tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post384410731669293163..comments2024-03-22T05:20:44.167-07:00Comments on The Disaffected Lib: McCain's Spin CycleThe Mound of Soundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-23955848266625728512008-08-13T13:48:00.000-07:002008-08-13T13:48:00.000-07:00Who will defend New Europe? How about New Europe?...Who will defend New Europe? How about New Europe? Is Russian aggression a real threat or have we all moved well past that? I think we may have as much or more to gain from engaging Russia and integrating the state and its economy in with the West just as much as feasible. Keep your friends close... <BR/><BR/>I think we need to be most concerned about containment/encirclement measures that may drive Russia into a more dangerous alliance with China. The more distance we can keep between those two the better.<BR/><BR/>No one has ever lost by taking the realistic measure of a potential adversary. Exaggerating a threat can be as damaging as underestimating it. <BR/><BR/>Russia has a hard-earned suspicion, even paranoia, about the West. Like any rising power it has a natural sphere of influence and can be expected to respond to intrusions in that sphere by other powers with demonstrated imperial aspirations.<BR/><BR/>Bringing NATO to Russia's doorstep is a blatant provocation and probably accomplishes little for us while it costs us a great deal in stability in the Caucasus and Balkans.<BR/><BR/>Now, unless somebody comes up with a way to make Russia disappear, we have to find common ground on which we can co-exist productively.The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-22957795126317637912008-08-13T10:58:00.000-07:002008-08-13T10:58:00.000-07:00Who will defend New Europe, Mound? David Cameron? ...Who will defend New Europe, Mound? David Cameron? David Miliband? Stephane Dion? Bob Rae? <BR/><BR/>What can NATO do to prevent Russia from encroaching in the Baltics or the Transdinestra? Fragile democracies need reassurances.<BR/><BR/>My ideas are going to be different from Oldtool. Not sure if you will agree. First priority now is to enhance the pan-European capabilities of NATO by welcoming the Swedes and the Finns. The second is to have a more active Canadian role in defending New Europe. Forget Afghanistan, common values mean that the defence of New Europe should be paramount to Canada's foreign policy.<BR/><BR/>Other than that maybe a Patriot missile battery in the Queen Charlotte Islands may be necessary. Who will defend Canada from China, Russia, and North Korea if NORAD and the US is so unreliable?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-76387175065488025642008-08-13T09:44:00.000-07:002008-08-13T09:44:00.000-07:00Jeebus OldStool, like all rightwing nutjobs you're...Jeebus OldStool, like all rightwing nutjobs you're spinning yourself into a heap. Got any ideas? I mean real ideas. Something beyond dismissing Putin as a "crazed little KGB despot." You're such a silly little man.The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-43072361051594708422008-08-13T09:30:00.000-07:002008-08-13T09:30:00.000-07:00And what will your Euro friends do now that they a...And what will your Euro friends do now that they are attached to the Russian pipelines. The crazed little KGB despot is only beginning to force the will of mother Russia on the continent. You, being a staunch marxist will of course applaud!!!<BR/>NObody talks about the oil pipeline in Georgia . . . could it be that the Ruskies are there for the OIL? Just like Bush . . . except the Iraquies are getting rich with their oil . . . you said Bush took it . . . soooo nuts!!!Oldschoolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13090598978543658398noreply@blogger.com