What was Mikheil Saakashvili thinking when he started poking at Russia in a manner that Mikhail Gorbachev correctly observes has "turned out to be a time bomb for Georgia's territorial integrity."?

That question is easily answered.

The Georgian president whose ties to the U.S. run through John McCain's campaign headquarters was thinking that McCain was a man of stature in the U.S. foreign policy heirachy, a "player" whose words could be counted on as having at least a measure of meaning.

Bad mistake.

It is true that few serious observers in the United States would take any particular pronouncement by McCain all that seriously, especially when if it involved foreign policy. After all, this is the fellow who could not make the Shia-Sunni distinction or place Afghanistan on a map.

But the rest of the world assumes that the governing party of the United States -- the Republican Party not just of the generally-discredited George Herbert Walker Bush but also of Condoleezza Rice, George Walker Bush, Chuck Hagel Richard Lugar and a number of other variously well-regarded figures on the international stage -- would nominate a successor to Bush who would simply spout random notions with regard to global affairs.

The assumption is -- or, perhaps it might be more appropriate to say, was -- that when John McCain speaks, he does so from a place of knowledge, that he is an informed and engaged participant in a foreign-policy continuity that has meaning.

So when McCain devoted a substantial portion of his March foreign-policy address at the World Affairs Council in Los Angeles to hailing "the solidarity of NATO, from the Baltic to the Black Sea...," Saakashvili and the Georgians undoubtedly assumed that a signal of some consequence was being sent.

It would be too simplistic to suggest that the Georgians acted solely in response to McCain's statement. But it would be equally simplistic to suggest that they fully recognized the senator from Arizona was speaking solely for himself.

After all, Randy Scheunemann, the long-time McCain associate who in March was still a paid counselor to the Georgian government and who currently serves as the Republican candidate's chief foreign policy advisor, was telling them that McCain mattered.

Scheunemann collected $800,000 from Georgia's modest treasury in payment for a Washington, D.C., lobbying project on behalf of the former Soviet state that revolved around to 49 meetings with McCain. Even now, after he has officially moved over to the McCain campaign, Scheunemann's old firm continues to bank money from the Georgians, pushing its take over the $1 million mark.

Lobbyists tell their clients that they are making connections with "the right people" -- translation: powerful individuals who can make things happen for the client -- and Scheunemann undoubtedly led the Georgians to believe McCain was one of the right people. Symbolically, at least, that was true: Following meetings between Scheunemann's firm and McCain's staff, the senator introduced a Senate resolution that hailed the the people of Georgia for supporting "the Rose Revolution" that put Saakashvili to charge of the country.

But there is a big difference between passing congressional resolutions -- which have recently recognized the 50th anniversary of the crossing of the North Pole by the USS Nautilus and congratulated the Hamilton College Continentals on winning the NCAA Division III womens lacrosse championship -- and outlining U.S. policy to the world's other major nuclear power.

Unfortunately, the Georgians may not have been aware of that fact when -- after consultation with Scheunemann -- McCain in March delivered his first major foreign policy address as the presumed Republican nominee for president. In that speech, which was broadly publicized internationally, and made big news in Georgia, McCain spoke about "the dangers posed by a revanchist Russia" and declared in a section of the speech dealing with the Black Sea region where Georgia is located that the U.S. would not "tolerate Russia's nuclear blackmail or cyber attacks."

Here's McCain in context:

The United States did not single-handedly win the Cold War; the transatlantic alliance did, in concert with partners around the world. The bonds we share with Europe in terms of history, values, and interests are unique. Americans should welcome the rise of a strong, confident European Union as we continue to support a strong NATO. The future of the transatlantic relationship lies in confronting the challenges of the twenty-first century worldwide: developing a common energy policy, creating a transatlantic common market tying our economies more closely together, addressing the dangers posed by a revanchist Russia, and institutionalizing our cooperation on issues such as climate change, foreign assistance, and democracy promotion.

