People don't do such things!

Yes, the title is a reference to Hedda Gabler, but rest assured that the rest of this post won't be spent dissecting Ms. Elvsted's relationship to Hedda. No, the topic of discussion here is much more interesting and, frankly, much more important. In case you haven't heard (and you probably haven't, thanks to the media), John McCain said on national TV the other day "In the 21st century nations don't invade other nations." Some might be thinking that McCain here is reversing his policy on Iraq, or American might in general; but that would be too easy. Senator McCain is admonishing Russia, a favorite pastime of his, for their seemingly unprovoked attack on the Republic of Georgia.

I'll give you a second to chew this one over.

Done with that? Okay, good. Just to break it down, Russia is one of the largest countries in the world, and is a key ally (or cool partner in peace, at least) in the diplomatic world. Vladimir Putin, the de facto head of state, is know for being a brilliantly calculating politician; someone with whom the next president will have to work productively.

Insulting his [Putin's] foreign policy moves, blunderous as they may be, with a statement that reeks of hypocritical self-righteousness is not the way to go about cementing the important US-Russia relationship. America is viewed internationally as a brutish, pompous, mean superpower: an image that is not ill-deserved. By continuing to further this stereotype, Senator McCain does not do any favors for the USA's worldwide approval.

If Senator McCain really does not believe that, in the 21st century, it is right for one country to invade one another, then perhaps he would like to take an admirable lead on quickly and safely ending the conflict in Iraq. But, of course this will not happen. Instead, he will go back to the campaign trail: a place where he can make all the arrogant and dangerous statements he would like, and never once get called on them.