The Candidates and Russia
Boston.com has an article outlining the two candidates’ positions on Russia. The article is quick to point out McCain’s more confrontational style while accentuating Obama’s nuance.
This article is very insightful, but seemingly for the opposite reasons for which it was written. For all of the talk about Obama supporting multilateral diplomacy and cooperation, McCain is faulted for this:
McCain has been relentless in his anti-Moscow belligerence, harping especially on rapid NATO expansion to squeeze Russia, and even calling for its expulsion from the G-8, the consortium of leading industrial nations.
McCain’s plans to enlist more democratic allies of the United States is intended to counteract dictatorships and the rising influence of Russia. Obama supports a slower expansion of NATO, leaving states such as the Ukraine and Georgia without NATO protection. After the Ukraine and Georgia separately sent 2,000 forces each to Iraq, this is how we are to repay them?
Obama appears to be less pointed, and frankly less concerned about Russian expansionism. Again, experience and knowledge are keys to the future.
