Is McCain as shallow as George W. Bush?

[Chef Jim]

Of course he was in communication with his administration and probably others. That's not the same as acting like and looking like a world leader by taking control of the situation. He flunked that, in spades. But go on, keep clapping for him...

 

I'm not clapping for him....he sucks. I laughing at you.

[In-A-Gadda-Levitre]

I'm not clapping for him....he sucks. I laughing at you.

of course, since when do you offer anything constructive besides bashing people that you don't agree with?

[Chilly]

IMO, he should have immediately cut short his stay in China, flown to Europe or Washington, taken a leadership role in pulling together NATO, and/or other G7 and EU leaders about a response, and made much stronger statements about Russia publicly at the very least.

 

So he was going to write angry letters to Russia?

[KD in CA]

So he was going to write angry letters to Russia?

 

 

No, no. He was going to publicly provoke Russia and back them into a situation where Putin's only options would have been to a)appear to cower to the US by pulling out or 2)appear to be strong by not pulling out.

 

See, this is what brilliant left wingers like Faking mean when they talk about "diplomacy". They would have been lining up on this board to praise Bush had such things transpired.

[In-A-Gadda-Levitre]

So he was going to write angry letters to Russia?

yeah, right after he said all those presidential statements about being deeply concerned about reports of Russian intentions and Russia's actions were jeopardizing its relations with the US and EU. Wow, take that Putin.

[Ramius]

Of course he was in communication with his administration and probably others. That's not the same as acting like and looking like a world leader by taking control of the situation. He flunked that, in spades. But go on, keep clapping for him...

 

So using the phones/faxes/videoconferencing from washington was a better way to handle the situation as opposed to using the same technology from Bejing?

[In-A-Gadda-Levitre]

So using the phones/faxes/videoconferencing from washington was a better way to handle the situation as opposed to using the same technology from Bejing?

Actually from the lense that the world sees you through, expecting you to be a leader of the free world, yes, it would have. That's what they were slamming him about. That he was watching Olympics instead of leading. It's mostly about perception.

[Chef Jim]

of course, since when do you offer anything constructive besides bashing people that you don't agree with?

 

I could give a flip if you agree with me or not. I just think it's funny that your type hangs on to this "Bush was on vacation" crap. I'm not sure at all what the point of it is. But keep it up...it amuses me.

[Chef Jim]

Actually from the lense that the world sees you through, expecting you to be a leader of the free world, yes, it would have. That's what they were slamming him about. That he was watching Olympics instead of leading. It's mostly about perception.

 

No you would have been saying: "look at that idiot, while Russia is attacking Georgia he's flying around in Air Force One."

[Chilly]

yeah, right after he said all those presidential statements about being deeply concerned about reports of Russian intentions and Russia's actions were jeopardizing its relations with the US and EU. Wow, take that Putin.

 

What are stronger statements, as you put it, going to do to Russia?

 

For that matter, what would sanctions do to Russia?

[erynthered]

What are stronger statements, and stomping his foot, as you put it, going to do to Russia?

 

For that matter, what would sanctions do to Russia?

 

Adjusted post for "faking having a brain"

[In-A-Gadda-Levitre]

I could give a flip if you agree with me or not. I just think it's funny that your type hangs on to this "Bush was on vacation" crap. I'm not sure at all what the point of it is. But keep it up...it amuses me.

Why is always about your type, you liberals, you left wingers? Why can't people just be entitled to their opinions and others agree to disagree. I don't understand why the other camp insists on bashing and trashing and slamming people who don't share your views. Once in a while, you will see where one of these unpatriotic, radical, liberal, communists collectively call out the right, but that's pretty rare.

 

pretty f'ing sad that there's so much hate and contempt for everyone else besides towards those that see it the same way...

[Ramius]

Actually from the lense that the world sees you through, expecting you to be a leader of the free world, yes, it would have. That's what they were slamming him about. That he was watching Olympics instead of leading. It's mostly about perception.

 

Got it. You're one of these guys that will show up at work and not do sh-- all day, but then B word about me who got 3X as much work done while i was at home. But, you think you are a better worker because "you are at work."

[In-A-Gadda-Levitre]

What are stronger statements, as you put it, going to do to Russia?

 

For that matter, what would sanctions do to Russia?

I'm not a politician, or a diplomat, nor do I have a background in foreign policy. But I can read, and the American president was ridiculed worldwide for his choices and responses. Sanctions? who knows, maybe that's an answer, maybe it's a joke. Just do something besides sitting on your ass watching sports and making lame public statements. That's all I'm saying.

[PastaJoe]

Got it. You're one of these guys that will show up at work and not do sh-- all day, but then B word about me who got 3X as much work done while i was at home. But, you think you are a better worker because "you are at work."

