This is a POLITICAL post. If you dislike POLITICS, you should NOT READ THIS POST I have put a cut line here so you can AVOID READING IT. Have fun!
Sarah Palin on geopolitics:
It’s very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia — as Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States of America, where do they go?
It’s Alaska, It’s right over the border. It is from Alaska, that we send those out to make sure an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there, they are right next to our state.
Note to Palin, the Republicans, and interested parties: Russia is a VERY LARGE COUNTRY. In fact, it’s the biggest one! No, really! Much like Alaska is the biggest state. So you can be proud of that. Go Alaska! But Russia is big, too.
This is a picture of Moscow:
Moscow is the largest city in Russia. It’s the hub of Russia. Economically, politically, all that. It’s their capitol!
Moscow is 4,351 miles away from Anchorage, Alaska. You could almost say it was on the other side of the world. And it is! It looks a LOT farther on a globe, but like Anchorage, Moscow is close to the top of the world (which is spherical) so you can fly over the top and take a short cut. By the way, Stockholm, Sweden is closer! It’s only 4,087 miles away from Anchorage. And Anchorage is only 3,161 miles from Austin! I could hop in my car and drive there. Eventually.
But… Russia is a really big place. And Ms. Palin is correct – there’s a part of Russia that is in fact right there, next to Alaska.
It’s called the Chukchi Peninsula. It’s the verrrry tip of Siberia.
It’s kinda desolate.
As a further guideline: people you will see in Moscow:
People you will see on the Chukchi Peninsula:
Hopefully this helps everyone on the Republican campaign trail, and the media, the next time discussions of the Alaska-Soviet, er Alaska-Russian border come up. Because, honestly? It’s kind of embarassing when a random game designer knows more about geography than our political leaders and media figures. Please fix. Thank you.
#1 by Fondue on October 6th, 2008
Russia makes regular incursions into American airspace in Alaska. The Alaskan nation guard has an anti-missile base whom logs these incursions and is supposed to respond to them. As Governor and head of the Alaskan national guard she is regularly briefed on these incursions. I assumed that was what she was talking about but hey let’s just run with this ‘dumb girl’ meme as it’s playing out really well on the news.
#2 by Sheepherder on October 7th, 2008
“The spokeswoman for the McCain-Palin campaign, Maria Comella, clarified in an e-mail to The Associated Press that when ‘Russian incursions near Alaskan airspace and inside the air defense identification zone have occurred … U.S. Air Force fighters have been scrambled repeatedly.’”
The air defense identification zone, almost completely over water, extends 12-mile past the perimeter of the United States. Most nations have similar areas.
However, no Russian military planes have been flying even into that zone, said Maj. Allen Herritage, a spokesman for the Alaska region of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, at Elmendorf Air Force Base.
What Palin might have been referring to was a buffer zone of airspace that extends beyond the 12-mile strip. Although not recognized internationally as America’s to protect, the military watches it.
That zone is where there has been increased Russian bomber exercises – about 20 incidents in the last two years. When Russian bombers enter that expanded area, sometimes called the outer air defense identification zone by the military, U.S. or Canadian fighter jets are dispatched to check them, Herritage said.
…
Herritage said Air Force officials discussed with Palin instances of Russian planes entering the buffer zone and the U.S. response during their annual statehouse briefing in February.”
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/707994.html
You’ll find the story copy + pasted all over the internet in varying forms. Russia doesn’t violate U.S. airspace, and it’s hardly something new for a country to maintain a conspicuous military presence in a region just to make their intentions to defend their sovereignty clear.
At the same time, you won’t find any comment at all on the state of affairs between Russia and Georgia from any candidate, which is unsurprising for the most part, except that Palin claims expertise with Russian foreign relations.