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HK

wrote:
On Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:21:36 -0500, Vic Smith wrote:

For Putin it's a "national security" issue. The internal "Russian"
domestic issues were exacerbated by Bush's lame-ass missile defense
plans in that part of the world. Putin doesn't want American missiles
right on his border, and I don't blame him. I don't want Russian
missiles in Mexico or Canada. American missiles in the Czech Republic
today, Georgia tomorrow. Bush refused to listen to Putin's protests
about those missiles, and now is getting spanked.
Simple diplomacy and strategic vision could have avoided this BS. BTW, I
heard Putin talking the other day about the "Georgian Terroists" and
making equivalencies with our invasion of Iraq. Whether you buy that or
not, it was George Bush who gave Putin that card to play.

I wouldn't disagree that it could have been handled better by Bush.
Squeezing Russia isn't smart, but I don't see this as a reaction to
Bush's mishandling of the situation. I see this as Putin making a
statement. Russia was recently a world player, and Putin's statement is
that it is once again a world player that has to be listened to. We take
Putin, and Russia, for granted at our peril.

If you want to talk mishandling, Saakashvili is right at the top of the
list.

If we want to "control" the Russkis (and the Venezuelans), then we need
a serious energy policy that results in our lowering our imports of oil
by substantial margins. If oil prices are determined by demand, then we
(meaning the western world) need to lower demand. Lower prices down to
$30 a barrel, and the Russians will have no excess dollars with which to
play military expansionism.

How to start? Mandate auto mileage standards that require 90% of the
fleet to deliver 35 mpg within 10 years, tax incentives for disposing of
gas guzzlers, more and better public transportation, appliances, heating
devices, surcharges on private vehicles that burn more than a certain
amount of fuel, more nuclear power, more public ownership of energy
resources, et cetera.

Since we don't have an energy policy that is based upon using a lot less
oil, the world is at the mercy of any renegade that that has oil or the
money to buy whatever it wants.

Want to control China? STOP buying Chinese goods and stop borrowing
money from China. How to start? A 200% tariff on goods from China.

--
"In the 21st century, nations don’t invade other nations."
John McCain, news conference, 13 August 2008, forgetting somehow that
the United States invaded and occupied Iraq in 2003. Another McCain
senior moment?