Olympic Theme Was One World - So Let's Be a Part of It Again

I am personally glad that President Bush didn't bow to the pressure to boycott the Beijing Olympics. I have to admit my first thought was that it was a good idea, but on reflection I decided that it would accomplish little positive, and more than enough negative. It would not help to boycott what turned out to be an American success story, or indeed, many of them.

I do think the Chinese really tried to impress the world with their hosting and they too succeeded as well, especially in the Opening Ceremony. I still shake my head at the accomplishments and precision of those thousands of "volunteers". It took far more practice and unpaid volunteers than the U.S. or likely any other free country could muster. And how many U.S. cities could virtually shut down their smokestack industries or tell half the people that they could not drive during the run up to the Games? I guess Communist or other totalitarian countries could order this kind of compliance, but most free countries could not.

Yet China was saying nearly all the right things - One World, Openness, Teamwork, Friendship, and on and on. Maybe if they keep saying it to themselves more and more...well, practice makes perfect. We can only hope.

Of much bigger import is that the U.S. continue its openness and commonality with the other nations and peoples of the world. It is tempting right now to isolate because it seems so many countries "do not like us". We could stop our foreign aid to those who would vilify us for various things. We could even rattle a few more swords to try to get some regimes to comply with our wishes. Some of that might work, but a better angle might be to keep providing aid to starving countries; send $1 billion to Georgia for reconstruction after their mini-war with the big bear, Russia. We need to keep doing what's right (and more if it - Darfur, anyone?) and to hell with the America-bashers. Once we get disentangled from Iraq after we are successful at "Iraqification", we can raise our world standing to what it once was by being strong and firm to dictators, friendly to struggling pre-democracies, and kind to the people everywhere. Yes, kind to the people who, as I have said before, are not our enemies even in those countries where the government leaders may be hostile to us.

We may have to share the high rank of "superpower" sooner than we think, but we can enhance our chances to retain the first position by smart diplomatic efforts backed up with a strong military and humanitarian force. Let's hope whoever wins our Presidential Election in November has the smarts and determination to not give in to bullying anywhere, while helping to the extent we can, everywhere.

Russia - A Not So New "Rogue" Nation?

With the not-so-subtle invasion of Georgia by Russia, the first thought that came to mind was Iraq's attack on Kuwait. A well-funded militarized nation leading an incursion into a far weaker country - just because it could. The U.S. response was swift and decisive and the Iraqi military faded faster than my last tan.

Now we have Russia, a nation that never could quite be trusted to be a full partner in the fellowship of responsible nations, as the overwhelming aggressor with very weak justification for its actions. The U.S. and the European Union has now harrumphed a number of times, threatening this and that, and getting only lip service from the Russian leadership who stall more each day. I wasn't around back then but I do recall reading that Hitler made some of the same moves in the late 1930s on Poland. He was joined then by the Soviet Union in this illegal foray as well. Once he got away with that piece of business, he was on to Norway and Denmark in 1940.

Europe stepped up and eventually declared war but the United Kingdom and the United States did not seem to think this conflict worthy of investment quite yet. England's Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, still bears the mantle of appeaser. FDR was less the culprit because the fight was nowhere near our shores, but decided to come to the party later.

I know that there is always a danger if drawing these analogies or parallels because they never quite fit exactly. But we have to ask if they fit close enough to worry not just for Georgia, but for the future if the rest of the world lets this invasion stand with little or no consequences.

Not bringing our ships to the pond to play war games may not be enough sanction to make Russia step back and say, "Whoa, we done wrong. We need to play well with others, at least to put on a good face so that they can see into our soul".

It is bad enough that Russia made the move, but to then pretend to accede to a cease-fire and agree to a pull back while still moving deeper into Georgia is as disingenuous as it is reckless. And it is reckless only if there is a consequence that will make a difference. So far there seems to be none.