Creating international panic - and a cold war?

[tw]

Classic diplomatic double speak. Russia demanding that we define the US Russian relationship quickly - and doing so bluntly.
From the NY Times of 5 Nov 2008

In his speech, Mr. Medvedev did not congratulate Mr. Obama on his victory, saying only that he hoped that “our partners — the new U.S. administration — will make a choice in favor of a full-fledged relationship with Russia.”

But he sent a telegram later saying that “Russian-American relations have historically been an important factor for stability in the world and have great importance and sometimes key significance for resolving many of today’s international and regional problems.” ...

“The Iskander missile system will be deployed in Kaliningrad region to neutralize, when necessary, the missile shield,” Medvedev said.

“Radioelectronic equipment located in the western region” of Russia in the Kaliningrad region “will jam objects of the U.S. missile defense system,” Mr. Medvedev said.

Will American diplomacy continue towards a new cold war or will Obama return the cooperation and peace that was during Clinton? To a wacko extremist, this sounds like military confrontation maybe leading to war. To a moderate, this is a demand that we NEED and must establish a productive diplomatic relationships to avoid future confrontations.

We will see more of this diplomatic turmoil from others because George Jr has so poisoned the well of international relations. Most every former American ally will demand productive relationships be restored. One example of how the world will want and needs elimination of George Jr doctrines ASAP.

It's not a threat. It's diplomatic double speak. A toxic environment of American Russian relationships must be addressed immediately so as to not permanently sour that international relationship. These past eight years have been that destructive to American relationships with virtually every nation in the world. What could easily be perceived as confrontation will be necessary with numerous nations to slowly restore those once productive relationships. Too much trust has been destroyed over the past eight years.

[elSicomoro]

Dmitri and Vlad have been hitting the vodka hard again, apparently.

[tw]

Originally Posted by sycamore

Dmitri and Vlad have been hitting the vodka hard again, apparently.

Hardly. They are doing shrewd diplomacy.

One who views in terms of 'big dic' thinking will only see saber rattling. One who views a bigger picture sees either a major opportunity to undo the George Jr mess OR (if mistakes are made) a return to a Cold War.

The only people who were constantly drunk were the fools who thought George Jr's strategy made American stronger. Warnings of what that Cheney strategy would lead to are found in its principles. That we should do anything necessary to keep America #1. Therefore we should be prepared to "Pearl Harbor" India, Russia, or Germany. Did you see the stupidity that, for example, created "Mission Accomplished" and all but protected bin Laden? Same mentality could only eventually lead to a Cold War.

The Russians are demanding we address this George Jr created problem now. Shrewd on their part. Because Obama literally must address diplomatic problems with most of the world. Russia is shrewdly putting themselves at the top of a long list.

[glatt]

So the Russians hacked into Obama's computer system over the Summer in order to get an idea of how he might behave in foreign policy (they did the same to McCain.) And this is what they come up with after analyzing what they learned?

Sneaky bastards.

[Clodfobble]

Wow. The rest of that article is fascinating, glatt.

[glatt]

Yeah, the McCain camp is throwing Palin under the bus now that the election is over.

[Shawnee123]

Hmmm, you play with rats...

I loved this:

The debates unnerved both candidates. When he was preparing for them during the Democratic primaries, Obama was recorded saying, "I don't consider this to be a good format for me, which makes me more cautious. I often find myself trapped by the questions and thinking to myself, 'You know, this is a stupid question, but let me … answer it.' So when Brian Williams is asking me about what's a personal thing that you've done [that's green], and I say, you know, 'Well, I planted a bunch of trees.' And he says, 'I'm talking about personal.' What I'm thinking in my head is, 'Well, the truth is, Brian, we can't solve global warming because I f---ing changed light bulbs in my house. It's because of something collective'."

[piercehawkeye45]

Haha, great article.

[tw]

On the night she officially lost the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton enjoyed a long and friendly phone conversation with McCain. Clinton was actually on better terms with McCain than she was with Obama. Clinton and McCain had downed shots together on Senate junkets; they regarded each other as grizzled veterans of the political wars and shared a certain disdain for Obama as flashy and callow.

The first Senate legislation sponsored by Clinton was done with McCain. All three - McCain, Clinton, and Obama - are moderates. Obama is the new kid. McCain and Clinton have both been at war with the extremists - a new entity that did not exist with significant power even in the Reagan era. Appreciate why Clinton and McCain were so friendly. They were doing what Congress once did - and what wacko extremism (created in part by gerrymandering) eliminated in today's Congress.

The debates unnerved both candidates.

... as debates were for both Clinton and George Sr. Both sat side by side saying so to PBS's McNeil. To paraphrase what Clinton said, the debates are like sitting in a room with dynamite. Nothing bad will happen unless you make one stupid mistake. Little is gained from the debates. So much can be lost with one foolish statement.

Originally Posted by glatt

Yeah, the McCain camp is throwing Palin under the bus now that the election is over.

Palin launched her attack on Obama's association with William Ayers, the former Weather Underground bomber, before the campaign had finalized a plan to raise the issue. McCain's advisers were working on a strategy that they hoped to unveil the following week, but McCain had not signed off on it, and top adviser Mark Salter was resisting.

