McCain’s policy on Russia gets slightly less coherent (yes, that’s possible)
In March, in his first major address on foreign policy, John McCain stated his intention to kick Russia out of the G-8. In rather belligerent tones, reminiscent of the Cold War, McCain blasted Russia and suggested the country is no longer a democracy.
The policy always seemed like a very bad idea, and the foreign policy establishment couldn’t imagine what on earth McCain was talking about. What’s more, it wasn’t just an unscripted response at a town-hall meeting; this was McCain reading from a prepared text in a high-profile speech.
In June, the McCain campaign said the senator no longer believes what he said. A McCain adviser told McClatchy that the candidate’s policy on Russia and the G-8 as “a holdover from an earlier period,” adding, “It doesn’t reflect where he is right now.”
Yesterday, on “This Week,” George Stephanopoulos, to his credit, asked where McCain is on the subject today.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Let me ask you about your position to exclude Russia from the G-8. How are you going to get that done? Every other G-8 nation is against it.
MCCAIN: Well, you have to take positions whether other nations agree or not, because you have to do what’s best for America…. In the last week or so, look at Russia’s actions. They cut back on their oil supplies to the Czechs, because the Czechs made an agreement with us. They have now thrown out the — or forced out — BP out of Russia. And by the way, I — a lot of us thought that might happen. They continue to put enormous pressures on Georgia in many ways. They’re putting pressure on Ukraine. They are blocking action in the United Nations Security Council on Iran. And so…
STEPHANOPOULOS: But how is kicking out of the G-8 going to make that better? We need them … to help secure nuclear weapons. We need them to help contain Iran. To kick them out is going to make it harder, isn’t it?
MCCAIN: We need to improve their behavior.
Asked specifically how McCain, as a practical matter, could exclude Russia from the G8 when every other country in the G8 is against the idea, McCain started spouting obvious nonsense.
MCCAIN: I will stand up for what I think is the best for the United States of America and the world, the way that Ronald Reagan went to Berlin and said, “Tear down this wall.”
And they said, “Oh, he’s a cowboy. He’s going to make relations worse. He shouldn’t say that.”
And yet, we wanted the Wall down. We want better Russian behavior internationally. And we have every right to expect it.
None of this makes any sense at all. McCain sounds like a college freshman, trying to b.s. his way through Foreign Policy 101 — and he’s failing.
This isn’t especially complicated. McCain was asked how, exactly, he’d kick Russia out of the G8. He pointed to Reagan’s “Tear down this wall” speech. What does the latter have to do with the prior? Nothing. It’s policy gibberish.
Given how the G8 works — through consensus — Russia would have to approve its own removal. A senior Bush administration official recently conceded, “It’s not even a theoretical discussion. It’s an impossible discussion.” The official described McCain’s idea as “just a dumb thing.”
But practicality aside, there’s the more important issue of what makes McCain think this is a good policy.
Aside from that, many wonder whether McCain’s suggestion would be wise policy. They fear that if McCain is elected and follows through on an attempt to toss Russia from the group, it could anger and isolate Russia, which has been increasingly assertive on the world stage, autocratic within its borders and is the second-largest producer of the hydrocarbons that feed the world’s energy needs.
“In Europe, there’s very little support … for a policy like that,” said Stephen Larrabee, an expert on Europe and Russia at the RAND think tank. “It’s too late in the game to try and oust Russia.”
The proposal also seemed at odds with the theme of McCain’s speech, which promised a less unilateral approach to world affairs than the Bush White House has pursued. That could reflect tension between two Republican foreign-policy camps vying for influence in McCain’s campaign: the pragmatic realists and the hard-line neo-conservatives — with the neo-cons ascendant for now in Russia policy.
“There are a lot of important issues that we need Russia’s support on….What’s to be gained by tossing Russia out? We feel more self-righteous about ourselves?” said Andrew Kuchins, the director of the Russia and Eurasia program at the Center for International and Strategic Studies, a center-right think tank.
Fareed Zakaria also explained recently why McCain seems to have Russian policy backwards.
