Obama's Response to Russian Agression: Consult the UN

In Barack Obama’s initial statement regarding Russia’s invasion of sovereign Georgia, he boldly stated "All sides should enter into direct talks on behalf of stability in Georgia, and the United States, the United Nations Security Council, and the international community should fully support a peaceful resolution to this crisis,". Every citizen should feel safer now that Barrack Obama has called upon that august body. The United Nations Security Council is composed of the following countries: China, France, The United States, the UK, and the Russian Federation (permanent members) – joined by ten other nations that include Belgium, Viet Nam, South Africa, Costa Rica, Croatia, Burkina Faso, Indonesia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, and Panama. “Yes We Can” - stick our heads in the sand.

From the Boston Globe, to the San Francisco Chronicle praise for the “wise” Obama is noted. Yet, not everyone is enamored of the wisdom of young Obama. An opinion piece from the LA Times by Jonah Goldberg entitled “Obama without his script”, opens with the observation “Judging by his reaction to the Georgia-Russia crisis, Obama's make-believe presidency isn't ready for prime time.” Point taken.

McCain, to his credit, immediately issued a harsh statement, going so far as to beat George Bush to the punch (so to speak). A recent post on ageism from the blog A Boomer Speaks is worth a read. Although not endorsing either candidate, the author does question age as criteria to lead.

In a world that is based on aggression, from old regimes to new, the leader of the United States must be ready and able to deal with each international crisis based upon a unique American perspective, which is often at odds with the perspective of the UN Security Council.

Perhaps a refresher is in order. It’s 3 AM – who do you want to answer the phone in the White House? Now that the candidate who raised that all important question has been pushed out of the race – it is still valid. Should that candidate be someone who must consult 300 advisors and call the United Nations prior to making a decision?

Putin’s Georgian Aggression Comes as No Surprise

Vladimir Putin , President of Russia (2000-2008), brought up through the ranks of the KGB, is still holding onto power in the Russian state, despite, Medvedev, Putins’s protégé, election in March of this year. The imperialistic Soviet Union, perfected the spread of its power at times when it was politically expedient to do so – in the 1940’s The Soviet Union annexed bordering nations, with little to no resistance from world leaders – the US has just reelected FDR in 1944 and was busy rebuilding after the effects of World War II – it was politically expedient for the Soviet Union to take advantage. Again, in 1968 The Soviet Union reasserted its position Czechoslovakia, in August. At that time, the United States was going through a general election – former President Lyndon Johnson was not running for re-election – Robert Kennedy was assassinated and Hubert Humphrey, Johnson's Vice President lost the election to Richard Nixon. American politics and policies were in a chaotic state. There was the war in Viet Nam, escalated under Johnson, the assassination of a populist leader of an American royal family (Kennedy), and in August of that year, uncertainty on the world stage as to the direction in which the U.S. would turn.


Putin understands history. As the people of Georgia
call on NATO and the US to aid them, anyone watching form a World View sees the U.S. in political chaos and opportunities abound – at the least until November. The US. is currently engaged in Iraq, and depending upon the outcome of the U.S.General Election, opportunities for Putin and Company could continue through 2012 (should a world-view US president be elected.) Further cause for concern,Progressive Democrats of America , the socialist arm of the Democrat Party, continue to mull over new ways to insert themselves further into an American political party – all of which, Putin, and other aggressive minded world leaders will watch expectantly. Of course, should McCain take the General, there would be a shift in progressive, aggressive nation building - there is an old Austrian Saying "Just because there is snow on the roof, it does not mean the fire is out".