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That is a bit of a problem with the approach, but the Russians are sort of short of options here ... and maybe the Polish and Czech governments could have a think what a targeted departure from the CFE would mean for their borders ...

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 05:10:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Oh, they'll just ask the US to deploy troops on their soil.

"It's the statue, man, The Statue."

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 05:18:01 AM EST
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Probably.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 05:20:35 AM EST
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Luckily, most U.S. troops are tied up at the moment.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 05:22:29 AM EST
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Unluckily, there is always the draft.

"It's the statue, man, The Statue."

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 05:39:35 AM EST
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And Congress is trying to untie them as we speak.

"It's the statue, man, The Statue."

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 05:39:59 AM EST
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I don't think so. George W. Bush is on his last legs now. And I think if he tries to do something crazy, like bomb Iran, Robert Gates, who was put there by Poppy Bush and Carlyle to babysit W, will stop him.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 05:45:12 AM EST
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W is a symptom, not the disease. See you in 5 years.

"It's the statue, man, The Statue."

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 06:01:37 AM EST
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Sadly, you're right.

Reading this put the Obama creep factor over the top for me. Even allowing for the Overton Window in the US, this is a right wing position, sketched out by someone who either doesn't understand the last fifty years of foreign policy at all, or is playing to the mil-ind complex to reassure them that he's not going to take their toys and profits away.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 06:25:52 AM EST
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Sounds just like his 2004 convention speech: America is the last best hope of mankind, which is what any US politician must say in a foreign policy speech.

What does Obama actually stand for? Has he said anything surprising?

"It's the statue, man, The Statue."

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 06:32:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bear with a sore head. (4.00 / 3)

No - but he did have a dig at the whole of dKos for, er, not saying anything surprising.

I don't think Obama likes real surprises.

My guess is that he's someone who knows how to display the local cultural signifiers of leadership without knowing how to do any actual leading. This is the only explanation I can think of for his popularity.

He's a lot like Bush from that point of view. And Blair too, more or less.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 06:53:09 AM EST
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Has he said anything surprising?
No - but he did have a dig at the whole of dKos for, er, not saying anything surprising.

I mean ever, not in his latest speech.

"It's the statue, man, The Statue."

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 07:01:10 AM EST
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He's not related to David Cameron, by any chance?

There appears to be the same amount of substance in both.

"The future is already here -- it's just not very evenly distributed" William Gibson

by ChrisCook (cojockathotmaildotcom) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 07:47:02 AM EST
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That Cameron - he seems like such a nice man.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 07:49:05 AM EST
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Even allowing for the Overton Window in the US, this is a right wing position, sketched out by someone who either doesn't understand the last fifty years of foreign policy at all, or

Wikipedia: Obama's early life and career

After graduating from Punahou, Obama studied at Occidental College for two years, then transferred to Columbia University, where he majored in political science with a specialization in international relations.

or is playing to the mil-ind complex to reassure them that he's not going to take their toys and profits away.

He probably knows he needs to pander to the Military-Industrial complex if he wants to look presidential and (more importantly) be allowed to win.

"It's the statue, man, The Statue."

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 08:07:57 AM EST
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Hicks

I have this feeling that whoever's elected president [...] when you win, you go into this smoky room with the twelve industrialist, capitalist scumfucks that got you in there, and this little screen comes down... and it's a shot of the Kennedy assassination from an angle you've never seen before, which looks suspiciously off the grassy knoll.... And then the screen comes up, the lights come on, and they say to the new president, 'Any questions?' ...

[President]: 'Just what my agenda is.'"

Don't fight forces, use them R. Buckminster Fuller.

by rg (leopold dot lepster at google mail dot com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 08:45:38 AM EST
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Oh, no, it's easier than that. The agenda is internalised and if you haven't you won't be allowed to win, the media will destroy your campaign.

"It's the statue, man, The Statue."

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 08:52:05 AM EST
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I always thought expanding NATO to the East was insane. When Madeline Albright proposed it I thought, "Hey Madeline, why you want to fuck with the Big Bear? Especially a bear that plays chess very well."

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 05:28:26 AM EST
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Convincing the countries of the former Eastern bloc that NATO membership was a co-requisite of EU membership must count as one of the most successful misinformation camapigns of European history. However, it has been used successfully on other countries such as Spain and Portugal, I think.

For some reason, Ireland and Finland have been immune to this.

"It's the statue, man, The Statue."

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 05:32:50 AM EST
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Ireland wouldn't sign on for a military alliance that included the UK. At this stage military neutrality has become an article of faith here.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 05:34:56 AM EST
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After Bush II, I wonder why anyone would still want to be part of a military alliance that includes the US.

But, even on this front, Bush is just a symptom, not the disease. That's what Atlanticists have a hard time realising.

"It's the statue, man, The Statue."

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 05:37:43 AM EST
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Oh, really? So if Putin or Ahmadinejad wanted to fly their captives through Shannon to be tortured, the Irish would let them?

Interesting concept of "neutrality"!

by Matt in NYC on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 08:06:54 AM EST
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WTF?

"It's the statue, man, The Statue."

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 08:08:43 AM EST
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What I'm saying: the CIA certainly doesn't think of Ireland as a "neutral" country.

by Matt in NYC on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 08:24:36 AM EST
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Probably, if the price was right. Putin, no problem. Ahmadinejad maybe.

Aeroflot always operated through Shannon.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 08:13:22 AM EST
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At least the Russians would stop for a drink.....

"The future is already here -- it's just not very evenly distributed" William Gibson

by ChrisCook (cojockathotmaildotcom) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 08:15:03 AM EST
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Oh, it was always neutral against the Commies, but that's another matter.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 08:16:04 AM EST
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Finland waits for new EU treaty before NATO membership review.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 at 06:10:11 AM EST
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