What McCain has announced is momentous — that the United States should adopt a policy of active exclusion and hostility toward two major global powers. It would reverse a decades-old bipartisan American policy of integrating these two countries into the global order, a policy that began under Richard Nixon (with Beijing) and continued under Ronald Reagan (with Moscow). It is a policy that would alienate many countries in Europe and Asia who would see it as an attempt by Washington to begin a new cold war. […]
The single most important security problem that the United States faces is securing loose nuclear materials. A terrorist group can pose an existential threat to the global order only by getting hold of such material. We also have an interest in stopping proliferation, particularly by rogue regimes like Iran and North Korea. To achieve both of these core objectives — which would make American safe and the world more secure — we need Russian cooperation. How fulsome is that likely to be if we gratuitously initiate hostilities with Moscow? Dissing dictators might make for a stirring speech, but ordinary Americans will have to live with the complications after the applause dies down.
Let’s all say it together: McCain has no idea what he’s talking about.
Former Dan
says:I take it BP gave money to his campaign?
Lew Scannon
says:Geez, it’s almost as if he has no real policy, he’s just making it up as he goes along, based entirely on wishful thinking.
ROTFLMLiberalAO
says:None of this makes any sense at all. McCain sounds like a college freshman, trying to b.s. his way through Foreign Policy 101 — and he’s failing.
Miserably failing? Like that guy at the end of the bar you’d feel comfortable sharing a beer with? You know… the one with the swagger and the tough talk?
I love this post CB… but McCain isn’t pitching woo at people who think and vote. That’s a small subset of the voting American public. He’s going for the same voters who voted for Bush in 2004. Using the same trailer-trash Pro-wrestling logic…
petorado
says:It’s that whole right-wing “tough love” policy of always engaging in punitive actions every time you want someone else to see things your way. There are no carrots in right-wing foreign policy, only sticks. That said, I wonder if he ever stopped beating his wife and kids?
Ohioan
says:McCain: “They have now thrown out the — or forced out — BP out of Russia.”
Two things –
First of all, big f’ing boohoo for BP if they are kicked out. When in Russia, do as the Russians do, otherwise you’ll get kicked out.
Second of all, they umm, haven’t kicked BP out. The shareholders merely voted the CEO out. TNK-BP is still doing fine as of today. Easy mistake to make by McCain, since he sees CEOs as demi-gods.
Racer X
says:So when Reagan said “tear down this wall”, that actually caused it to happen? The people of those nations wouldn’t have done it if St. Ronny hadn’t made his speech?
W.T.F.
Kinda almost sounds like a senile old dude who got his head messed up back in the War.
Sad.
Dennis-SGMM
says:In one of the biographical pieces about McCain, some who knew him said that he’d formed his worldview back in the Cold War. That would not be a negative if he’d moved on from there. Looks like the old codger hasn’t moved that much. The need for a monolithic enemy a la the old USSR explains much of McCain’s confusion about Sunni and Shia, the recurrence of Czechoslovakia and the Iraq/Pakistan border. It also explains why he gave such a glowing report after the visit to that marketplace in Baghdad: he didn’t see any Viet Cong there so things must have been under control.
Stevio
says:I bet BP was a great “neighbor” and friend to the Russians before they were launched. I seem to remember that Ford leased (that’s right, leased) it’s factories in Germany to Hitler during the second world war. Either Russia is tougher than Hitler on corporations, an idea I find hard to believe, or BP is a lot dumber than I think. Come to think f it, wasn’t BP tossed out of Iraq when the Iraqis launched Britain in the 30’s? What fun…
inthewoods
says:“So when Reagan said “tear down this wall”, that actually caused it to happen? The people of those nations wouldn’t have done it if St. Ronny hadn’t made his speech?”
Part of the standard Right-wing meme that Reagan won the Cold War, as opposed to the Soviet Union having an unsustainable economic system/government being hurt by a war in Afghanistan. Boy, that sounds familiar.
