Dangerous
McCain sees Georgian conflict as the ‘first serious crisis’ in post-Cold War era
Posted August 15th, 2008 at 11:05 am
thecarpetbaggerreport.com
Once in a while, the depth of John McCain’s foreign policy confusion stops being funny, and starts getting scary.
youtube.com
For those of you who can’t watch clips online, McCain told an audience at the Aspen Institute yesterday, “My friends, we have reached a crisis, the first probably serious crisis internationally since the end of the Cold War. This is an act of aggression.”
About a month ago, McCain said the war in Iraq is the “first major conflict since 9/11,” which seemed pretty odd given the war in Afghanistan.
But this is considerably worse. The Cold War effectively ended 19 years ago, and the conflict between Russia and Georgia is the first serious international crisis in that time? Are you kidding me?
Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the U.S. has fought (or is fighting) two wars in Iraq, a war in Afghanistan, and two conflicts in the Balkans. There have been multiple crises in Israel. There was a burgeoning nuclear crisis with North Korea. There is, and has been, a crisis in Darfur. There have been multiple, shall we say, tense moments between Pakistan and India, nuclear powers both. One could make the argument that the attacks of Sept. 11 were, themselves, a serious international crisis.
And yet, there’s John McCain, describing a regional conflict between Russia and Georgia as the first “serious crisis internationally” since the end of the Cold War. Do the other crises simply not count? Or does McCain not remember them?
Taken in isolation, McCain’s frequent confusion about foreign affairs may seem like inconsequential verbal miscues, but taken together, the presumptive Republican nominee appears to have no idea what he’s talking about.
* McCain believes Iraq and Pakistan share a border.
* McCain continues to believe Czechoslovakia is still a country.
* McCain has been confused about the difference between Sudan and Somalia.
* McCain has been confused about whether he wants more U.S. troops in Afghanistan, more NATO troops in Afghanistan, or both.
* McCain has been confused about how many U.S. troops are in Iraq.
* McCain has been confused about whether the U.S. can maintain a long-term presence in Iraq.
* McCain has been confused about the source of violence in Iraq.
* McCain has been confused about Iran’s relationship with al Qaeda.
* McCain has been confused about the difference between Sunni and Shi’ia.
* McCain has been confused about Gen. Petraeus’ responsibilities in Iraq.
* McCain has been confused about what transpired during the Maliki government’s recent offensive in Basra.
* McCain has been confused about Gen. Petraeus’ ability to travel around Baghdad “in a non-armed Humvee.”
* McCain has been so confused about Iraq, in November 2006, he couldn’t even do a live interview about the war without reading prepared notes on national television.
* McCain has been confused about his vote on the Kyl-Lieberman amendment on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
* McCain, following a trip to Germany, referred to “President Putin of Germany.”
And remember, this only covers McCain’s obvious incoherence on his signature issue. |
