McCain Says U.S. Should Hold Off On Military Option In Ukraine

[DonViejo]

CAITLIN MACNEAL – MARCH 3, 2014, 2:45 PM EST

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) on Monday said that the U.S. should refrain from using its military to intervene in Ukraine.

"Military action is off the table right now," McCain told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "But let's go back to peace through strength. What kind of a message are we sending when we're slashing our military and at the same time, the world is as disruptive and dangerous as any time since the end of the war?"

McCain said that the U.S. should instead pursue economic sanctions against Russia. When Blitzer asked the senator if sanctions would have an immediate impact on Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions, McCain admitted that it wasn't likely.

"In the short-term, probably not, because we have to regain our credibility, which we have none," he answered. "And, by the way, again, there are significant Russian populations in many countries -- in Poland, in Romania, in the Baltic countries. Does this mean that we will now acquiesce to Putin acting on behalf of the Russian population in parts of all these countries in the region?"

more
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/mccain-no-military-action-ukraine

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. This country can't afford military action with all the sequesters and that

we barely have enough to fix the potholes after the freezing weather here.

[quinnox]

2. WTF? McCain seems schizophrenic

Or maybe someone sat him down and gave him a good talking to.

[riversedge]

3. umm. so McCain is the boss now.

[TwilightGardener]

4. Uh...yeah. Thanks, Johnny. Someone must have told him to ratchet it down,

or something new came to light. Or he's trying to be "good cop" for GOP political reasons. I dunno.

[Brother Buzz]

10. Indeed, someone whispered in his ear and told him the internal polls are not looking to good

Bank on it.

[FarCenter]

5. Our military is already so powerful and expensive that we can't afford to use it.

[seveneyes]

6. Gramps is a downright genius

There is a pasture calling his name.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

7. uh....

[Journeyman]

8. If I wanted to watch a senile old man rant and soil himself, I'd turn to Grandpa Simpson. . .

[jsr]

9. Whatever you say, Johnny

[reformist2]

11. So now Republicans are for increasing the budget by hundreds of billions of dollars???

All that talk about deficit reduction... never mind!

[Raine1967]

12. Did someone have a talk with the old warmonger?

cause he had a different tune earlier in the morning.

The man has no idea of what is happening over there -- hell, looking at global media reports, it appears ho one knows what is really going on.

He needs to sit down and be quiet. SoS Kerry is going to Kiev to figure it out today.