Dennis-SGMM
says:My late father fought Communist forces in Korea. I fought Communist guerrillas in Vietnam. So did a lot of other men and women. I guess that we didn’t have Reagan’s gift for oratory.
inthewoods
says:“So did a lot of other men and women. I guess that we didn’t have Reagan’s gift for oratory.”
Yes, clearly that was the issue. But remember, the Right always supports the troops more, despite whatever their voting records are. By the way, thank you for your family’s service to our country.
colleen
says:mccain’s s-e-n-i-l-e, but in my opinion the russian government will prefer him to mccain because their primary goal right now is to create a new multipolar world order, taking imperial power away from washington.
a mccain presidency, which will alienate the world, will push this along.
an obama presidency could, also. but there is a chance that obama will make-up with the rest of the world, slowing down russia’s progress.
Rabi
says:Lord. The man with the foreign policy experience apparently thinks a second Cold War would be a good thing.
He scares me more and more every day.
Coloradoblue
says:“MCCAIN: I will stand up for what I think is the best for the United States of America and the world…”
Yes Sen McLame, just like Russia will do what it thinks is best for Russia. This is what is known as a nation acting in its’ own best interests. It may be something of a surprise, but every country in the world does this. You may not like Russia’s policies right now, but, SURPRISE, there are a lot of countries that don’t particularly like what the Bush/Cheney regime is doing in the world right now either.
Grow up!
BullCity
says:All this reminds me of a Robin Williams bit from the mid-1980s when he talks about Reagan getting confused and “lapsing” back into his Hollywood days. Its hilarious (I’ll post a link if i can find it) but I think you could insert McCain and his fighter pilot days.
sparrow
says:Why should anyone really be surprised at McCain’s clulessness? Remember, this is the guy who’s solution offered up regarding the Shia and Sunni sectarian strife was to sit them down and just tell them to stop the bullshit.
Tom Cleaver
says:McCain’s just proving that the Peter Principle works. The trade school boy who graduated five from the bottom and has spent the past 50 years skating on his bullshit is now at the point where the bullshit that was always at the heart of everything is now catching up with him, though the easily-bullshitted (the press corpse) are still chowing down since it tastes so good covered with barbecue sauce.
Always hopeful
says:The military industrial machine must be fed. If we get out of Iraq and Afghanistan, we will have to have another “cold war” to keep the military budget going. Those companies will not go down easy. Military spending is the government pumping money into the economy too, which brings a false prosperity. There is always a huge recession after a war…
libra
says:Given how the G8 works — through consensus — Russia would have to approve its own removal. — CB
There are, usually if not always, at least two ways to skin the cat… *Theoretically*, it would be possible to get rid of Russia. The remaining 7 countries pull out of G8, re-form — possibly under another name — and there you are: a new power group, without Russia.
In practice… Other countries aren’t as addle-witted as McCain, so there’s no way they’d join him in the exercise, especially after he’s already flipped them a bird (I’m gonna do what I wanna and y’all can take a flying leap). And thank goodness for that, because enraging the Big Bear like that would be a global disaster.
Grumpy
says:Let’s all say it together: McCain has no idea what he’s talking about.
Seems like the hardest part of running your blog is categorizing McCain’s missteps into separate posts.
President Lindsay
says:McCain is proving to be so out to lunch that my biggest fear is that he’ll be abandoned by the party and the Mittster will wind up with the nomination because it’ll be so clear to anybody with a functioning brain cell that McCain can’t win. I’m afraid we may be inadvertently bringing this on by constantly pointing out his glaring faults. It’s a bit of a tightrope. I’ll be glad when the Repub convention is over and McCain has the nomination for sure. Can’t wait for those debates! I’m gonna buy popcorn futures.
joey (bjobotts)
says:Yeah…”“MCCAIN: I will stand up for what I think is the best for the United States of America and the world…” (No matter what the USA and the world thinks)
Except when it comes to setting 134 members of the Navy…my shipmates…on fire…whoops. But I got over it. Teach me to show off huh?
Can we get a couple of choruses of “My country tis of thee..” Where’s your flag pin?
