Ponder This: McCain on the Conflict between Georgia and Russia

I'm not completely sure McCain's wrong. I take his distinction between the Russian Empire and USSR to be one of political governance, meaning Putin (who's really still in control) doesn't want any socialist style government, but he does want a strong Russian nation flexing influence around the world through commercial and military might (sort of an American neocon view... he throws out expecting controversy) and authoritarianism at home. However, I've seen no signs yet that Putin wants to retake places like the Ukraine or Latvia. Instead, he prefers that they are "in the sphere of influence" and take broad orders from Moscow.

Ukraine (and Belarus) is more likely to be snagged or strong-armed into compliance than the Baltics. The New York Times reports (and I agree) that the West will likely press first and foremost to retain Western allegiance in the Baltics and then press hard in central Europe (Poland and Czech Republic, etc.) to combat the menace there.

You know, we really should have the Russians kicked out of Kaliningrad (Konigsburg). That as well as expelling them from Georgia would be befitting.

We aren't going to do that, though. Not only because it's excessive but because we cannot and even if we could, we would not. Too bad. Bruno needs to be taken down.

Read the real smart people who actually know stuff about that area of the world. Given that the Russian military's budget is about $33 billion dollars (probably one-tenth of its budget in 1988), and given that the U.S. (the self-proclaimed last superpower) has at least $623 billion allocated for our military, I doubt all the hyperbole from John McCain and clueless news types who holler "The Russians are coming! The Russians are coming!" is really true. Russia hasn't got the money, the equipment, or the trained soldiers to dominate like it did during the Cold War. Regional power, sure. Superpower, no.

P.S. I don't mean to be realistic, DLS, but you and what army? (Actually, I do mean it.) The U.S.? The ones who are in Iraq and Afghanistan? The E.U.? If they did that, they might as well slit their throats, given that Russia has control over about 25% of Europe's oil and natural gas supply, and has shown willingness to use that control as a weapon before.

We aren't going to do much about Russia. Too weak and they are an ally against terrorism, at least nominally.

(We're too weak)