Would John McCain revive the Cold War?

The Associated Press

Russian troops practice for a parade in Moscow's Red Square.

Featured Topic | Posted 18 weeks 4 days ago

Would John McCain revive the Cold War?

It has been nearly 20 years since the Berlin Wall fell -- and nearly that long since it seemed Western-style democracy would take root in the former Soviet Union. Now, however, Russian leader Vladimir Putin has managed to neutralize his political opponents and has proven less-than-accomodating to American interests. Perhaps that's why Sen. John McCain has proposed expelling Russia from the G8 group of advanced industrial nations.

Critics say such an action would revive the Cold War for the 21st century. Would John McCain's policies move America closer to confrontation with other major powers, or do they contain the toughness needed to tame an unruly world?

Ben likes: McCain the Anti-War Warrior?

James Joyner/Outside-the-Beltway

Can anyone seriously doubt that a man who spent 5-1/2 years being tortured by the Viet Cong hates war? But one can simultaneously hate war and think it preferable to allowing despots to gain nuclear weapons.

I’m not sure undermining the United Nations, which has been virtually useless at preventing wars or enforcing its own Security Council mandates, is necessarily inconsistent with hating war. Regardless, McCain isn’t seeking to undermine it but rather augment it with a “League of Democracies,” which he has described as a “SEATO-type” ad hoc coalition of states with similar values. Indeed, pressed by this author on the question, he specifically said that he did not envision this as a military alliance ala NATO. Whose existence, oddly enough, hasn’t undermined the UN.

Nor has McCain advocated “new cold wars with Russia and China.” Rather, his critics, like Fareed Zakaria, have posited that as a likely outcome of the League of Democracies.

Joel likes: The militarist

Matthew Yglesias/The American Prospect

Under the circumstances, it's not surprising that the GOP is poised to nominate a presidential candidate who will appeal to its anti-war base. What is surprising is that the candidate is Sen. John McCain.

The candidate who, despite his protestations in a March speech that he "hates war" not only stridently backed the 2003 invasion of Iraq but has spent years calling on the United States to depose every dictator in the world. He's the candidate of ratcheting-up action against North Korea and Iran, of new efforts to undermine the United Nations, and of new cold wars with Russia and China.

Rather than hating war, he sees it as integral to the greatness of the nation, and military service as the highest calling imaginable. It is, in short, not Bush but McCain, who among practical politicians holds truest to the vision of a foreign policy dominated by militaristic unilateralism.