We should start by ensuring that the G-8, the group of eight highly industrialized states, becomes again a club of leading market democracies: it should include Brazil and India but exclude Russia. Rather than tolerate Russia's nuclear blackmail or cyber attacks, Western nations should make clear that the solidarity of NATO, from the Baltic to the Black Sea, is indivisible and that the organization's doors remain open to all democracies committed to the defense of freedom.

What part of "Rather than tolerate Russia's nuclear blackmail or cyber attacks, Western nations should make clear that the solidarity of NATO, from the Baltic to the Black Sea, is indivisible..." did Saakashvili mishear?

None of it.

The problem was that the message came from John McCain, a politician who has always been on the periphery of U.S. policy making with regard to central and eastern Europe -- and whose knowledge of the region or its discontents has never been thought to be any greater than his knowledge what he described to ABC News as "the situation on the Iraq-Pakistan border."

John McCain ought not be taken seriously, by Georgians... or Americans.

When he is, the world becomes a very dangerous place.

Comments (42)

1. i bet mr mccain has learned where georgia is on the map just in case someone had the nerve to ask him.

   please, not again.

   Posted by frosty zoom at 08/14/2008 @ 10:13pm

2. The American administration has rejected an Israeli request for military equipment and support that would improve Israel's ability to attack Iran's nuclear facilities.

   ...............

   Posted by frosty zoom at 08/14/2008 @ 10:50pm

3. The American-Israeli dispute over a military strike against Iran erupted during Bush's visit to Jerusalem in May. At the time, Bush held a private meeting on the Iranian threat with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and the Israelis presented their request for certain specific items of military equipment, along with diplomatic and security backing.

   Following Bush's return to Washington, the administration studied Israel's request, and this led it to suspect that Israel was planning to attack Iran within the next few months. The Americans therefore decided to send a strong message warning it not to do so.

   U.S. NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE DIRECTOR MIKE MCCONNELL AND CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF MIKE MULLEN BOTH VISITED HERE IN JUNE AND, ACCORDING TO THE WASHINGTON POST, TOLD SENIOR ISRAELI DEFENSE OFFICIALS THAT IRAN IS STILL FAR FROM OBTAINING NUCLEAR WEAPONS, and that an attack on Iran would undermine American interests. Therefore, they said, the U.S. would not allow Israeli planes to overfly Iraq en route to Iran.

   .........

   Posted by frosty zoom at 08/14/2008 @ 10:51pm

4. Russia, however, is considered key to efforts to isolate Iran, and Israeli officials have therefore urged their American counterparts in recent months to tone down Washington's other disputes with Moscow to focus all its efforts on obtaining Russia's backing against Iran. For instance, they suggested that Washington offer to drop its plan to station a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic - a proposal Russia views as a threat, though Washington insists the system is aimed solely at Iran - in exchange for Russia agreeing to stiffer sanctions against Iran. However, the administration rejected this idea.

   ...............

   http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1010938.html

   ...............

   good luck now.......

   Posted by frosty zoom at 08/14/2008 @ 10:52pm

5. Now, Israel is awaiting the outcome of the latest talks between the West and Iran, AS WELL AS A FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE OPENING OF AN AMERICAN INTERESTS SECTION IN TEHRAN. Israel views the latter as sure proof that Washington is not planning a military strike.

   <<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>

   gotta bring down the price of oil for the election.

   Posted by frosty zoom at 08/14/2008 @ 10:53pm

6. U.S. NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE DIRECTOR MIKE MCCONNELL AND CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF MIKE MULLEN BOTH VISITED HERE IN JUNE AND, ACCORDING TO THE WASHINGTON POST, TOLD SENIOR ISRAELI DEFENSE OFFICIALS THAT IRAN IS STILL FAR FROM OBTAINING NUCLEAR WEAPONS

   Posted by frosty zoom at 08/14/2008 @ 10:53pm

7. U.S. NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE DIRECTOR MIKE MCCONNELL AND CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF MIKE MULLEN BOTH VISITED HERE IN JUNE AND, ACCORDING TO THE WASHINGTON POST, TOLD SENIOR ISRAELI DEFENSE OFFICIALS THAT IRAN IS STILL FAR FROM OBTAINING NUCLEAR WEAPONS

