Russian Imperialism and the Election
Lee on Aug 16 2008 at 11:18 am | Filed under: Election 2008, Foreign affairs, Lee's Page
(photo: Chris Dunn)
John Bolton argues that the future of Russian imperialism in Eurasia rides on the outcome of the US presidential election. Unsurprisingly, he pitches McCain: “First reactions, before the campaigns’ pollsters and consultants get involved are always the best indicators…McCain at once grasped the larger, geostrategic significance of Russia’s attack.”
That’s evidently a sentiment shared by the American electorate.
I myself would agree that McCain’s uncompromising solidarity with Georgia was a powerful and largely singular political moment. Obama, saddled with a platform architecture ill-suited for confronting Russian revanchism, was perhaps unavoidably slow in repositioning. Over time it seems that Obama has adopted a more suitable attitude of resistance to Russian designs…but was it the suddenly unflattering contrast with his opponent which drove him to that?
Thus I find myself again wondering to what extent Obama’s good centrist positions are politically reactive, and who would supply that initial push for him when he is in office with a comfortable party majority in both houses of congress. It’s almost as if you need an oppositional congress with an Obama presidency, in order to exert pressure on him politically in certain areas of significance (perhaps particularly on foreign policy). Since that seems unobtainable this year, it’s a matter for some concern.
While Americans don’t tend to tolerate undivided government for very long, even two years would be a long time to wait given the momentum of events in Eurasia.
Sphere: Related Content
