Hear an excellent discussion regarding U.S. - Russian relations from the On Point radio program.
The panel includes Strobe Talbott (A former Clinton Hawk, playing more of the neocon role in this debate), and Stephen Cohen, a great foreign policy analyst who has a more sane approach to U.S. foreign policy and seems to have a better grasp of where U.S. - Russia relations have been and where they are headed.
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5 comments:
I am most interested to here or see a discussion concerning Pakistan. Gen. Musharraf has stepped down as president, Pakistan has a feudal system with many "god father's" that have strong influence on rural people that are heavily influenced by "radical Islam." Whats deeper is Pakistan has nuclear weapons! Who will have their finger on the button of Pakistan's nukes? I wonder why this is so quiet in the news?
Ensayn,
you will not hear anything about Pakistan, because that's a REAL PROBLEM. A REAL problem and John McCain's cookie cutter ideas won't cut it there.
What is this Russia mess all about?
GETTING MCCAIN ELECTED
Plain and simple.
Georgia didn't do it, but it was the first positive poll news for McCain period.
You didn't hear SHIT about Georgia, or Poland, or anything else to do with Russia, did you?
Hasn't this always been there?
Why now?
Why the hell do you think it's now.
COME ON.
Rikyrah,
One of the first things that came to my mind was that the Bush Administration allowed this (and encouraged Saakashvili to attempt to retake S. Ossetia) - at least in part- as a way to help McCain.
Because the timing was just so ridiculous. Why now? S. Ossetia was under autonomous self rule for 16 years.....and it has never really been part of Georgia per se. It was included w/ Georgia under the Soviet Union...
Why move to try to take it now????? Why on the opening day of the Olympic Games for God's Sake? (completely ruining the whole spirit of the Olympics).
Regarding Pakistan...
I agree... this was (and is) a big story. This may end up being a bigger story as time passes, and it may become a problem for the U.S. at some point.
I think the media has a hard time dealing with multiple major developments at once... Their priorities are certainly mixed up. I was watching CNN today, and they thought it was important for me to know about a farmer who found a Potato in the shape of Mickey Mouse.... yeah.... very important news. Or the dumb skydiver in Florida who wanted to go gliding in a Tropical Storm.
This is with the backdrop of Darfur, Musharraf's resignation, Russia, the Congo, The U.S. economy, Zimbabwe, Afganistan, the politics in Iraq, and everything else.
With that said.... I don't think this story is quite as urgent right now. Important.... just not the most urgent. Why? Because the Pakistan Army controls the nukes.... and the Army is the only solid institution in Pakistan. When all else fails... the Army in that Country always remains intact. That's why there is no panic... But long term.... this needs to be sorted out. In fact, there should be an international system for making sure these weapons stay secure, esp. during political transitions.... and there needs to be an international hotline system....w/ military to military....government to government communication, so that the world knows what's going on...and there is no misunderstanding.
The bigger worry is not what Pakistan will do to the U.S. necessarily.... but if things go south there in a hurry, you don't want a situation where India panics and does something crazy. That's the bigger fear.
But I have been watching the situation in Pakistan (I just haven't posted on it). We need to see who takes power.... as long as the person is a moderate...from a civilian government (elected government) we should be o.k.
Because there are so many moderating factors in a democratically elected civilian government. However, they are not crazy about the U.S. crossing their borders.... bombing inside Pakistan, etc.
The U.S. will have to negotiate some sort of Treaty agreement with the new government that will allow limited military operations in and around the border. But the Bush admin. is too lacking when it comes to diplomacy and probably won't pursue any kind of new agreement... that's a possible source of tension (how much military activity the new government will allow).
@Rikyrah, You're right. "We are Georgians"...McCain. Yeah it was a spotlight for him.
@AI, True, I am not really concerned what they will do to the US, but how the situation could possibley deteriorate into something very ugly as you mentioned India getting skidish. But none the less a much bigger story than Georgia attacking Russian troops then running.
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