 8th, 2008 at 12:44 p.m. CDT (link)
When Obama gets the news that Russia invaded Georgia...
....maybe he will call for the immediate evacuation of Atlanta.
Ya think?
What Georgia needs right now is a homegrown Man of Steel (nt)
Neil Stevens August 8th, 2008 at 12:55 p.m. CDT (link)
HTML Help for Red Staters
Nobody can claim a "free speech" right to suck the fun out of our lives. Certainly not on a private board. – Steve Jackson
Jimmy Carter???
Next93 August 8th, 2008 at 1:26 p.m. CDT (link)
Georgia's homegrown man of steel...Jimmy Carter????
I can just see him advising W to punsh the Russians by pulling the US out of the Olympics. THAT will show 'em!!
And if that doesn't work, he can try locking himself in the White House.
Yeop, sure am looking forward to Carter's second term.
"You can't save the Earth unless you're willing to make other people sacrifice" - Scott Adams (speaking through Dogbert)
I guess this Stalin reference was too obscure (nt)
Neil Stevens August 9th, 2008 at 9:18 a.m. CDT (link)
HTML Help for Red Staters
Nobody can claim a "free speech" right to suck the fun out of our lives. Certainly not on a private board. – Steve Jackson
Hey, I got it. *N/T*
JKH1232 August 9th, 2008 at 9:25 a.m. CDT (link)
nt
Great, then it wasn't a waste (nt)
Neil Stevens August 9th, 2008 at 10:07 a.m. CDT (link)
HTML Help for Red Staters
Nobody can claim a "free speech" right to suck the fun out of our lives. Certainly not on a private board. – Steve Jackson
And, he'll ...
Joe_Schmo August 8th, 2008 at 1 p.m. CDT (link)
...blame George W. Bush for letting Russian anywhere near the continental United States.
Of course they'll be obliged to throw in one of those "asleep at the wheel" comments...
This will be followed by an advisor that spins the globe and says "no, not that Georgia, this one".
Joe Schmo's blog
This is funny but probably true.
nina584 August 8th, 2008 at 1:53 p.m. CDT (link)
Isn't he the one in charge of a committee in foreign relationships that has never had a meeting or travel?
However
pennington August 8th, 2008 at 3:48 p.m. CDT (link)
It should be food for thought that South Ossetia has declared its independence for quite awhile and that it has enjoyed a kind of autonomous status since the early 1990's. Georgia attacked South Ossetia. The popular will of the South Ossetians, the vast majority of whom are ethnic Ossetians, with a Georgian minority, clearly is on the side of independence.
I actually don't see any good guys in this scenario. I like McCain's statement because it a)calls on Russia to withdraw, which is only reasonable since it did cross "internationally recognized borders" and b)neutral peacekeepers are put in place. Russian has the leverage to insist that these things are done simultaneously since it has a veto.
We're not going to come to terms with Russia until we come to a pragmatic understanding of their perceived security interests. I personally like Huntington's idea from the Clash of Civilizations that we recognize regional hegemons. Then we could avoid this type of situation.
They had a vote. So what?
Neil Stevens August 8th, 2008 at 9:32 p.m. CDT (link)
Since when does popular will make something right?
And why should we believe it was legitimate? Doesn't the Russian Army have troops all over where the vote was taken?
HTML Help for Red Staters
Nobody can claim a "free speech" right to suck the fun out of our lives. Certainly not on a private board. – Steve Jackson
Pretty sure San Francisco would vote for independence too (n/t)
Dave_in_Fla August 8th, 2008 at 9:50 p.m. CDT (link)
n/t
"If they were merely incompetent, then at least SOME of their actions would have been to the benefit of the country."
And I'd give it to them (nt)
Neil Stevens August 8th, 2008 at 10:21 p.m. CDT (link)
HTML Help for Red Staters
Nobody can claim a "free speech" right to suck the fun out of our lives. Certainly not on a private board. – Steve Jackson
So far...
CJB68 August 8th, 2008 at 7:19 p.m. CDT (link)
It looks like we're only seeing the opening salvos of a fresh outbreak in ongoing ethnic conflicts in the former USSR's territories. There was a war fought back in 1992 in which the Georgians were involved, as I read elsewhere. Apparently, the big fish is biting the smaller fish which has been chasing after a smaller one for some time now.
It doesn't excuse what the Russians are apparently doing (bombing towns, military bases and ports within Georgia's borders), but it does give one some perspective. What is also does is show that Putin's Russia (and everyone else involved, it seems) is actually fighting a war and not playing "policeman" and taking a weekend walk through the neighborhood. They're killing people and breaking things, as Rush Limbaugh would be putting it.
It remains to be seen exactly what would come of this. One thing that concerns me is that Georgia has been counted as a US ally in the post-Soviet era. What if this conflict with the Ossetians is being used by Putin and his chosen successor as casus belli for taking out a potential supporter for us should we be forced into armed conflict with Iran? And, being a neighbor of Georgia, what would the Turks be doing?
Delusional and Arrogant. The 2008 Democratic Presidential Ticket.