Rob already treated us this morning to the must-see video of Chris Matthews excoriated Mitt Romney in 2012 for suggesting that Russia could be a problem. That is good TV. But there was an even wiser Republican sage who foresaw as early as 2008 that Vladimir Putin might take Barack Obama's weakness as a cue to invade Ukraine. Who was this respected foreign policy mind?
Someone who not only can see Russia, but can understand it - a heck of a lot better than Obama does at any rate:
While Secretary of State John Kerry yammers on about Russia violating the Helsinki accords and whatever else, Putin just steamrolls into Crimea with no real concern about anything the U.S. might do. We understand that Obama had an extended conversation with Putin over the last couple of days, and it appears that Obama drew another red line that doesn’t mean anything in international circles.
Dan’s piece earlier this morning went into some detail about the comments of Mike Rogers (as well as embedding the video) from his appearance on Fox News Sunday yesterday. Rogers laid out some actual strategic options we could exercise at this point, but he was also clear about the fact that we don’t have a lot of leverage because Obama gave it away early in his presidency.
It goes all the way back to when Obama cancelled the strategic defense systems in Poland and the Czech Republic. What did he get from Putin for doing that? Absolutely nothing. As a result, we are left with very little leverage to help the people of Ukraine, which we made a commitment to do many years ago, and now we’re in no position to do it.
And now, exactly as Palin indicated, Obama is reacting with indecision and moral equivalence.
For those of you worried that we will be sucked into another war, don’t worry. We don’t have enough troops around the world even if it was the right thing to do, which it’s not.
I agree with Dan that there is nothing to admire about Putin. He is a thug. But you have to have enough respect for your adversary – which is not the same thing as admiration – to be prepared for the challenge he poses to you. Here, Obama has failed miserably. Putin has been playing this chess game with Obama from the beginning, and Obama hasn’t made a single gain throughout the game.
And I still can’t get over the fact that the people who found the prospect of a President Palin absolutely horrifying thought it was a terrific idea to put Barack Obama in the White House. As Palin might say, "How's that workin' out for ya?"
