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DEL.ICIO.USThe ball that Sam Nunn started rolling
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Russian invasion of Georgia has set the table for foreign policy to become a dominant issue in the coming fall presidential campaign.
But the question is not what to do about Georgia. The heart of the matter is how Barack Obama and John McCain view Russia. And, if you listen to Sam Nunn, whether either candidate has studied up on the origins of World War I.
The former state-of-Georgia senator, in this space, started much of the discussion on Monday.
Others have dipped in since. Richard Cohen of the Washington Post on Tuesday. Today, it’s Tom Friedman for the New York Times and Michael Gerson, again in the Post.
One of the key points is whether NATO should grant membership, and the protection that comes with it, to the invaded Georgia and now-jittery Ukraine, both former Soviet territories that now shave away Russia’s access to the Black Sea.
McCain very quickly has sided with the Bush administration, which has pushed for the acceptance of Ukraine and Georgia into Europe’s self-protection pact.
Last week, McCain said this:
“I think we should take up their so-called [Membership Action Plan] and move quickly. The question is …. will the other members of NATO agree with a rapid move toward membership by Ukraine and Georgia. I hope that they will. I believe they understand what’s at stake here.”
Nunn argues against this, as do many Old Europe members of NATO. “If we’re going to do that, we have to understand that this is a military commitment. And we have to back it up militarily,” he said Monday. Write no checks that you’re not willing to cash.
Obama has been more vague than McCain on this issue, but it’s clear that he is Nunn’s student on this. A spokeswoman for the Obama campaign pointed to an April statement by Obama, in which the Democratic presidential candidate reflected Nunn’s worries that a NATO that’s already diluted militarily shouldn’t neglect its top priority — fighting terrorism in Afghanistan.
Here’s what Obama said about membership by Ukraine and Georgia in NATO:
I welcome the desire and actions of these countries to seek closer ties with NATO and hope that NATO responds favorably to their request, consistent with its criteria for membership. Whether Ukraine and Georgia ultimately join NATO will be a decision for the members of the alliance and the citizens of those countries, after a period of open and democratic debate. But they should receive our help and encouragement as they continue to develop ties to Atlantic and European institutions.
Related to this is the Bush administration emphasis on extending a missile defense network into Eastern Europe. This is fresh from the Associated Press:
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her Polish counterpart signed a deal Wednesday to build a U.S. missile defense base in Poland, an agreement that prompted an infuriated Russia to warn of a possible attack against the former Soviet satellite.
Rice dismissed blustery comments from Russian leaders who say Warsaw’s hosting of 10 U.S. interceptor missiles just 115 miles from Russia’s westernmost frontier opens the country up to attack.
The position of the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates on this issue isn’t immediately clear, but Nunn is highly skeptical.
“Just in the last few days, there was an article in the paper that said we had given Poland military assurances beyond the NATO commitments,” Nunn said. “I don’t understand that one, and Congress needs to ask some real questions on this, because - if it’s accurate - we are basically committing to military action in instances that are rather unclear at this point.”
In the heat of campaign, neither nominee — certainly not Obama — can afford to be tagged as the soft-on-Russia candidate. But there should be some way to discuss, in rational fashion, what obligations come with the alliances we’re pursuing. And whether we’re prepared if that check is cashed.
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Comments
By Wren
August 20, 2008 8:59 PM | Link to this
Bush had Iraq.
McCain wants Russia.
Being that it’s our money and our soldiers, how about an American President instead?
Barack Obama ‘08
By Sam1234
August 20, 2008 9:25 PM | Link to this
Obama is a sleeper Muslim.
By Sam4321
August 20, 2008 11:57 PM | Link to this
I’m a sleeper cross-dresser who worships baby Jesus
By jonathan robins
August 21, 2008 4:13 PM | Link to this
for your info. grandpa morty