 

I haven't seen much proof that Bush does much work whereever he is. And while Bush was obviously out of touch with events during Katrina while he was "vacationing" at his ranch, many people also refer to his vacationing as an analogy for his being so out of touch with the majority of Americans on policies.

[GG]

There was a hell of a lot written about Georgia, not only from the media, but political pundits, analysts, former politicians and world leaders, etc.

 

I don't think I read a single one (except Gorbachev's) that didn't blast Bush for not taking a leadership role - whether that was his stupid statements, or his choice to go to/stay at the olympics, crawford, or whatever. It was universally brutal criticism, some of the worst in recent memory.

 

Whether he should be supporting a major trading partner or America's premier athletes, take time off, working from home (crawford), there's so much he could have done and said differently.

 

How you all can justify his actions and response during a major world crisis is baffling.

 

Does Georgia matter to the USA, other than the pipeline, probably not... Is Russia invading a former territory with a signature of past nightmares pretty GD scary? Hell Yeah.

 

There are two issues here. First is whether Bush took the initiative, second is whether he's doing the right thing.

 

On the first, it's hard to argue that others appeared to prime him on the early action. But as the events have unfolded in the week, that's largely irrelevant now.

 

The one missing ingredient from your stew is what's been happening behind the scenes. You don't know, but feel you need to offer an opinion.

 

But it sure looks like Europe & continental NATO are taking a weak approach and the criticism on Bush is that he's not taking a harder line. Welcome to the bizzarro world.

[erynthered]

I'm not a politician, or a diplomat, nor do I have a background in foreign policy. But I can read, and the American president was ridiculed worldwide for his choices and responses. Sanctions? who knows, maybe that's an answer, maybe it's a joke. Just do something besides sitting on your ass watching sports and making lame public statements. That's all I'm saying.

 

So now Russia is going to cut all military ties with NATO. What should Bush do about that?

[In-A-Gadda-Levitre]

There are two issues here. First is whether Bush took the initiative, second is whether he's doing the right thing.

 

On the first, it's hard to argue that others appeared to prime him on the early action. But as the events have unfolded in the week, that's largely irrelevant now.

 

The one missing ingredient from your stew is what's been happening behind the scenes. You don't know, but feel you need to offer an opinion.

 

But it sure looks like Europe & continental NATO are taking a weak approach and the criticism on Bush is that he's not taking a harder line. Welcome to the bizzarro world.

I don't feel the need to offer an opinion on some unknown set of behind the scenes discussion. I just care how my country appears to the rest of the world when they look towards us for leadership.

 

Check out what the usually conservative WSJ has to say...

 

On June 13, 1948, the day after the Soviet Union took the first step in its blockade of Berlin, U.S. General Lucius Clay sent a cable to Washington making the case for standing up to the Soviets. "We are convinced that our remaining in Berlin is essential to our prestige in Germany and in Europe. Whether for good or bad, it has become a symbol of the American intent." The Berlin Airlift began 13 days later.

 

Sixty years on, U.S. credibility is again on the line as the Bush Administration stumbles to respond to the Russian invasion of Georgia. So far the Administration has been missing in action, to put it mildly. The strategic objective is twofold: to prevent Moscow from going further to topple Georgia's democratic government in the coming days, and to deter future Russian aggression.

 

President Bush finally condemned Russia's actions on Monday after a weekend of Olympics tourism in Beijing while Georgia burned. Meanwhile, the State Department dispatched a mid-level official to Tbilisi, and unnamed Administration officials carped to the press that Washington had warned Georgia not to provoke Moscow. That's hardly a show of solidarity with a Eurasian democracy that has supported the U.S. in Iraq with 2,000 troops.

 

Compared to this August U.S. lethargy, the French look like Winston Churchill.

[KD in CA]

I'm not a politician, or a diplomat, nor do I have a background in foreign policy. But I can read, and the American president was ridiculed worldwide for his choices and responses. Sanctions? who knows, maybe that's an answer, maybe it's a joke. Just do something besides sitting on your ass watching sports and making lame public statements. That's all I'm saying.

 

You must be dumber than toast if you actually believe that a POTUS isn't "doing anything" besides watching sports just because you saw a couple pictures of him on TV at the Olympics.

 

[In-A-Gadda-Levitre]

So now Russia is going to cut all military ties with NATO. What should Bush do about that?

Invite the NATO leaders to Washington, or go over there and meet with them, collectively make an attempt to show solidarity and come to some agreement. Throw them out of the G8. Isolate them economically using whatever means you have. Send 5,000 multinational troops to Georgia as peacekeepers. Take away the 2014 Olympics. Go sit down with Putin. Oops, that would be diplomacy, and we can't be doing that now, can we?