   Posted by frosty zoom at 08/14/2008 @ 10:53pm

8. U.S. NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE DIRECTOR MIKE MCCONNELL AND CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF MIKE MULLEN BOTH VISITED HERE IN JUNE AND, ACCORDING TO THE WASHINGTON POST, TOLD SENIOR ISRAELI DEFENSE OFFICIALS THAT IRAN IS STILL FAR FROM OBTAINING NUCLEAR WEAPONS

   Posted by frosty zoom at 08/14/2008 @ 10:54pm

9. Georgia's Israeli arms point Russia to Iran

   By Peter Hirschberg

   JERUSALEM - With the eruption of fighting between Russia and Georgia, Israel has found itself in an awkward position as a result of its arms sales to Georgia. Israel is now caught between its friendly relations with Georgia and its fear that the continued sale of weaponry will spark Russian retribution in the form of increased arms sales to Iran and Syria.

   <<<<<<<>>>>>>>>

   ah, but what a tangled web.

   Posted by frosty zoom at 08/14/2008 @ 10:55pm

10. In 2007, Republican Ron Paul, who opposes U.S. involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, was the top recipient of money from donors in the military, collecting at least $212,000 from them. Barack Obama, another war opponent, was second with about $94,000.

    <<<<<<>>>>>

    cording to an analysis of campaign contributions by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, Democrat Barack Obama has received nearly six times as much money from troops deployed overseas at the time of their contributions than has Republican John McCain, and the fiercely anti-war Ron Paul, though he suspended his campaign for the Republican nomination months ago, has received more than four times McCain's haul.

    Despite McCain's status as a decorated veteran and a historically Republican bent among the military, members of the armed services overall -- whether stationed overseas or at home -- are also favoring Obama with their campaign contributions in 2008, by a $55,000 margin. Although 59 percent of federal contributions by military personnel has gone to Republicans this cycle, of money from the military to the presumed presidential nominees, 57 percent has gone to Obama.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/14/2008 @ 11:03pm

11. well, zero, it's been a gas.

    oil's well that ends.....

    here's a little música surf to lighten the mood:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j09C8clJaXo&fmt=18

    don't fret. mr. bush will come up with a new, clear plan.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/15/2008 @ 12:56am

12. The real question is..after watching the world and the US do nothing with Georgia,...will China do the same to Taiwan?

    Posted by JOMAMMA at 08/15/2008 @ 12:54am

    That's not funny.

    You should hope with every fiber of your being that never comes to pass. If it does it would be war, and not this piss ant stuff you see in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    It would be the real deal, and make the other two look like tea parties, and we could easily lose that one IF it stays conventional.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/15/2008 @ 01:15am

13. don't worry,

    the chinese will soon purchase taiwan.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/15/2008 @ 01:19am

14. oh - my - god. (not yours, lvlib)

    the chinese are going to take over the world by buying it!

    quick, print more money......

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/15/2008 @ 01:21am

15. Posted by frosty zoom at 08/15/2008 @ 01:19am

    Yeah, I hope so, because Canada would be ass deep in that little spat right along with us.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/15/2008 @ 01:21am

16. eek!

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/15/2008 @ 01:35am

17. eek!

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/15/2008 @ 01:35am

    Well, you're in a good mood tonight. Quite a change from when you bitch slapped me the other night.

    Or did it just happen again and I'm not bright enough to know it?

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/15/2008 @ 01:40am

18. I see.

    Sleep well, and safe, FZ.

    Courtesy of....Others.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/15/2008 @ 02:15am

19. Ben, if Zero can take me to the woodshed you can tolerate a dressing down from a Canuck.

    Posted by yutsano at 08/15/2008 @ 02:37am

20. Gonna go with Happy and Zero on this one. This guy is a leader for a reason. He knows politics and he knows that John McCain has no power until he is in the Oval Office.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/15/2008 @ 04:32am

21. Saakashvili should ask McCain's advice on how to defeat the Russians...

    after all, Maverick John says "he knows how to win wars!"

