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War Highlights McCain's Stance on Russia

Candidate has taken a hard line, calling for increased isolation

By Sam Biddle,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 12, 2008 10:45 AM CDT
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(Newser) – The past several days of intense combat in Georgia have underscored John McCain’s longrunning hardline stance against Vladimir Putin’s Russia, the New York Times reports. In an aspect of the candidate's track record that has received relatively little attention, McCain has called for Russia’s expulsion from the Group of 8, and urged President Bush to skip the group’s 2006 meeting in St. Petersburg.

Some policy experts criticize McCain’s staunch position as dangerous and regressive; others see it as pragmatic. “The reason he’s right is that Russia has now entered into an entirely different realm of international behavior which we haven’t seen in decades,” says a McCain policy adviser. “Russia is clearly trying to establish an old hegemony over its near neighbors.”

John McCain has taken a hard line approach to relations with Russia, drawing mixed responses from foreign policy experts.
John McCain has taken a hard line approach to relations with Russia, drawing mixed responses from foreign policy experts.   (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
John McCain has taken a hard line approach to relations with Russia, drawing mixed responses from foreign policy experts.
John McCain has taken a hard line approach to relations with Russia, drawing mixed responses from foreign policy experts.   (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
John McCain has taken a hard line approach to relations with Russia, drawing mixed responses from foreign policy experts.
John McCain has taken a hard line approach to relations with Russia, drawing mixed responses from foreign policy experts.   (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
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