U.S.-Russian Priorities

Writing in the National Interest, William Hill observes that "we need to identify more clearly the most important American interests in our relationship with Russia."

I think the political climate in the U.S. makes this kind of rational calculation all but impossible. When both John McCain and Barack Obama loudly proclaim their support for Georgia's membership in NATO, it's obvious that there's zero appetite for making any serious concessions to Russia. To Washington, there is no discernible difference to U.S. security between halting nuclear proliferation and defending Georgia.

Now, John McCain has a fairly robust record of anti-Russian rhetoric and his chief foreign policy advisor co-owns a lobbying firm that's been paid by the government of Georgia, so his unyielding stance on this is not a surprise. But it's bizarre to hear Barack Obama insist that we need Russian cooperation on halting nuclear proliferation and battling terrorism, while out of the other side of his mouth he insists that we admit Georgia into NATO.

In the real world, you can't get something for nothing.