Pre Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc a gogo

Ever since John McCain declared that the surge caused the Anbar awakening, wannabee maverick statespeople have been trying to find another application of pre hoc ergo propter hoc logic.

Andy McCarthy (who risks causing his last name to be associated with crazy ideological slander) suggests that Russia invaded Georgia because Putin anticipated that Obama might be elected.

Not to be outdone, many people have suggested that Georgia invaded South Ossetia because Saakashvili anticipated that McCain might be elected.

This is superficial. The crisis began when South Ossetians shelled an ethnic Georgian village in South Ossetia (I will call it Dzhugashville as no one has published its name). I assume they did so, because they anticipated that Ralph Nader might be elected and he has known South Ossetian sympathies.

Of course, for all I know, the Dzhugashvillagers insulted South Ossetian mothers, because they anticipated that Cynthia McKinnehy might be elected.

You know, it isn't always all about us.