"Putin derangement syndrome" may have finally jumped the shark. Just minutes ago on the US Senate Floor, Sen. Rand Paul did the sensible thing and blocked NATO accession for tiny, corrupt Montenegro. The inconsequential Balkan country brings absolutely nothing to the NATO alliance, with its army of approximately 1,950 active duty military, a population the size of the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and a history political repression and corruption.
Montenegro would only be a drain on the NATO alliance, but those pushing for its membership don’t care much. They view Montenegro’s NATO membership as another black eye for the Russians, who have been historically close to the tiny Balkan state.
Chief among those who are obsessed with giving Russia a black eye – and perhaps starting WWIII – is the Senator from Arizona, John McCain. And Senator Paul’s move today nearly caused him an aneurism.
McCain asked for unanimous consent to move forward his bill to approve NATO membership for Montenegro. His jaw dropped as he witnessed Sen. Paul raise his objection and then exit the room. Done.
McCain exploded at Paul in what must really be a meltdown for the records:
I note the senator from Kentucky leaving the floor without justification or any rationale for the action he has just taken. That is really remarkable, that a senator blocking a treaty that is supported by the overwhelming number, perhaps 98 – at least – of his colleagues would come to the floor and object and walk away. The only conclusion you can draw when he walks away is he has no justification for his objection to having a small nation be part of NATO that is under assault from the Russians. So I repeat again, the senator from Kentucky is now working for Vladimir Putin.
Watch "Meltdown" McCain here:
Daniel McAdams is director of the The Ron Paul Institute for Peace & Prosperity. Reprinted from The Ron Paul Institute for Peace & Prosperity.