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/15/2008 @ 09:02am

22. Well, you're in a good mood tonight. Quite a change from when you bitch slapped me the other night.

    Or did it just happen again and I'm not bright enough to know it?

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/15/2008 @ 01:40am

    what are you talking about?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/15/2008 @ 11:58am

23. Gonna go with Happy and Zero on this one. This guy is a leader for a reason. He knows politics and he knows that John McCain has no power until he is in the Oval Office.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/15/2008 @ 04:32am

    exactly. that's why he's trying to help mr. mccain get there.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/15/2008 @ 12:00pm

24. Courtesy of....Others.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/15/2008 @ 02:15am

    drive your car well,

    powered by....others.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/15/2008 @ 12:01pm

25. Given McCain's new "Pander Bear" mode...

    It'll be interesting to see if he starts hinting at "arming the Georgians like we armed the mujaheddin in 1980" to play to the "Nuke Da Commies" contingent of his Hard Right?

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/15/2008 @ 12:14pm

26. mask

    SSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

    don't give these guys any more dumb ideas.

    plus the israelis have already been arming them.

    heck, i bet they've bought plenty of weapons from the RUSSIANS!

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/15/2008 @ 12:21pm

27. Posted by frosty zoom at 08/15/2008 @ 12:21pm

    Actually, it'd be funny if he did.

    The immediate question would become..."Okay, Senator, do you remember how Al Qaeda got started???"

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/15/2008 @ 12:45pm

28. exactly. that's why he's trying to help mr. mccain get there. Posted by frosty zoom at 08/15/2008 @ 12:00pm

    Precisamente.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/15/2008 @ 1:14pm

29. Given McCain's new "Pander Bear" mode...

    It'll be interesting to see if he starts hinting at "arming the Georgians like we armed the mujaheddin in 1980" to play to the "Nuke Da Commies" contingent of his Hard Right?

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/15/2008 @ 12:14pm

    So now we know Mask, it's not invasion of another country that you are against, it's only when it happens with the US military.

    If it's Russia, that seems to be fine with you

    Posted by lvliberty1 at 08/15/2008 @ 5:27pm

30. I'm less interested in hearing from John Nichols on this issue than from Katrina vanden Heuvel. She is associated at quite a high level with members of the former Soviet Union. I'm sure she has passionate feelings that would be interesting to review.

    Posted by Person at 08/15/2008 @ 7:03pm

31. Posted by madlib at 08/15/2008 @ 8:22pm

    Your credibility is pretty much in the toilet.

    You can do whatever you like peewee.

    Nobody cares what you think.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/15/2008 @ 8:32pm

32. It's like winning the special olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded.

    Posted by madlib at 05/23/2008 @ 1:14pm

    That's the one basic tenet behind any zealot/fundamentalist's argument. Don't ever admit you're wrong even if the obviousness of your wrong-doing is slapping you in the face daily.

    Posted by madlib at 08/07/2008 @ 7:07pm

    I must have offended his tar-tar cousin/offspring/parent/sibling/extended family.

    Or maybe a tar-tar teacher?

    OR, better yet, a tar-tar himself.

    Posted by madlib at 08/08/2008 @ 3:54pm

    Hypocrisy at its finest.

    Posted by madlib at 08/07/2008 @ 7:42pm

    Should I make fun of tar-tars or is that going too far?

    Posted by madlib at 08/15/2008 @ 8:22pm

    Such a big person you are targeting handicapped kids. And you constantly accuse others of being "sexist".

    What a hypocrite and why you have zero credibility peewee.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/15/2008 @ 8:46pm

33. You're all sexist!

    Posted by madlib at 08/15/2008 @ 8:26pm

    Nutjob. Is CONSHAME your sister?