Makes sense. Palin was selected by wacko extremists who also did not vote for McCain during the primaries. Palin does not represent the moderates who got McCain there. Wackos love the Karl Rove tactics where 'brown shirts' need to be told how to think so that they will deny reality later. It was important for Palin to tell Republican 'brown shirts' how to think - to inspire the hate that rallies and empowers 'brown shirts'. (That mentality also explains why potential assassins would stalk Obama and not George Jr).

This is, after all, the same technique used by Hitler and the Nazi power to obtain power in Germany. Tell the wackos how to think. Use hate to encourage them. Palin is only a frontman for the party’s wacko extremist wing. If McCain will not promote the wacko extremist rhetoric, then wackos could use Palin to force him to do so.

What is undisputable? Palin is as dumb as George Jr and Dan Quayle. But then wacko extremists do not need intelligent front men. They need spokesmen who recite political rhetoric in response to keywords. Just like George Jr who sat in an elementary school on 11 September for 15 minutes waiting for Cheney to tell him what to do. Just like George Jr who knew a category five hurricane was going to hit New Orleans – and instead flew to Southern California for a campaign fund raiser.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Bear in mind that what tw insists is "wacko extremism" is the attitude that freedom is good for humans and liberal, even libertarian, democracy the best way to sustain said freedom. The Bush Administration pursued freedom's gain across all the globe, willing as any man of freedom could be to see it advanced and tyranny wiped away -- a prospect tw cannot endure.

And you know what that makes of tw. Whether he is technically a fascist or a communist makes no visible difference to what he is. It's all bad, compounded with his crazy prejudice against Republicans, the freedom makers the way Democrats haven't been for two generations. Tw remains repulsive and untruthful, a cheerleader for slavemongers.

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by tw

Makes sense. Palin was selected by wacko extremists who also did not vote for McCain during the primaries.

Chapter 5 of that fascinating and in-depth article shows how completely false this statement is. McCain's first choice was Lieberman, but he rejected him because Lieberman was pro-choice and he knew he needed a pro-life candidate to shore up the base. McCain chose Palin all by himself, against the advice of some top advisers, because he genuinely liked her and nobody expected he would do it.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Chapter 5 of that fascinating and in-depth article shows how completely false this statement is. McCain's first choice was Lieberman, but he rejected him because Lieberman was pro-choice and he knew he needed a pro-life candidate to shore up the base.

False? Read what Chapter Five was saying. Of course, background is necessary to understand the words.

First, the campaign was being run by Schmidt when Palin was pushed up the list. Previously, McCain had a long list of vetted VP selections that included Lieberman. Lieberman was even on McCain's campaign in the last week of August. At that point, Palin was neither considered nor vetted.

Who is Steve Schmidt? He ran Karl Rove's war room in George Jr's 2004 campaign. He then worked for Cheney in the White House. He worked as an unpaid volunteer for McCain in the early days. However he eventually moved up to run the McCain campaign in its final months - even replacing many long time McCain advisers. Steve Schmidt talked McCain out of his VP choice by saying his choices were not right wing. Even though McCain was nominated mostly by moderate Republicans and independents, Steve Schmidt then pushed his favorite choice - Palin.

Yes, McCain did agree to put Palin on the ticket. But only after the one week rush. Palin went from completely unknown, even to McCain, to be selected in only five days with Schmidt, Salter, and Davis pushing McCain to reject all his preferred choices and select her. Reason why? Only she was right wing conservative. The rush to reject all others and put Palin on the ticket was pushed mostly by Schmidt and Salter.

Well, yes, you could say George Jr choose to go to war with Saddam. And yes, you could say George Jr grounded all airplanes during 11 September. You could say that George Jr authorized torture and international kidnapping. Yes, because he was the commander in chief. In reality, George Jr never made any of those decisions. As even Powell noted, everyone left the room except Cheney. Two minutes later, George Jr would announce his decision.

McCain also signed off on a last minute decision really made by his staff. Palin was not McCain's choice until last minute pressure eliminated everyone on his months long VP list. Only the unknown Palin was left. Even McCain did not know Palin one week previously. Why was Palin then selected as VP? She was the only choice of a campaign director who worked previously for Karl Rove and Dick Cheney.

Let's see. McCain got nominated mostly by voters who were moderate Republicans or independents. Why was Palin selected? Schmidt said a moderate VP would not attract sufficient moderates and independents. Palin was to get right wing extremists to vote for McCain. It did not happen AND Palin also alienated some of McCain's primary supporters - moderate and independent voters.

That is what Chapter 5 says once we add who Schmidt is and other facts such the time line. Chapter 5 even notes that Democratic Senator Lieberman - McCain's number one choice - was on McCain's campaign bus even the last week of Aug - just before Palin was pushed forward to replace five McCain preferences. Yes, you could say that Palin was chosen by McCain - after Steve Schmidt, et al left no one but Palin to choose.

Bottom line reasoning – Palin was picked because only she was from the party’s extremist wing. All of McCain’s preferences were too moderate according to Schmidt. Chapter 5 says different from Clodfobble once we add additional facts such as who were McCain's supporters, who was Schmidt, and why McCain's preferred VP selections were eliminated leaving nothing but Palin to pick from.