Obama on Georgia in the debate
“No. 1 is we have to have foresight and anticipate some of these problems. So back in April, I warned the administration that you had Russian peacekeepers in Georgian territory. That made no sense whatsoever.

And what we needed to do was replace them with international peacekeepers and a special envoy to resolve the crisis before it boiled over.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/09/the_first_presidential_debate.html

BUT
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is the branch of the United Nations charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization for military action.[1] Its powers are exercised through United Nations Security Council Resolutions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UN_Security_Council#Role_of_the_Security_Council

The Security Council is charged with maintaining peace and security among countries. While other organs of the United Nations can only make ‘recommendations’ to member governments, the Security Council has the power to make binding decisions that member governments have agreed to carry out, under the terms of Charter Article 25.[6] The decisions of the Council are known as United Nations Security Council resolutions.
unacceptable to it

VETO POWER
Under Article 27 of the UN Charter, Security Council decisions on all substantive matters require the affirmative votes of nine members. A negative vote, or veto, by a permanent member prevents adoption of a proposal, even if it has received the required number of affirmative votes. Abstention is not regarded as a veto despite the wording of the Charter. Since the Security Council’s inception, China (ROC/PRC) has used its veto 6 times; France 18 times; Russia/USSR 122 times; the United Kingdom 32 times; and the United States 81 times. The majority of Russian/Soviet vetoes were in the first ten years of the Council’s existence. Since 1984, China (ROC/PRC) has vetoed three resolutions; France three; Russia/USSR four; the United Kingdom ten; and the United States 43.

Procedural matters are not subject to a veto, so the veto cannot be used to avoid discussion of an issue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UN_Security_Council#Veto_power

And what we needed to do was replace them with international peacekeepers and a special envoy to resolve the crisis before it boiled over.”

AS PER WIKIPEDIA
The Charter of the United Nations gives the UN Security Council the power and responsibility to take collective action to maintain international peace and security. For this reason, the international community usually looks to the Security Council to authorize peacekeeping operations, AS ALL PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS MUST BE AUTHORISED BY THE SECURITY COUNCIL.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peacekeeping

As such Obama’s statement was VERY IGNORANT AND UNINFORMED as Russia would veto any resolution rplacing Russian peacekeepers with international peacekeepers!.

My final comment, John took this one. I’m still flabbergasted that McCain wants to eliminate cost plus contracts. I have a new level of concern for how clueless a US Senator is. Yes, I’m in the biz.

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Totally agree with this comment.

Unfortunately, most Americans probably think that cost-plus jobs are the way contractors fleece the government (rather than the way contractors and the government share risk on development of new technology).

Not sure what McCain was trying to do, other than lose the support of contractors (who generally support him strongly).

Destined to spend the rest of his life copy/pasting “transcendental” nonsense in the ether….