It’s strange but McCain emotionally intimidates his interviewers forcing them to be rude to interrupt or disagree with him, forcing them into being argumentative or just shut up
GovtFlu
says:Lindsay, I totally agree. With McCains internet ignorance, and unwillingness to learn, he’s probably personally clueless at just how harsh he’s getting clowned on every day outside the MSM.
The insipid jesters on TV lust after McCain, if this were back when everyone watched TV & relied in the MSM for the news.. McCain would be just fine. Today the world is full of those damn informed bloggers McCain cant sell any fertilizer too, and on top of that they make hilarious videos of all his screw ups… millions of people are laughing at this guy. McCain has got to be the biggest on-line joke in recent history, at some point even the incompetent RNC mafia clones will have to tell MCain he’s freak’n embarrassing himself and the party masters are going poo poo.
Alan
says:Mc Cain’s belligerous rethoric scares me, his speches resemble those of a senile traumatized vietnam war veteran. I dont really know wtf he is thinking about but “russian pressures” on its neighbors are no way worse than USA invading afganistan, irak and threatening Iran and North Korea. Actually, russian actions are completely justified, since russia is trying to avoid ucraine and georgia to join NATO and then see Herself surrounded by missile defensive shields put in place with the excuse of protecting US territory from the “evil iranians” -give me a break-
somebody with more than 1 neuron and more than 1 year of shool would see that the missile shield is surrounding russia rather than Iran.
I read an article the other day about russia deploying weapons in cuba (Super Justified) and the irritating rethorical response of the US government saying that russia is “crossing the red line”.
How many lines have you crossed without being impeached, how many lifes have you killed without being punished, how many countries are struggling and starving because of your economic blockings? (questions to the US government)
In the US elections should vote every citizen in the world, because the ruthless pursue of economic interests led by the US gvmt affects everybody. I feel some sort of relief with the fact that i read this blog (i guess with a majority of american posters) and i notice that you are able to see beyond the hipocrecy and the rethoric of your politicians. I wish no harm will be done on its citizens but i really hope that the US will get a nice slap in its hand and understand that there are other countries as able and as free to pursue their own welfare as the US. and that the world’s economic and political policy is not unilateral anymore but multilateral.
But after all US policy is dictated only by economic intrestes after all, i hope ill live long enough to see how this terrorist empire will end.
Regards from a mexican
I would vote Obama if i could, but surely im convincing my american friends to do so, so im puting my grain of sand and Mc Cain’s speaches ease my job a lot haha
And im also glad that hillary didnt make it for the final round since i dont believe in reelections like the Bush’s or the Putin’s or the Kirchner’s
sorry for the informality of this blog but in my job i will be severily punished if caught doing this
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btw
“I’ll be glad when the Repub convention is over and McCain has the nomination for sure. Can’t wait for those debates! I’m gonna buy popcorn futures.”
and short sell Mc Cain’s popularity rates jajajajaajajajajajajja
i laughed like crazy with the futures thing, congratulations
secondrowrules
says:It’s ironic that McCain had McCain “…blasted Russia and suggested the country is no longer a democracy” – what the heck does he think is happening here in the U.S.? We’re not a democracy anymore, either. He criticized Russia for applying “pressure” to Ukrane, Czech Republic, and Georgia – some for their arrangements with the U.S. What gives the United States the right to do the same thing to other countries, only to turn around and criticize when Russia *might* have done the same thing??
I’m already tired of hearing American politicians blast Russia all the time – it’s crap and they have no ground to stand on. It’s just like everything else they are spewing – it’s all propaganda, designed to keep Americans fearful so they’re more easily controlled and “persuaded” to support illegal invasions and occupations of other countries and to keep them busy so they don’t notice the extreme corruption of government on their own soil. I want no part of this – if the politicians want to get the Cold War going again, count me out. I’ll be applying for another Russian Visa and be on my way.
If you haven’t been to Russia or actually know someone from Russia, then don’t believe everything you hear from the Americentric media and politicians – of course they wouldn’t want you to think anything positive of their biggest rival.
Russian Visa
says:Your article is much more informatics for all of the visitor or tourist. I am
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😆