Obama's lead in the polls is now down from a 8% lead to 5% lead, mainly because of recent geopolitical events. It seems the rationale for a narrow McCain-win is getting stronger. If Obama does not include someone like General Wesley Clark in his planned government, he is going to lose in my opinion. If he includes someone like Joe Biden, he will lose for sure - and it will be a horrible sign anyways for the rest of the world. Obama needs to strongly focus on improved economic stability, conditions and resolve - while also including a strong message about unity with allies, as well as opportunity for world economic expansion to further stimulate US growth - albeit some change is needed in the US to adapt to a more prosperous world. Too many warmongers are crawling out of the woodwork right now, and they need to have the spotlight on them to stem the tide of inducing fear into the population.
You're talking about the supporters of the Russian invasion I suppose. Hey, don't worry, they are not McCain's voters. Although it's quite obvious that america-hating Putin-loving crowd which once again is rearing its ugly head do scare the shit out of normal people and push a significant number of the undecided and conservative dems into the McCain camp.
This thing with Russia might actually give McCain the presidency, he should drop the ridiculous war on terror illusion and run on the very real danger that the growing Russian influence actually brings. I've been saying Obama should pick Wesley Clark as running mate for a year now, and I really don't get why he's not on anybodies shortlist any more. He parks McCains relatively limited military experience, he didn't like the Iraq war, he's not a Washington hawk, he's strong, articulated, rational and people respect him. I don't understand how anyone can prefer someone like Joe Biden to this guy. Clinton could be very valuable because of her 18 mill. supporters, but Biden!? Heck, I'd even prefer Clark as President with Obama as running mate. Let's hope he at least gets secretary of state or defense if the dems prevail. With this Russia situation, he'd be more valuable than ever. EDIT: the very latest polls actually shows McCain beating Obama for the first time, most definitely due to these latest geopolitical issues: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation...the_United_States_presidential_election,_2008
Yes, the times Clark has been in the running for being the democratic candidate, I have always been utterly perplexed why the US public do not see the personal integrity and intelligence that Clark embodies. He always comes across as very articulate as well, and he has a great education background with an outstanding professional career. There must be something in the water over there that makes people a bit different. Anyways, I hope the Obama camp takes to their senses and see what an incredible asset Clark is.
Interestingly, Vladimir Putin also notes the fortunate coincidence of the Georgia conflict to an ailing McCain campaign. There is no doubt there were some very interesting and realistic geopolitical rewards easily identifiable prior to the Georgia conflict. A republican election push was just one of these rewards. I don't think Russia will help the democrats in any way by how they are behaving, but that Russia has identified secondary strategies or taking a tough stance - depends on how one sees it. I also think that McCain will win the election, since most of the media is structurally geared towards covering conflict by exaggerating the newsworthy weight and seriousness, thereby tilting public perceptions and inducing fears into the population by how they cover stories without asking challenging questions or seeking any sorts of balance with any opposing arguments. The fundamental doubt in the back of the mind of the US population will feed a strong swing for someone who will be defiant, confrontational, assertive and "die fighting". That fits the neo-con bill so perfectly, so I don't think McCain can lose - no matter what state the economy is in - security first, right?
Well, the Palin selection certainly was a surprising toss into the mix of events... Now the OSCE has prepared a report after doing extensive investigation in the area, a report that is highly critical of the Georgia leadership and showing how Georgia had detailed planning on attacking civilians in the break-away regions before executing these attacks in early august. So, I guess the cat is out of the bag now, and it was as obvious as it seemed all along... Also, Russian defence minister Lavrov had talks with German and British counterparts and agreed to scale down tensions and rhetoric about non-realistic threat levels. I guess this whole affair is blowing up in the face for those who were looking for maximum rewards and damage. The damage is still done to public opinion of course, the region is destabilized and the missile defence system was speedily accepted on this premise. Now it remains to see how it will get spun in the extended political game - specifically the US election and it's aftermath. Also, I hope this is the start of the definitive end of Saakashvili. I actually was exchanging viewpoints with some representatives of the political opposition (republican party there) in Georgia during the conflict, and although they were supportive of their struggle in this, they also were aware of the problems with Saakashvili and his government's connections to foreign interests.
Like I pointed out earlier in this thread... South Ossetia now wants to join Russia - the only natural, reasonable choice they have as a weak ethnic minority who can not trust the rest Georgia and especially the government of Saakashvili. The leader of South Ossetia said Thursday that the breakaway Georgian region intends to become part of Russia, news agencies reported. Eduard Kokoity's comments -- to a group of Western foreign policy experts meeting in the Russian Black Sea city of Sochi -- are the latest confirmation of the tiny region's long-standing efforts to move permanently out of Georgian government control. "Yes, certainly, we will become part of Russia," Kokoity was quoted as saying by Interfax, "and we are not going to make some independent Ossetia, because our ancestors made this choice, and this is how it happened historically." http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/09/11/sossetia.russia.ap/index.html When one applies natural deduction, reason and systems science - it is actually possible to make some sense...
Two Russian bombers have landed at a Venezuelan airfield where they will carry out training flights for several days, the Russian defense ministry said Wednesday. The Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers landed at Venezuela's Libertador military airfield and "will spend several days carrying out training flights over neutral waters, after which they will return to the base," the ministry added. On Monday, Russia announced it might hold joint naval maneuvers with Venezuela in the Caribbean. http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/09/11/russia.venezuela/index.html Russia announced Monday it might hold joint military maneuvers with Venezuela in the Caribbean, and the United States said it is scrapping a once ballyhooed deal with Moscow on nuclear technology. President Hugo Chavez says Venezuela is ready to receive Russian ships by November or December. The declarations come in the wake of increased tension between Russia and the United States over Russia's invasion last month of the former Soviet republic of Georgia, a U.S. ally that aspires to join NATO. Russian ships will make a port of call in Venezuela later this year and the two nations could hold joint naval exercises for the first time, both sides said. http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/09/08/russia.venezuela/index.html Polls in the US are showing that fears of terrorism now are at a low after 2001/9/11 ... I guess that is one reason giving thought to why we might be seeing more destabilizing unrest and some insurrections nowadays etc... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_fear Venezuela already has had the highest military build-up in the region... War-games in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean - kind of interesting... Maybe more-long term naval presence by Russia? Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, US Admiral Michael Mullen said in a congress hearing yesterday: "We can't kill our way to victory, and no armed force anywhere -- no matter how good -- can deliver these keys alone. It requires teamwork and cooperation." Maybe the US reconsiders militarism, unilateralism, foreign interventionism and realize they are fighting asymmetrically. Not exactly the way to "win the hearts and minds"... They are certainly shifting troop presence - can't have "everything", I guess... You push hard enough you get a reaction - at least I like to think so.
sameeh55, hehe, I see myself as observing and commenting on what seems reasonable to be happening in all the camps involved with the Georgia conflict. I like reasoning, while using proper scale to scrutiny realistic motives for actions and possible calculated reactions in conflict. I guess I played a lot of tabletop military games, like the "Fire in the east" campaign with 11 000 pieces... hehe. Now I like Shogi - "japanese chess" and even participated founding a national association for Shogi some years ago... Used to read the NATO surveillance reports while a communications operator - for hours, because I was interested in all the newest gadgets, strategies etc. Point is - I like geopolitical theory, "wargames" and forecasting, deduction systems, system dynamics etc. It's good exercise to stay informed and not just a couch-potato when it comes to using the brain...