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/15/2008 @ 8:57pm

34. I'll take under-aged boys and methamphetamines for $500, Alex.

    Posted by madlib at 08/15/2008 @ 3:28pm

    Well, that explains some of it.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/15/2008 @ 9:09pm

35. How's this for some racism? White people fucking suck.

    Posted by madlib at 08/15/2008 @ 3:32pm

    And that explains the rest of it.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/15/2008 @ 9:11pm

36. Posted by lvliberty1 at 08/15/2008 @ 5:27pm

    No, it's not "fine", Larry.

    But we're helpless to DO anything worthwhile about it, since Dubya destroyed our credibility, ties to the international community, and lost all support at home for his foreign policy.

    BTW, what is YOUR answer to the Georgia/Russia situation? "3-5 nukes would send a message"?

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/15/2008 @ 10:04pm

37. I'll be glad when Obama's president so we can finally end all this "war" business.

    The Russian military against Obama's speaking skills...no competition...Obama wins every time...

    Posted by bleedingheart at 08/15/2008 @ 10:29pm

38. Maybe Mcwars thought they were talking about Georgia, USA.This is a disgusting political act by the Mcwars campaign.The old man has not got a clue to who, what, when and where this is going,he must must have been asleep at the wheel on this one.As for the Shrub telling the Russians to retreat and go home,they are saying what are you going to do if we don`t?What a joke this whole set up is,and the people of Georgia get screwed, blued and tatooed.This is the October suprise and it backfired on the neocons and old man Johnny Mcwars campaign.These guys are out of touch with America and haven`t got a clue that we are tired of their warmongering and fearmongering.

    Posted by ams@50 at 08/16/2008 @ 01:21am

39. Just think ..... the neocons start a war in Georgia and a Bigfoot is discovered in the same week!!!

    What a country!

    Now, if we could only find the remote controls those damn rightwingers were flying the 9-11 planes with.

    Posted by bleedingheart at 08/16/2008 @ 06:11am

40. "We should start by ensuring that the G-8, the group of eight highly industrialized states, becomes again a club of leading market democracies: it should include Brazil and India but exclude Russia. Rather than tolerate Russia's nuclear blackmail or cyber attacks, Western nations should make clear that the solidarity of NATO, from the Baltic to the Black Sea, is indivisible and that the organization's doors remain open to all democracies committed to the defense of freedom."

    John McCain's statement was dead on correct as what should be our foreign policy on both the G-8 and Russia's new attempts to expand into neighboring countries.

    Yet Nichols showing his preference for "Mother Russia" has very different conclusion:

    "John McCain ought not be taken seriously, by Georgians... or Americans.

    When he is, the world becomes a very dangerous place."

    It is Russia, Mr Nichols (and you those of you on the left like Zero who are supporting Russia's aggression) that is making the world dangerous.

    Posted by lvliberty1 at 08/16/2008 @ 12:05pm

41. But we're helpless to DO anything worthwhile about it, since Dubya destroyed our credibility, ties to the international community, and lost all support at home for his foreign policy.

    BTW, what is YOUR answer to the Georgia/Russia situation? "3-5 nukes would send a message"?

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/15/2008 @ 10:04pm

    First of all to say "we're helpless" simply portrays a stereotypical liberal attitude and I am surprised you would make such a statement. Liberal as you are, I didn't think you had crossed that far over.

    It is also pure hyperbole to suggest that "we no longer have ties to the international community".

    BTW, as usual, the UN is completely absent from this outrage committed against the Georgians. Is it any wonder that the US is left to take up the cause of others because of the moral vacuum that constitutes the UN.

    My answer is a special session of NATO with a proposed resolution announcing NATO's support of Georgia and an offer of assistance in emergency aid. I would stage a NATO Naval force excursion into the port city of Batumi as a message to the Russians.

    I would also use Sec Rice to pressure the EU (of which Georgia is officially scheduled to join next year) to take a stand in support of Georgia.

    It is imperative that Russia and especially Putin be put on notice that their attempts to re-establish a new Soviet style empire will not be tolerated the way they were allowed to in the 1940's and into the 1950's.

    Posted by lvliberty1 at 08/16/2008 @ 12:31pm

42. two years, ten months, and twelve days.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/17/2008 @ 12:27am