Russia Conflict With Georgia

Posted on August 11th, 2008 by ecthompson

So what’s going on? Georgia tried to get control of a state which held leanings toward Russia. It is not clear why Georgia chose that time to make a move. Were we consulted prior to Georgia making this move. If so, what did we say?

Russia– knowing that the U.S. is hamstrung in Iraq and Afghanistan– opened up a huge can of whoop-ass on Georgia. I may be mistaken, but I think that this is the opportunity that Russia has been waiting for. They want to return to their status as a superpower. Nothing like flexing a little muscle to show that you still need to be taken seriously.

Where is Condi Rice? Isn’t she the Russian expert? Did she warn Georgia and/ or President Bush that Russia was itching for a fight?

From the New York Times:
Russian armored vehicles rolled 25 miles into western Georgia and took up positions at a military base here early Monday after issuing an ultimatum to Georgia to disarm its troops, along the boundary with the separatist territory of Abkhazia.

The Russian military advances represented the first time Russian forces invaded Georgia proper in the four-day-old conflict, which has unnerved the West and resurrected some Cold War anxieties. Georgian officials said Russian troops had moved into several other cities in western Georgia, holding out the prospect that fighting could escalate on a second front. (more… )

Tags: Foreign Affairs // View Comments

  • TP -

    I think that you are correct in your assessment.

    I appreciate your input. It is truly my desire to have input from both the left and the right on this blog. Call it a pipe dream.

    I think that Russia's timing was perfect. The United States is bogged down in Afghanistan and Iraq. Our focus is on the Olympics and the 2008 election. No one is paying attention to Georgia or Russia. Russia has had a change of power with Vladimir Putin creating a position for himself a prime minister. The new Russian President has a name that most of us have never heard of and can't pronounce.

    Notice the European Union taken the lead on this. I find it interesting.
  • margaret
    In my newspaper and on NPR yesterday they were talking about Russia putting extra arsenal and military in Cuba. They are ticked because of the missile defense we are installing on their doorstep.
  • South Ossetia has been part of Georgia for centuries, and most recently when Georgia regained its independence from Russia.

    The problem lies in the practice of the old Soviet Union to colonize nations it took over with ethnic Russians to the point where there was a measure of ethnic cleansing going on in vital areas in the conquered nation.

    Many of the descendants of those imperial colonists in the Republic of Georgia are in South Ossetia (which covers part of 5 Georgia districts) and Abkhazi (which covers at least 3 Georgia districts, including vital sea ports). The separatists are heavily funded and supported by Moscow.

    There is also an Oil Pipeline through which flows a million bbls or Oil daily, and can act as a lever Putin can use on Europe to keep them quiescent while he rebuilds the Soviet Empire.

    And Putin is a villain, who is using the ethnic Russians as a pretext for invading Georgia, much like Hitler did last century.

    And President Bush has thrown away the last germs of respect I had for him with his anemic response to helping an ally who patrolled the dangerous Iranian border in Iraq. He has stood by while a wolf attacked a friend and did little. Now, China has hope that an invasion of Taiwan will be successful. Bush is beginning to look very much like Carter.

    Sorry I keep bugging in here, I guess I should compose an answer on my own blog and link to it...but I am afraid that would look a little self-serving.
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