ERIE, Pennsylvania (CNN) – With his Democratic rival vacationing in Hawaii, John McCain used the political vacuum to polish his foreign policy credentials on Monday morning, issuing a lengthy statement to reporters condemning Russian military action in Georgia and calling for further diplomatic against the Kremlin.
“Russian President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin must understand the severe, long-term negative consequences that their government’s actions will have for Russia’s relationship with the U.S. and Europe,” he said.
Watch: McCain condemns Russian military
The presumptive Republican nominee said Americans should be concerned with the “remote, obscure” country because of its commitment to democracy as well as strategically important trade routes and an oil pipeline that flows through Tblisi. He also noted that Georgia was “one of the world’s first nations to adopt Christianity as an official religion.”
He accused Russia of trying to intimidate other neighbors like Ukraine who have sought to strengthen ties with the West.
McCain called on Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to travel to Europe and begin “high-level diplomacy” to support Georgian independence, and demanded that Russia call a cease-fire and withdraw all troops from Georgian territory. He urged the U.N. Security Council to condemn the violence, even with the threat of a Russian veto. Russia's actions, he said, must be submitted to "the court of world opinion."
In his remarks, McCain repeatedly mispronounced the name of Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili. The gaffe comes in the wake of several incidents last month when he referred to the Czech Republic as the nation of “Czechoslovakia,” which no longer exists.
The Arizona senator spoke with the Georgian president over the weekend about the situation in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
From CNN Politics
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McCain is showing the kind of leader ship we need.
Where is Obama? Taking a break, running for President is wearing him out. McCain seems to have more energy and stamina than the younger Obama. Obama has even admited the campaign is turning his hair gray. If Obama can't handle the rigors of a campaign, he'll never have what it takes to be President.
McCain in 08!
This is an effort by McBush to "look" presidential. He already made a statement concerning this matter as did Sen. Obama. Yes, it is an important matter the Russians attacking Georgia the way they have and we (the U.S.) need to speak out against this act of aggression. But it is sooo obvious that McBush is jumping on this, and it wouldn't surprise me if the Whitehouse is writting the statements McBush is coming out with, after all his twin George is in China enjoying the games.
Let's offer Russia a lot of money to stop the violence. We can just borrow it from China.
Well here we go. McCain is hot tempered, a war monger. Do we want to be in another war. If elected you can bet that's what will happen.
Obama '08
the mccain camp is using this to influence the election.his lobbyist rick davis.probably knew something about what was going to happen,and it wouldnt surprise me ,if they didnt 'push' the georgians into attacking russian troops,just to make mcc 'seem' more presidential.possible rove/rumsfeld type tactics happening here?
It's time for McCain and his republicans to send troop to Russia like they did in Iraq. Sadam was a dangerous man; what about Putin? MacWar, I want you to take the lead.
"I know how to win a war." Which war have you won so far?
We are witnessing AGAIN what happens when dictatorships and tyrannies perceive weakness in democracies.
Russia is a dictatorship. They see that the left in the US and a democratic majority that is made of weaklings will do nothing except prohibit the president from responding.
Wait for an Obama presidency and Russia will annex the rest of Eastern Europe.
Come on COWBOY let's SURGE on RUSSIA. Let's go help poor Georgia like we did Saddam when he went into Kuwait. America to the rescue. Get on your white houre McSurge and on to Georgia.
Obama08
War? Yeah right; we should talk.
We sure are lucky that Russia did not intervene when we invaded Iraq and Afghanistan. We are even more lucky that the ultra aggressive, bomb first talk later McWar is not the President of the United States.
Mind your own business dangerous crazy old man.
McCain may be a military veteran but he greatly exaggerates his accomplishments. He is no better than the 4200 plus soldiers who have been killed in Iraq and sacrificed their life at the expense of McCain and Bush and their manipulation of facts in order to go to war. At least McCain survived and is able to walk around and tell lies and dirty jokes like he has been doing. He is sick.
This latest Russiam strategem is why we should keep Barack Obama as far away from the role of commander in chief as possible.
EBC,
I'm guessing you're about 25 chronologically at 12 emotionally. Have you attended any school?
hes all talk.he's never won a war.
The 'Cold War' never ended, and Russia is NOT our freind, if you believe this, you have your head up your butt.
Obama supporters are on drugs.
McCain has more substance in his little finger than Obama has in his entire body.
Chicago Josh,
You are relying on Russia's word about the "genocide" practiced by Georgia. I don't know the truth, so I can't say anything about that. However, I do know that Russia's word is not very reliable. Whether Georgia attaked first is moot, since Russian military was in and flying over Georgian territory.
Georgia is our ally because they are a western democracy in a region that has none, not because of a simple oil pipeline.
This should be an election issue, since it could escalate to something very dangerous. Regardless, it is something the next President will be engaged in.
** Nader/Gonzalez 2008 **
John McCain doesn't even know which country Putin represents!! Last I heard, McCain BELIEVES PUTIN IS THE PRESIDENT OF GERMANY!! He also believes Pakistan borders Iraq, when in fact Pakistan borders Afghanistan. McCain believes he will be able to help Chechoslovakia, a country which NO LONGER EXISTS, a country which split into The Chech Republic and Slovakia!! McCain cannot tell the difference between the different factions in Iraq. McCain has great difficulty keeping track of what is what and who is who in foreign countries and even here at home! Stupidity or dementia, which is it?? Whichever it is, McCain is the last person we need leading our country.
why can't the obamanites understand that the majority of democrats also voted for the war and these are the same old Washington politicians that are campaigning and advising sen. obama.
I know that the Russian Administration cares what McCain thinks of it!
Not once does McCain mention anything but diplomatic options. Yet all we get from those posting here is that cCain is going to war.
Perhaps Obama should send a picture of his VP candidate in his email – it's obvious at least some of his supporters can't read.
Where is Bush? There is a world crises going on and he is in China waving an American Flag backwards and McNut is speaking for him. November can not get here fast enough.
Oh Sorry, I forgot Russia can fight back. We only fight the ones that we can win not the ones that can fight back. Where I come from we call that YELLOW. Fight and pick on the little guys but talk to the ones that can fight back. Yellow.