Palin, Gibson, Ukraine
Posted by TulipGirl | Under Around the World, Orange Ukraine Saturday Sep 13, 2008GIBSON: Would you favor putting Georgia and Ukraine in NATO?
PALIN: Ukraine, definitely, yes. Yes, and Georgia.
GIBSON: Because Putin has said he would not tolerate NATO incursion into the Caucasus.
PALIN: Well, you know, the Rose Revolution, the Orange Revolution, those actions have showed us that those democratic nations, I believe, deserve to be in NATO.
Putin thinks otherwise. Obviously, he thinks otherwise, but…
GIBSON: And under the NATO treaty, wouldn’t we then have to go to war if Russia went into Georgia?
PALIN: Perhaps so. I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you’re going to be expected to be called upon and help.
But NATO, I think, should include Ukraine, definitely, at this point and I think that we need to — especially with new leadership coming in on January 20, being sworn on, on either ticket, we have got to make sure that we strengthen our allies, our ties with each one of those NATO members.
We have got to make sure that that is the group that can be counted upon to defend one another in a very dangerous world today.
[...] Palin, Gibson, UkraineBut NATO, I think, should include Ukraine, definitely, at this point and I think that we need to — especially with new leadership coming in on January 20, being sworn on, on either ticket, we have got to make sure that we strengthen our … [...]
But can we be counted on?
I’m not we can be counted on….not without doing something extreme to boost our miliatry.
And, how many members of NATO have the military strength to truly back each other?
Anyways, just rambling….but while I believe in Georgia’s & the Ukraine’s right to be autonomous (My grandmother was from the former Yugoslavia–her native Montenengro, once part of Yugoslavia, claimed its independenc in June 2006)–I’m just not convinced that the US can secure that for everyone.
My observation, over the years, is that simply being a part of NATO provides much protection from the “peer support” and status — and prevents military action even more than it provides military support.
I saw that you posted the anthem the other day, btw. Wanted to comment on it, but couldn’t at the moment.
I know during the Orange Revolution, just knowing that the world was watching and was supportive made a HUGE difference — along with sending election monitors and other practical help. While I do believe that having a competent military is needed, so much is done through social/political/diplomatic/peer influence that military involvement is very rarely necessary.
Ahh, yes…I see what you mean. Honestly, it was the jumping from joining NATO to backing up a NATO nation if they were attacked that encouraged me to leap from point A to point D. Hopefully, it won’t get to that point…praying hard.
As for the national anthem of Monetengro, it’s so serious! At first I thought the national anthem was this folky song–but then it was just mislabeled. So, I went from cheerful folky song to the strong dirge of a national anthem!
I’m coming up on the 12th annivesary of my grandmother’s death and it’s sparked an interest in my heritage again….