Putin
McCain
Sigh...sometimes it stinks to be honest, and this is one of those times.
The president's idea to surgically bomb Syrian Assad's chemical weapons stores of sarin gas would be a mistake unparalleled since the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand (Google him, people) with potentially similarly tragic and regrettable consequences.
Putin's editorial comments made a few good points, McCain's tirade scored none. I shall admit ab initio that most of P's editorial is sheer, good old-fashion political rhetoric of little value or import, but a similar criticism can be applied to Mc.
Putin: "The potential strike by the United States against Syria...will result in more innocent victims and escalation..."
Probably true.
Syria has come to a situation that resembles a disgusting, if stable, state of quasi-equilibrium that resembles a simple if deadly civil war. Chucking US T-LAMs into the mix might upend the drink cart.
Putin: "Syria is not witnessing a battle for democracy..."
Bullseye.
The autocratic leaders of Libya and Egypt were deposed to much adulation, but the new guys turned out to be much worse. The country is much worse off. How does that go? From the frying pan into the fire? They are not interested in freedom, liberty, or anything of the kind. They want to install pure, absolute, militaristic social and religious sharia law. Full Stop.
Putin: “We are not protecting the Syrian government, but international law.”
Bullsh*t.
They are protecting their only warm water port in the Mediterranean at Tartus. Let us go on.
Putin: “I would rather disagree with a case he made on American exceptionalism, stating that the United States’ policy is 'what makes America different. It’s what makes us exceptional.' It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation.”
This statement seems to be what set off Mc and company.
Both P and Mc seem to miss the point of this principle. The US constitution's form of government had many precedents and descendants, yet all have failed. What makes our government work is the American character. Suggest you read Tocqueville. Contrary to any other society, Americans have an internal compass as to what is correct and what is wrong. This compass influences our everyday behavior, even at the cost of one's own treasury. This is unique behavior unknown to any religion or society I am aware of save the Tibetan Buddhists.
McCain: “Look, we’ve got to start dealing with Vladimir Putin in a realistic fashion for what he is. He’s an old KGB Colonel Apparatchik that dreams of the days of the Russian Empire...”
So what?
Kerry was a peacenik flower-child that marched arm-in-arm with fellow peacenik Jane Fonda. He told flat-out lies about the behavior of US soldiers because he hated war. He is now SecState. Either we condemn both as liars, or let it rest and continue.
McCain: “Most importantly, to me, of course, and should be to the world, is their continued support of Bashar Assad and the massacre that’s taking place in Syria, not to mention a number of other areas that Russia is basically showing us a total lack of respect.”
So?
Respect in the international community is something you earn by the righteousness of your actions, not a thing that is automatically handed to you because of your title. From my viewpoint, the current administration has not yet earned its stripes.
McCain: “We need to show more leadership, and that does not mean confrontation, but it means steadfast adherence to the principles that many presidents, since the end of the Cold War, since before, have stood for, that the rest of the world will respect.”
Does he understand that today's demons are not Kerensky, Stalin, Brezhnev, Castro, Mao Tse Tung, Pol Pot, or even Ho Chi Minh? Try: Khamenei, Kim Jong-un, Mursi, or Nasrallah (Google them).
No comments:
Post a Comment