US Defense Secretary Robert Gates gave a fine speech in Moscow yesterday at the Russian General Staff Academy. He allowed time for a few questions at the end, and I must say I was sorely disappointed to hear him profess no knowledge of the VodkaPundit plan for a westward expansion of our proposed new Canadian state of Manigulpit.

Here's what Gates had to say on the subject:

The third question dealt with Siberia, and caused a buzz among the audience. The questioner said he’d heard that a U.S. administration official had said Siberia should not be part of Russia.

“Whoever said it clearly didn’t know what they were talking about,” Gates said, drawing another buzz. “The United States for a long time has recognized the territorial integrity of Russia, and I think it is important for the territorial integrity of Russia to be preserved.

“I’ve never heard anybody question whether Siberia ought not to be part of Russia,” he continued. “That’s the silliest thing I ever heard.”

Really, he should have been better briefed.