Tin foil time...Are the Republicans trying to create an incident with Russia before the election?

[Godhumor]

Reading the news, the polls, and listening to the various talking heads, I am convinced that the Republicans believe the best way to stay in power is to play to their perceived "strength" in foreign affairs. I absolutely would not put it past the GOP to cause an incident that "only McCain can fix" before the election in a last ditch effort to secure another four years.

I find it a sad statement that I now believe one of the two major political parties is capable of this kind of gross act, but the last 8 years have taught me to expect anything and everything from the republicans. I will say my BS meter will be off the charts if there is a sudden marked increase in tension with Russia in the month before the election.

[grasswire]

1. you have to ask?

I would say that it's a possibility, given our long-standing assumption that Pugs will play the fear card in order to steal the election.

[Parche]

2. Wouldnt It Be Ironic

If they were doing this, and Russia really did get pissed, and launched real nukes at us?

:grr: :hi:

[beac]

4. One of Putin's advisors has already called out Cheney on

sending his aide to Georgia before the start of the "war":

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/96544/why_was_cheney's_aide_in_georgia_before_the_war/

[cliffordu]

3. Expect it.

[MadrasT]

5. This is my biggest fear right now.

It certainly looks like all the pieces are falling into place. Call me a tinfoiler if you wish... but I wouldn't put anything past the neo-con-artists.

[Prefer]

6. part of the "Regan Revival" aspect of the McCain sales job

The return of "the evil empire" to replace the "axis of evil"

[Godhumor]

8. A co-worker of mine, a jingiostic libertarian, has been hoping for a new cold war

He feels we need a concrete enemy to ensure that the US unites and accepts stronger security guidelines. He has been increasingly giddy coming into work these past 2 weeks and keeps saying, "It's going to happen! It's going to happen!"

He's not high on my list of likable coworkers.

[MadrasT]

9. OK, that is just vile

:puke: You have my sympathy.

[Godhumor]

11. The only thing I get along with him on is he hates McCain almost as much as I do

The difference is he believes McCain's not strong enough to run this country as a virtual dictatorship.

[FLAprogressive]

10. Why would a libertarian want "stronger security guidelines"? n/

[Godhumor]

12. He's a flake.

He wants no government except he supports a military state, which is why I went with jingoistic libertarian. Frankly, I think he's a fascist, but he calls himself a libertarian.

[FLAprogressive]

18. funny because those two are almost polar opposites

unless he means a military state controlled by a private army of corporations....lol

[yardwork]

7. Actually, I think the situation with Russia is a result of * incompetence.

Yes, I think the Rethugs wanted an October surprise but I don't think that this is what they had in mind.

As far as I can tell, this situation with Russia and Georgia is a result of total and complete incompetence on the part of bush, cheney, and rice. They appear to have encouraged Georgia to taunt Russia without realizing that Russia would respond with force. Now they've triggered a potential disaster in eastern Europe.

[valerief]

13. You can't have martial law without an incident, silly! nt

[no_hypocrisy]

14. Well, if they had succeeded already, they wouldn't have to keep trying.

[Breeze54]

15. No tin foil hat needed by you but a dunce cap IS needed by those that don't get that!

:grr:

[12string]

16. incident

I have the feeling they don't intend to have an election at all.An incident with Russia could be the reason they need to invoke P.D.51.

[JDPriestly]

17. I don't see anything tin foil about it.

And the Russians are falling for it, hook, line and sinker.

It is possible that the Georgia affair is a cover for plans for Iran. Now that's tin foil, but that the Bush administration is trying to distract from the economy by stirring the pot in Georgia/Ossetia/Russia? No question.

Ossetia separated in 1991-92. Russia has apparently been in there "keeping the peace" (?) since then or at least not just recently. A series of GOPers from Rove to Rice to Cheney's aides have visited in the past couple of months. And then Georgia bombs Ossetia. The German newspapers reported that Georgia attacked first (this time around). They need a real peacekeeping force, not containing Russians, in Ossetia, but beyond that, after 16-17 years, seems Ossetia has pretty well established its independence. Georgians in Ossetia need protection, and the deal is done.

I think that the Europeans are getting involved in this in a positive way, so I think that the excitement will soon be over and the dispute resolved at least for the moment until the election. If not, then the Russians are big fools. They should simply leave Ossetia and put a mixture of peacekeepers from neutral countries in there to protect the Georgians in Ossetia.

[gratuitous]

19. They're on their own 2 with time for only one more play

Might as well launch a Hail Mary and hope for a "touchdown." It's not like they're facing anything other than lottery odds of getting hit by the fallout of the murderous war they're hoping to launch.

[Odin2005]

20. No.

If it was a Democratic administration dong this I would have absolutely no problem with our actions so for. The main thing that ticks me off is the hypocrisy of the Bushies.

To assume that this is all a neo-con scheme is stupidly Americo-centric.

[Eurobabe]

21. Ordinary people in Europe think so n/t

[DFW]

22. Entering into yet ANOTHER conflict is hardly a show of strength

Especially if it puts American forces staring down Russian forces with guns drawn.

This could end very badly, and both Rice and Putin know it. Ain't gonna happen.