There are many good questions that NBC's Tom Brokaw could have asked Senators Barack Obama and John McCain about Russia and Georgia during the second presidential debate. Instead, the candidates were instructed to give an up or down vote on an infamous Cold War phrase:
Brokaw: This requires only a yes or a no. Ronald Reagan famously said that the Soviet Union was the "evil empire." Do you think that Russia under Vladimir Putin is an "evil empire?"
Obama: I think they've engaged in an evil behavior and I think that it is important that we understand they're not the old Soviet Union but they still have nationalist impulses that I think are very dangerous.
Brokaw: Sen. McCain?
McCain: Maybe.
Brokaw: Maybe.
McCain: Depends on how we respond to Russia and it depends on a lot of things. If I say yes, then that means that we're reigniting the old Cold War. If I say no, it ignores their behavior.Obviously energy is going to be a big, big factor. And Georgia and Ukraine are both major gateways of energy into Europe. And that's one of the reasons why it's in our interest.But the Russians, I think we can deal with them but they've got to understand that they’re facing a very firm and determined United States of America that will defend our interests and that of other countries in the world.
I am in agreement with Vadim over at the Russia blog about the "sheer boorishness of the anti-Russia vitriol" this election season. One doesn't have to be a Putin groupie to know that Georgia's portrayal as some sort of Sweden of the Caucasus whose freedom-loving President Mikheil Saakashvili couldn't have possibly done anything wrong is ridiculous. There is no question that he was at best reckless and miscalculated badly. Saying so doesn't justify Russia's actions.
Georgia's democratic record has not been rosy under Saakashvili. Freedom House classifies Georgia as "partly free" and downgraded the country's political rights and civil liberties ratings from 3 to 4 in its annual survey as a result of Saakashvili's heavy-handed treatment of political opponents and unsympathetic journalists:
Georgians took to the streets to oppose President Mikheil Saakashvili in October and November 2007, turning out in the largest numbers since the 2003 "Rose Revolution," which swept Saakashvili to power. The authorities violently dispersed the demonstrators, causing hundreds of injuries, and imposed a state of emergency on November 7. The next day, Saakashvili called a snap presidential election for January 5, 2008. The state of emergency, which remained in place until November 16, banned all news broadcasts except state-controlled television and restricted public assembly.
The New York Times recently ran a depressing article on the country's continued lack of press freedom. But don't expect hear any of this from the candidates. Saying that Georgian scribblers should live in peace just may be interpreted as full-throated endorsement of Russia's resurrection as an evil empire. By now, I am just hoping that Russia won't come up at all in the third debate. But if the "maybe" evil empire does rear its ugly head, here are some questions I would like CBS's Bob Schieffer to ask:
1) What is the greatest problem in the U.S.-Russian relationship? What steps would you take as president to resolve it? And what steps would you like to see President Dmitry Medvedev take to resolve it?
2) Name three specific proposals to improve United States' relationship with Russia?
3) "Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has been less than honest with the United States about the events leading up to the outbreak of the war with Russia." Do you agree with this statement? Does the Georgian government, in your view, bear any responsibility?
4) Freedom House lists Georgia as a country that is only "partly free." A billion dollars in U.S. government aid is expected to flow into Georgia over the next few years. As president, what would you to pressure and encourage Georgia to improve its democracy record? What would you do to pressure and encourage Russia to improve its democracy record?
5) Is there anything that you would have done differently than President George W. Bush during the last eight years when it comes to Russia?
