[excon]

Hello again, El:

In fact, inflating your tires is a GOOD idea. It DOES save money and energy - something like $3 BILLION a year. I don't know. $3 billion sounds like a lot when it's FREE. McCain made fun of it, like you're doing here. But, of course, the Automobile Manufacturers Association agrees with Obama, as does the AAA and many many others. Interestingly enough, so does NASCAR - that bastion of red neckedness.

However, that isn't the total of his plan. You misquote Obama. Don't surprise me none. When you don't have an argument, fib. O'Reilly and you do it will.

Really, Obama supports nuclear energy. Did you forget that? Or doesn't it fit?

Next, given that Georgia precipitated the attack, Obama's response was the more reasonable. My initial response was to get bad with the Ruskies, too. I've got a temper. But, it's a good thing I'm not running things, nor McCain either. Fortunately, cooler heads, like Obamas prevailed. Because after it was sorted out, we find that the Georgians DID provoke the Ruskies, No?

I suspect you'll ignore that fact too, cause it don't fit either.

excon

[Skell]

On foreign policy:
When Russia invaded Georgia, Obama said: “I strongly condemn the outbreak of violence in Georgia, and urge an immediate end to armed conflict. Now is the time for Georgia and Russia to show restraint, and to avoid an escalation to full scale war. Georgia’s territorial integrity must be respected. All sides should enter into direct talks on behalf of stability in Georgia, and the United States, the United Nations Security Council, and the international community should fully support a peaceful resolution to this crisis.”

(This is just a fancy way of saying "Can't we all just get along? Can't we just be friends?")

By contrast, McCain said: "[T]he news reports indicate that Russian military forces crossed an internationally recognized border into the sovereign territory of Georgia. Russia should immediately and unconditionally cease its military operations and withdraw all forces from sovereign Georgian territory. What is most critical now is to avoid further confrontation between Russian and Georgian military forces. The consequences of Euro-Atlantic stability and security are grave. The government of Georgia has called for a ceasefire and for a resumption of direct talks on South Ossetia with international mediators. The U.S. should immediately convene an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council to call on Russia to reverse course. The U.S. should immediately work with the EU and the OSCE to put diplomatic pressure on Russia to reverse this perilous course that it has chosen. I repeat, the government of Georgia has called for a ceasefire and for a resumption of direct talks on South Ossetia with international mediators. The United States should immediately convene an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council and to call on Russia to reverse course. The U.S. should immediately work with the EU and the OSCE to put diplomatic pressure on Russia to reverse this perilous course that it has chosen. We should immediately call a meeting of the North Atlantic Council to asses Georgia's security and review measures NATO can take to contribute to stabilizing this very dangerous situation. Finally, the international community needs to establish a truly independent and neutral peacekeeping force in South Ossetia."

(This basically means that the US should use it's political and economic pressure, and the European community should join in, in order to pressure the Russians to back off. If Russia refuses to do so, they will be marginalized from the rest of the world and will face economic and political consequences.)

Which of these seems to be a more competent response to you?

Elliot

Its no surprise you liked old maverick John "shoot from the replaced hip" McCain's response. Calmer folk including the rest of the world thought Obama's response was what they liked.