The American Spectator

Reader Mail

Primetime McCain

8.19.08 @ 12:01AM

(Page 4 of 5)

Any complaints about the Russians not keeping their agreements and the French and Germans being gutless and useless, and there will be plenty of these indeed, will fall in a heap unless America puts its own money where its own mouth is and stands by an ally when the chips are down. The Russians have never been trustworthy and the French and Germans have always been gutless and these factors should have been taken into account years ago. Being surprised about them now doesn't indicate either the workings of a gigantic intelligence or the convictions of a great moral force.

The Russians have bought American foreign policy crashing down around the ears of the Bush administration and their response has been so gutless and inept that it is downright horrifying. If Bush and Condi Rice had even a shred of dignity then they would hang their heads in shame over how they have mismanaged this one. They couldn't have done worse if they had tried. Jimmy Carter was never as bad as this and he was only on the job for four years -- Bush and Rice have had eight years to get their game sorted out and they still look like a bunch of pathetic losers who came down in the last shower.

With apologies to Winston Churchill, never in the history of human endeavor have so many owed so little to so few. Unless some very simple fundamental truths are confronted about the value of alliances and the responsibilities that they involve then the free world is in for a very rocky time ahead.
-- Christopher Holland
Canberra, Australia

Mr. Wittman has a very good explanation for the current actions of the Russian in Georgia. They aims are much more grandiose, however.

It is true that the Russians are sending a message to both their former constituent states and to the West. That message is slightly different for both groups. For the states of Georgia, Ukraine, Estonia, et al, it is that they will be re-absorbed into the Russian Empire, aka the Russian Federation. To the West, specifically the United States, it is that the New Russia will not allow U.S. influence in its former client states and satellites.

The invasion of Georgia was done largely to gauge U.S. reaction to forced Russian annexation of former territory. That process is still underway. Moscow, that is Vladimir Putin, is still unsure of exactly how far the U.S. will commit itself to Georgia. If Russian forces begin to withdraw from undisputed Georgian territory then it means that Moscow does not feel comfortable in assuming a minor response from the U.S. If they do not withdraw, then the ball will be in the American's court. Europe is a non-starter in this contest. If the U.S. does not present a strong, determined response including some military muscle, then Russia will continue its efforts to consolidate its former Empirical borders. The signal was clearly sent that Russia intends to stifle U.S. influence in its back yard and to reclaim its former territory.

Now, the Russians are engaged in a dangerous game. They view the U.S. as the principle impediment to their future goals. This may be true, now. But in the long run, they face a much graver danger from their neighbor to the east, the People's Republic of China; which is looking to expand and will very likely find the partial vacuum created in Russia's eastern provinces very attractive. Also, they may have misjudged the response of their former client states, who apparently haven't forgotten Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Russia may find itself facing a far more intractable defensive alliance than NATO.

Look for more Russian activities designed to thwart U.S. interests, including additional military assistance to Iran and others in the Middle East.
-- Michael Tobias

RED RISHAWN
Re: RiShawn Biddle's Justice Daleyed:

RiShawn Biddle says, "Nanny state behavior on the urban level is often tolerated if the streets are clean, neighborhoods are safe, and government is efficient and free of widespread corruption." Translation: government can trample on individual rights as long as it provides a reasonable degree of safety, efficiency, cleanliness and honesty.

Well said, Comrade Biddle.
-- Arnold Ahlert
Boca Raton, Florida

FAULTY ASSUMPTIONS
Re: John Samples' Four More Lies:

Point 3 in Mr. Samples' article assumes the man-made globaloney warming is correct. No, it is not correct -- as can be seen from documents signed by over 31,000 scientists and professionals and whose number is growing daily (see Internet for "Oregon Petition" and "Manhattan Declaration"). This largest of all scams in the history of mankind perpetrated upon us should be denounced by all politicians seeking to win the forthcoming elections. The "environmentalists" scam on DDT has so far caused deaths by malaria of over 100 million people -- mostly children and mostly in Africa; that crime surpasses the crimes of each of the 20th century monsters -- Hitler, Stalin, Mao. DDT has been banned now for over 30 years, as being non-biodegradable and killing fish and birds. Research has shown that it is biodegradable and that it has killed no bird and no fish, and that is still the only efficient way to kill malaria-carrying mosquitoes. The globaloney warming scam will probably kill most of us.
-- Marc Jeric
Las Vegas, Nevada

BACK IN MY DAY
RE: R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.'s In Michael Phelps' Skin:

In the '60s I was involved with Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) racing. This was a mix of MGs, Triumphs, Lotii, Fiats, and various and sundry, Ferraris, Maseratis, Porches. It was a fun time and everyone enjoyed the races and the camaraderie. The rich guys had the Maseratis and the poor guys drove the Austin-Healey Sprites. Since the whole game was divided into classes the competition was fairly balanced and the best drivers won. But pretty soon even the rich guys with Ferraris couldn't win all the time and they got their mechanics to stuff bigger and bigger USA V-8 engines under the hood, and they still couldn't win. The point being that the skillful driver with consistent and fair enforceable rules could beat the dollars and technology.

Letter to the Editor

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