The Occupation of Occupying

Mrs. Clinton, whose appointment as Secretary of State showed just how hopey and changey our glorious ass-kicking president really is, shows herself to be without any trace of a sense of irony:

TBILISI, GEORGIA -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton wrapped up a tour of former Soviet bloc countries Monday by assuring Georgia's pro-American leaders that they will not be abandoned as the Obama administration improves relations with Russia.

That "reset" of relations has unnerved this small country, especially as Russian troops have become entrenched in two breakaway regions where a brief war broke out in 2008.

During her six-hour stop in Georgia, Clinton defended the administration's policy, saying partnership with Russia is producing important results such as a nuclear arms-control accord. But she reiterated longtime U.S. support for Georgia.

"We continue to object to, and criticize, actions by Russia which we believe are wrong. At the top of the list is the invasion and occupation of Georgia," she said.

One could ask, of course, why Russia is wrong to occupy Georgia (which isn't quite the case, but never mind) while it's perfectly okay -- necessary, even -- for the U.S. to invade and occupy Iraq, Afghanistan, and bits of Pakistan. So far, that is; the armada is being assembled even now against Iran. Maybe the new rule is that it's good to make it your business how people live and die half the world away, but very bad to do so next door. See, the Russians should probably have invaded and occupied Quebec. That would be much more American of them.