Comments on: Russia and Georgia, and wars cold and hot: the Kingdom of Earth http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:22:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: John Spragge http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82491 John Spragge Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:57:29 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82491 Any time I read about a bad policy coming from neo-conservatives, I have learned to look for one telling phrase: <a href="http://ohoe.blogspot.com/2008/08/bad-idea-makes-for-worse-policy.html" rel="nofollow">moral equivalence</a>, and spot on cue, it appears. In this case, users of this phrase manage to delude themselves about both the nature of international relations and their own national interests. Promoting, to the extent possible, respect for the rule of law in international relations makes sense for a country such as the United States, with a preference for small government and a record of commercial success. But the rule of law demands moral equality. We respect our own laws because they enshrine the principle of moral equivalence; if a respected and beloved physician intentionally shoots a crack dealer, the law calls it murder, just as much as when a crack dealer shoots a doctor. Nobody gets a free murder. So when the Bush Administration chose to invade Iraq without international sanction, it seriously undermined the rule of law. Absent the rule of law in international relations, nations secure their interests with power politics. But playing the game of power politics effectively also requires clear thinking, and power politics has its own set of checks and balances. If the Russians can't trust NATO to obey international law, it makes sense that having the alliance to expand right to their borders would threaten their interests in a way they would not accept. But the assumption of automatic moral superiority that a generation of sneers at "moral equivalencing" has engendered makes this kind of clear thought and prudence impossible. So no the Bush Administration finds itself in a truly unenviable position; having made a beginner's mistake in the game of power politics and gone a bridge too far in expanding the Western Alliance, they can hardly make a credible appeal to the concept of international law. The consequences of following a bad idea have bitten American policy makes where they sit down. Any time I read about a bad policy coming from neo-conservatives, I have learned to look for one telling phrase: moral equivalence, and spot on cue, it appears. In this case, users of this phrase manage to delude themselves about both the nature of international relations and their own national interests.

Promoting, to the extent possible, respect for the rule of law in international relations makes sense for a country such as the United States, with a preference for small government and a record of commercial success. But the rule of law demands moral equality. We respect our own laws because they enshrine the principle of moral equivalence; if a respected and beloved physician intentionally shoots a crack dealer, the law calls it murder, just as much as when a crack dealer shoots a doctor. Nobody gets a free murder. So when the Bush Administration chose to invade Iraq without international sanction, it seriously undermined the rule of law.

Absent the rule of law in international relations, nations secure their interests with power politics. But playing the game of power politics effectively also requires clear thinking, and power politics has its own set of checks and balances. If the Russians can’t trust NATO to obey international law, it makes sense that having the alliance to expand right to their borders would threaten their interests in a way they would not accept. But the assumption of automatic moral superiority that a generation of sneers at “moral equivalencing” has engendered makes this kind of clear thought and prudence impossible.

So no the Bush Administration finds itself in a truly unenviable position; having made a beginner’s mistake in the game of power politics and gone a bridge too far in expanding the Western Alliance, they can hardly make a credible appeal to the concept of international law. The consequences of following a bad idea have bitten American policy makes where they sit down.

]]> By: sergey http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82218 sergey Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:10:12 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82218 What I wrote previosly about Georgian national character, now ambly supported by American official working with Saakashili command: "These are the most romantic people in the world. They're very gallant, in the stupid sense," said Bruce P. Jackson, a close Bush administration ally who has worked extensively with Saakashvili and other leaders in the emerging democracies of the former Soviet bloc. "Do they really listen? They're very much 'the Charge of the Light Brigade' people. It has a lot to do with personal honor." With such allies, USA hardly needs enemies. What I wrote previosly about Georgian national character, now ambly supported by American official working with Saakashili command:
“These are the most romantic people in the world. They’re very gallant, in the stupid sense,” said Bruce P. Jackson, a close Bush administration ally who has worked extensively with Saakashvili and other leaders in the emerging democracies of the former Soviet bloc. “Do they really listen? They’re very much ‘the Charge of the Light Brigade’ people. It has a lot to do with personal honor.”
With such allies, USA hardly needs enemies.

]]> By: sergey http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82216 sergey Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:26:09 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82216 See also timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article4509624.ece At least, the author provides some historical context and understands fully an arbitrarness of including Abkhasia and Ossetia into Georgia by Stalin as trojan horses to keep Georgia under his rule. See also
timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article4509624.ece
At least, the author provides some historical context and understands fully an arbitrarness of including Abkhasia and Ossetia into Georgia by Stalin as trojan horses to keep Georgia under his rule.

]]> By: sergey http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82213 sergey Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:21:54 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82213 I was repeatedly asked to give some evidence from a "reliable source" that Tskhinval was actually flattened. See, first, "Battle of Tskhinvali" in Wiki; second, see timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article4493620.ece I was repeatedly asked to give some evidence from a “reliable source” that Tskhinval was actually flattened. See, first, “Battle of Tskhinvali” in Wiki; second, see
timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article4493620.ece

]]> By: Richard Aubrey http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82143 Richard Aubrey Mon, 18 Aug 2008 02:26:59 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82143 ymar. I think you're on to something. ymar.
I think you’re on to something.

]]> By: Ymarsakar http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82134 Ymarsakar Sun, 17 Aug 2008 22:15:12 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82134 <b>I see a difficulty there. You?</b> Fake liberals need allies to do their dirty work so that they can be expended like so many disposable cups. I see a difficulty there.
You?

Fake liberals need allies to do their dirty work so that they can be expended like so many disposable cups.

]]> By: Ymarsakar http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82133 Ymarsakar Sun, 17 Aug 2008 22:14:23 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82133 Your planet, nyo. Where else. Unless you can come up with an argument... I'm already resting and waiting for the light of illumination from you. Your planet, nyo. Where else.

Unless you can come up with an argument… I’m already resting and waiting for the light of illumination from you.

]]> By: Richard Aubrey http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82119 Richard Aubrey Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:49:10 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82119 Libs gave Bush a hard time for not having allies, despite there being allies galore. They lied. Surprise. Liberals always want to bail on allies. Liberals think we need allies. I see a difficulty there. You? Libs gave Bush a hard time for not having allies, despite there being allies galore. They lied. Surprise.
Liberals always want to bail on allies.
Liberals think we need allies.
I see a difficulty there.
You?

]]> By: nyomythus http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82055 nyomythus Fri, 15 Aug 2008 23:36:34 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82055 Ymar ... what planet? Give it a rest. Ymar … what planet? Give it a rest.

]]> By: Ymarsakar http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82052 Ymarsakar Fri, 15 Aug 2008 21:12:58 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/08/12/russia-and-georgia-and-wars-cold-and-hot-the-kingdom-of-earth/#comment-82052 Obama is a good example. When Democrats eradicate Christianity and religion from their public life, they think they are acting more rationally or responsibly or more intelligent. In reality, they are just pushing more power to people at the top, like Obama, who will make you do things that he wants you to do, whether you like it or not. Humans form pacts and hierarchies and social groups. A human bereft of a group seeks to belong to a group. A human that has no boundaries, limitations, discipline, and social structure will try to find a place or a person to belong to. Or they kill and suicide. Obama is a good example. When Democrats eradicate Christianity and religion from their public life, they think they are acting more rationally or responsibly or more intelligent. In reality, they are just pushing more power to people at the top, like Obama, who will make you do things that he wants you to do, whether you like it or not.

Humans form pacts and hierarchies and social groups. A human bereft of a group seeks to belong to a group. A human that has no boundaries, limitations, discipline, and social structure will try to find a place or a person to belong to. Or they kill and suicide.

]]>