Foreign Policy Debate - Relations with Russia: How do you...

SEN. OBAMA: Hold on. I am not parsing words.

SEN. MCCAIN: He's -- he's parsing words, my friends.

SEN. OBAMA: I am using the same words that your advisers use.

Please go ahead.

MR. LEHRER: New lead question --

SEN. MCCAIN: (Chuckles.)

MR. LEHRER: -- Russia, goes to you, two minutes, Senator Obama.

How do you see the relationship with Russia? Do you see them as a

competitor? Do you see them as an enemy? Do you see them as a

potential partner?

SEN. OBAMA: Well, I think that given what's happened over the

last several weeks and months, our entire Russian approach has to be

evaluated, because a resurgent and very aggressive Russia is a threat

to the peace and stability of the region. Their actions in Georgia

were unacceptable. They were unwarranted. And at this point it is

absolutely critical for the next president to make clear that we have

to follow through on our six-party -- or the six-point cease-fire.

They have to remove themselves from South Ossetia and Abkhazia. It is

absolutely important that we have a unified alliance and that we

explain to the Russians that you cannot be a 21st century superpower

or power and act like a 20th century dictatorship.

And we also have to affirm all the fledgling democracies in that

region -- you know, the Estonians, the Lithuanians, the Latvians, the

Poles, the Czechs -- that we are in fact going to be supportive and in

solidarity with them in their efforts. They are members of NATO.

(View cut data)And to countries like Georgia and the Ukraine, I think, we have to

insist that they are free to join NATO if they meet the requ