Being nice to Putin has not worked. McCain is the man that will stand up to him, if need be. Others will only talk cross from a distance, and make Putin even more bold.

Eddy, Newcastle , UK

Sounds like 24 season 6 to me to be honest. With the good and peaceful black president and the violent and military engaged old fart. OMG we're all gonna die.

Will, Madrid, Spain

Let's invade (place the name of the country of your choice here)

John, London,

If McCain looked into George Bush Senior's eyes he'd have seen CIA. Still, for a man who can't use computers you can't fault his mastery of the alphabet as long as more than 3 aren't strung together at any 1 time. Hence USA, UK, EU he's OK with but when it's USSR, IRAQ & IRAN he goes all to pieces.

MS, London, UK

Looking into Putin's beady eyes all I see is

$ $ $

Boris, London, UK

K, G and B seems to be all of the alphabet McCain knows, and regrettably that's what ordinary Americans will be fed with in the next 4 years, CNN and FOX will do their best to maintain this old stupid stereotype about Russia. Too sad. Ordinary people both in Russia and the US don't deserve a new war

Boris, Moscow, Russia

What we really need is a Clinton like appeaser in the White House, so Russia can get really strong before they bring Europe WW3.

RS, Los Angeles, USA

Saakashvili's comedy began with the Olympic Opening Ceremony, and will end with the Closing Ceremony when Medvedev and Russia will withdraw. McCains' theatrics, alas, will not. It is good and sagacious of Obama to be circumspect and keep quiet on this subject. There is no political percentage in it.

Lalit, Chicago, US

McCain is a soldier. The only way to solve a problem is by war. Diplomacy mean nothing to this warrior and unfortunately this is probably the last thing you want in this world, a man who wont hesitate to press that rec button instead of considering all other non-violent options.

Brian, London, United Kingdom

How true, unfortunately i do believe the USA missed a huge opportunity back in 01-02 when Russia basically asked for help, and the US said no.

Now, whether that was on purpose or not is another matter. I'd like to think they could try again, no harm is there?

james, london,

Looks like it could be a good time to move to New Zealand.

Alistair Nicholls, Manchester, UK

Andrew Sullivan,

What would your strategy be in this situation. Tell me, and I'll tell you where you have erred.

Dennis, Seattle, USA

The rank hypocracy the west shows towards Russia is breathtaking. We are all in various guises kow-towing to China, which has human rights issues far in excess of Russia and has been an occupier and oppressor of Tibet, a country 20 times the size of Georgia for nearly 60 years. Where's the balance?

Richard, Singapore,

I have no doubt that (whether good or bad) the issue in Russia will see McCain elected.

In times of trouble with Russia the US will always turn to a military leader.

This may of course mean the end of the world.

David, St Albans, UK

Thanks to Andrew Sullivan im now certain McCain is the way to go.

Danny, manchester, uk

I would agree with McCain - the eyes have it !

OZ, Perth, Australia

Andrew - did the Iraq War lead to you having a philosophical breakdown? McCain is not a warmonger. He has been right on Iraq and Putin. Russia and China are a threat to freedom loving democrats and it will require adroit leadership to navigate the troubles ahead. I'd vote for a one term McCain.

Simon, Harrogate, UK

Trying to defeat the West's enemies with military force is neither strong nor weak - just stupid. Communism was defeated by economic strength.

All the West's enemies are funded by oil money - i.e. by us! Attack the oil price, and our enemies will crumble.

Nick, France,

We the people in America have the choice as to whether to continue to go in the same old direction or not. As Albert Einstein said: "The splitting of the atom has changed everything save our modes of thinking, and thus we drift toward unparalleled catastrophe."

Stephen Fischer, Los Angeles, USA

TR's cited the African proverb, "Walk softly and carry a big stick"; he was right. I'd rather have a leader who remembers what his country stands for and is prepared to fight for it, than one who'd negotiate our nations safety and best interest, and the world's away. Obama's all hat and no cattle!

Bill Finnin, Washington, DC, United States

What's bad with the fact that if Mr. McCain becomes president, he will be ready to help defend Ukraine? It may well be that such knowledge will actually deter belligerent Russia from eventually attacking Ukraine. "Si vis pacem, para bellum" -if you want peace, make preparations for war, Romans said.

Mykyta, Kyiv, Ukraine

WOW!!! ...as I suspected most of you have been brainwashed by years of coorporate media propaganda and Hollywood films. Why am I surprised? I am sure most of us will make the same mistake we did with Bush/Cheney and let the neocons play on our fears and con us into electing another WARLORD.

Jason, Cary, NC

America's military adventures over the past twenty years have destroyed her credibility, her moral authority and smashed apart the system of international law. Putin has deftly exposed this. McCain's lust for militarism is in his blood. It is a weakness that will hasten America's demise.

Mary, Washington, D.C.

Bob , let me tell you Russian leaders are not close to being as moral as the US, have you not noticed how we in the west dont pay any attention to the signs from the former soviet countries all who know russia better than we. They know how without the west putin would have already invaded.

Dominic James, london,

Give me a break, Andre. As if any hint at a diplomatic option equals appeasement. It's that very same cowboy approach that has made the world more dangerous, not less, and has basically destroyed America's credibility in the international community. We don't need even four more years of that.

Chuck, Worcester, USA

Andrew, what happened to you? You now belong to the Chamberlain/Obama school of international politics. Being aggresive with Russia and other potential enemies is the only language they understand. It is the language they speak. Talk of one world and international citizenship makes them laugh.

DANIEL WILLIAM SULLIVAN, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRASIL

The last thing America and all the victims of USA needs is another warmonger like bush. Russians are the good guys this time...

Bob, Montreal, Canada

Sullivan's politcal somersaults over the last 8 years are now reaching laughable and unprofessional proportions. His conclusion on McCain is a grotesque parody - actually, McCain believes strongly in multilateral cooperation, limits on Executive power and the employment of soft power alongside force

Guy Rowlands, Anstruther, UK

We don't yet what kind of unpredictable circumstance we would face if he - McCain become president - do we?

Edmond, Bridgeport, USA

McCain is not into military aggression. He of all people understands that horrors of war. However, he knows that sometimes you have to stand up for principle and security. Hiding behind the UN or trying to be Neville Chamberlain (like Obama), only makes the problem worse in the end.

Andre, Portland, USA

This "third Bush term" stuff is getting old,no actually, it is old.John McCain is no GW,thankfully,so give it a rest.I'm no Republican,far from it,and Presidents aren't dictators.JM learned a great deal,as we all did,from the Iraq war.Credible threat is a strong deterrent,Russians don't grasp nice.

Ian, Austin TX, USA

I suppose when Mr.Putin looked into Mr.McCain eyes he saw CIA, which I understand as meaning, "Criminals In America"
surely you need a woman to have children,a warrior to fight battles,but a WISE PERSON to be a president .unfortunately we have not had a wise leader in the west for a long time.

Eddy, Bury St.Edmunds,