Russia Invades Georgia

[Trinity alum]

:lol: Obama initially condemned the outbreak of violence and urged Georgia to show restraint. McCain immediately condemned Russia's naked aggression. Not a dime's worth of difference?

 

Obama is as clueless on foreign policy as he is on energy and economic matters. He is a follower and in this case, he followed McCain's lead.

 

Um, maybe you want to read Obama's initial statement again, as well as McCain's. Obama urged BOTH sides to show restraint. I stand by what I said. You're stretching. I get it that you don't like Obama's politics, but I have to wonder, did he do something to you personaly? You're unreasoning hatred seems all out of proportion.

[Birdsfan]

:lol: Obama initially condemned the outbreak of violence and urged Georgia to show restraint. McCain immediately condemned Russia's naked aggression. Not a dime's worth of difference?

 

Obama is as clueless on foreign policy as he is on energy and economic matters. He is a follower and in this case, he followed McCain's lead.

This is the kind of thing that scares me the most about Obama and, I think, draws a clear distinction between the two candidates.

[AcesFull]

Um, maybe you want to read Obama's initial statement again, as well as McCain's. Obama urged BOTH sides to show restraint. I stand by what I said. You're stretching. I get it that you don't like Obama's politics, but I have to wonder, did he do something to you personaly? You're unreasoning hatred seems all out of proportion.

Obama's statement is there for all to read. When a US-friendly is the victim of aggression, it is customary to condemn the aggressor. Obama chose instead to condemn the outbreak of violence without assessing blame and, as you say, calling for restraint on both sides.

 

How much restraint should a country being invaded show in defending its sovereignty and the lives of its citizens?

 

Obama's later statement is what his initial statement should have been. McCain had it right the first time and it took Obama two attempts. Advantage McCain.

[Trinity alum]

This is the kind of thing that scares me the most about Obama and, I think, draws a clear distinction between the two candidates.

 

You can relax now Birdsfan. Aces got it wrong. It isn't what Obama said. It also isn't what McCain said. Go back and read the statements from BOTH Senators. Aces either read both statements too quickly to comprehend what they said or he was trying deliberately to mischaracterize them.

[AcesFull]

This is the kind of thing that scares me the most about Obama and, I think, draws a clear distinction between the two candidates.

:thumb: Exactly, BF. Obama takes no stand or a noncommital stand before taking time to fully assess the political ramifications.

 

The same flaw is evident when Obama is untethered from his teleprompter and answering questions. Instead of being the smooth talker reading a speech, he is transformed into a stuttering, bumbling politician trying to be all things to all people by answering only in the most vague terms possible.

[AcesFull]

You can relax now Birdsfan. Aces got it wrong. It isn't what Obama said. It also isn't what McCain said. Go back and read the statements from BOTH Senators. Aces either read both statements too quickly to comprehend what they said or he was trying deliberately to mischaracterize them.

I did neither and I encourage everybody to read both Senators' initial statements and decide for themselves which was the most appropriate response. Apparently, Obama's staff agrees with me, because the following day, Obama used much harsher language and placed the blame squarely on Russia.

[Birdsfan]

You can relax now Birdsfan. Aces got it wrong. It isn't what Obama said. It also isn't what McCain said. Go back and read the statements from BOTH Senators. Aces either read both statements too quickly to comprehend what they said or he was trying deliberately to mischaracterize them.

Obama's initial statement was a rather trite and "boilerplate diplomacy" type of response. McCain's showed a greater depth of understanding of the situation, the parties involved, and our position on the conflict.

 

Obama has had a history of this kind of thing. He simply isn't ready to lead the country in international affairs.

[Run To State]

You can relax now Birdsfan. Aces got it wrong. It isn't what Obama said. It also isn't what McCain said. Go back and read the statements from BOTH Senators. Aces either read both statements too quickly to comprehend what they said or he was trying deliberately to mischaracterize them.

Nice try but Aces was right on the money as was Birdsfan, Obama looks foolish when he starts talking foreign affairs.

[Trinity alum]

Nice try but Aces was right on the money as was Birdsfan, Obama looks foolish when he starts talking foreign affairs.

 

Sorry guys, but the only way you are going to have a problem with Obama's statement is if you read the name on it first and decided you were going to have problem with it. I have no problems with McCains statement, but if I wanted to pick nits I could point out McCains suggestion to "assess Georgia's security and review measures NATO can take to contribute to stabilizing this very dangerous situation." I hope President McCain wouldn't take us to war over Georgia - at least not the one without Atlanta.

[letabrotherspeak]

Which of the two statements is appeasing Russian imperialism?

[leatherneck]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/georgia_south_ossetia

 

I have been following this story since it broke about a day ago. Apparently Russia just upped and invaded Georgia....

 

From what I've read, Georgia had been kicking sand in Putin's face (against strong US and Western Europe advise) for some time and Russia had been planning for some time to respond militarily. Provoking Putin at a time when he, in my opinion, has been looking for the opportunity to reassert Russia's military might and return as a super power was not a smart thing to do and it evidently provoked the current Russian response.

 

I heard on the news this morning that Russia has stopped its advance. Not sure if that is because of diplomatic threats from the West or Putin thinks he has gotten his message across. While Georgian President Saakashvili is supposedly a smart guy, his missteps in provoking Putin make me wonder. With the US focusing on Iraq and Afghanistan and Bush being pretty much a lame duck President, he should have known that our ability to protect Georgia, as pro Western as he may be, would be very limited. It sure would be a good time for some of the other Western "powers" to show some spine.

[AcesFull]

Bush should have been home to deal with this situation. He should have at least cut his Olympic vacation short and delivered a message like McCain's to Putin.

 

McCain saw this coming in 1999.

 

[AcesFull]

Does anybody else think that the UN Security resolution demanded by Obama foreign policy guru Bill Richardson is a long shot? It is difficult to envision Russia voting in favor of a resolution condemning Russia. Brilliant idea, though, if it works! :lol:

[cch5432]

Bush should have been home to deal with this situation. He should have at least cut his Olympic vacation short and delivered a message like McCain's to Putin.

 

McCain saw this coming in 1999.

 

Interesting.

 

One thing that I disappoint myself on is that I have had the "Obama effect" in that I can't help but criticize McCain's oration skills. I had to listen to it twice to hear what he was actually saying (which was brilliant). The more I think about it, Obama's ability to speak in public is the ultimate quality after Bush, and may be part of the reason that America is hooked on him.

[AcesFull]

Interesting.

 

One thing that I disappoint myself on is that I have had the "Obama effect" in that I can't help but criticize McCain's oration skills. I had to listen to it twice to hear what he was actually saying (which was brilliant). The more I think about it, Obama's ability to speak in public is the ultimate quality after Bush, and may be part of the reason that America is hooked on him.

Obama definitely has a big edge when planted in front of a teleprompter but McCain does pretty well in an interview setting. I get the sense that America is becoming less hooked on Obama every day and the more often McCain can get him to talk off script, the better McCain's chances.