Crisis in the Ukraine

Romney said Russia was our "biggest" geopolitical threat. Big difference. But since you brought it up, explain how Putin occupying Crimea suddenly validates that statement?

 

Was Romney not right? Who is a bigger geopolitical foe? (And, the word he used was foe, as in adversary. He did not say threat.)

Russia consistently works against us in the UN and in practice to support regimes like those in Syria and Iran. They've tried to undermine democracy in Ukraine, and have undermined democracy in Belarus.

And, Obama didn't take exception to the idea that they were just the "biggest" threat. He made a joke of the idea that they were an adversary at all. The Cold War is over. The 1980's want their foreign policy back. We've done a reset with Russia.

 

Russia hasn't threatened to fire nukes at Hawaii.

 

Ukraine had a democratically elected president, whose term was, uh, "undermined" in part thanks to support from the United States.

 

I don't know that either man was right, because I think the concept of The One Big Geopolitical Foe is as outdated as Putin's strategy in Ukraine. It's a new world, one where the power doesn't always lie in sovereignty. One minute, Asad is the threat. The next minute, we realize the status quo is probably better than al-Qaeda or ISIS gaining possession of Assad's chemical arsenal. Radical Islam is our biggest security threat. Pakistan has probably done as much to undermine our foreign policy goals as Russia. My point is that to look at anything from a statist perspective is outdated. I think the size and strength and vocalness of the Russian opposition serves as enough of a check on Putin to give the edge to Pakistan or Iran.

I just don't see how you can fault a President for taking a more reserved tack when dealing with megalomaniacs like the ones that reside in Russian and Iran. On that topic, do we not count the prospect of an Iranian nuke deal as good foreign policy? Back in 2012, everybody wanted to wag their dicks in the Iranians faces. That's just not a good way to deal with people who have the psychological complexes of a Putin or a Khamenei

 

Putin thinks Andriy Yarmolenko's goal should count for Russia because he was born in Leningrad.

 

More Hitler comparisons:

“Now if this sounds familiar, it’s what Hitler did back in the 30s. All the Germans that were ... the ethnic Germans, the Germans by ancestry who were in places like Czechoslovakia and Romania and other places, Hitler kept saying they’re not being treated right. I must go and protect my people and that’s what’s gotten everybody so nervous.”

 

Democracy is awesome until someone you don't like wins an election. Then it's not so good.

 

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

Yeah, I know. No insurance? Let 'em die!

 

The Charge of the Light Brigade
Half a league, half a league,
  Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death,
  Rode the six hundred.
'Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns' he said:
Into the valley of Death
  Rode the six hundred.

'Forward, the Light Brigade!'
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldiers knew
  Some one had blunder'd:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
  Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
  Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
  Rode the six hundred.

Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turned in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army while
  All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel'd from the sabre-stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
  Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
  Left of six hundred.

When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
  All the world wonder'd.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
  Noble six hundred!