John McCain & John Bolton—Neocons Ablaze

Senator John McCain November 30, 2016. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Photo by Glenn Fawcett

Originally posted July 23, 2014.

Here is just a small taste of why it was never a good idea to consider John McCain a quality presidential candidate. He and fellow War Dog John Bolton, as Pat Buchanan notes, are calling for punitive sanctions, declaring Russia an adversary, putting defensive missiles and U.S. troops in Eastern Europe, and arming Kiev. McCain is demanding “the harshest possible sanctions on Vladimir Putin and Russia.”

As Pat notes, The Washington Post urges “military assistance to Ukraine” and sanctions to force Mr. Putin to choose between continued aggression and saving the Russian economy.” Pat says, “The day of the hawk is at hand.”

The first place every American should look for direction when the subject of military intervention and foreign entanglements is trumpeted is The Weinberger Powell Doctrine and its five essential elements. My friend and Cato Institute scholar Chris Preble is my go-to guy on everything W/P. Chris Preble’s book The Power Problem is a real eye opener on anti-Neocon thinking, including Weinberger/Powell.

So what is the readout from Weinberger/Powell as it relates to today’s situation in Ukraine? Are McCain, Bolton and The Washington Post on the right track and giving Americans the right advice? Well, in short, no and a healthy no at that. And I know most logical Americans, after reading my W/P link here, will concur. I analyze the five essential Weinberger/Powell elements as going zero for five on the issue of American intervention in Ukraine. Not one of the five essential elements can be viewed as even close to achieving a yes answer.

As Pat correctly wraps up: “Sanctions on Russia can cripple her economy. But Russia can also cripple the economies of Ukraine and Europe.”