Russia v. Georgia: Some perspectivesOnce you get started on this stuff, it's hard to let go.
As usual, some of the best material on what's really going on in Georgia has appeared in the British press, not in the NY Times. I've put together a few links that give some perspective here.
From the London Independent: Saakashvili sucked up to the West and gambled that NATO would back him when he got in a firefight with Russia
Also from the Independent, check out the comments here on how Saakashvili may have started the whole thing
From the UK Guardian, some good background on what Russia is demanding
And I'm posting below an intelligent piece by J. Victor Marshall of the Independent Institute over in Oakland. Marshall has a bit of the Peter Dale Scott in him, but this is well worth reading.
Georgia on My Mind
By J. Victor Marshall
Whenever a crisis somewhere in the world involves Russia, members of Americas political establishment appear gripped by a collective psychosis.
The latest revival of Cold War rhetoric comes on the heels of Russias incursion into neighboring Georgia to counter its recent attack on the ethnically distinct enclave of South Ossetia.
South Ossetia, which was once part of the Soviet republic of Georgia, has increasingly asserted its independence since 1991, when several thousand Georgian troops invaded, unleashing barbaric violence on both sides.
Its no surprise that armchair warriors like Vice President Cheney, uninterested in the regions complex history, now bluster that Russian aggression must not go unanswered.
But Democratic hawks like Richard Holbrooke are no less quick to raise the specter of the Cold War and declare ominously, Moscow's behavior poses a direct challenge to European and international order.
Its also no surprise that John McCain, whose chief foreign policy advisor was a paid lobbyist for the government of Georgia, calls for a militant response by the NATO alliance, formed in 1949 as a counterweight to the Soviet Union.
But even the candidate for change, Barack Obama, calls on the international community to condemn this aggression Russias, not Georgias and advocates Georgias admission to NATO.
Such rhetoric is an almost Pavlovian reaction to ugly images of Russian tanks on the move, acting with trademark ruthlessness to stamp out their enemy and any innocent victims who stand in the way.
But lets get real here. Neoconservative pundit Robert Kagan may assert that the details of who did what to precipitate Russia's war against Georgia are not very important, but the details are unimportant only because he wants to blame Russia for violence unleashed by Georgia.
Theres no real doubt that Georgia began the latest conflict by launching an artillery barrage against South Ossetias main city on the night of August 7, though it claims to have been provoked by armed militants from the tiny regions 65,000 people.
The fact is that Georgias president, Mikheil Saakashvili, made reclaiming South Ossetia one of his top priorities upon taking office in 2004. Indeed, within months he sparked armed conflict with South Ossetia by recklessly trying to unseat its leadership.
The Bush administration, meanwhile, sent military advisors to train and arm his soldiers, compounding Russias concern about Georgias incitement of ethnic conflict on its sensitive border in the North Caucasus region.
President Bush next lobbied hard to seat Georgia as a member of NATO, an alliance Russia understandably views as hostile.
Imagine if Bush had succeeded in enlisting Georgia in NATO, rather than simply winning promises of its admission at some later date. Georgia would be demanding that NATO rally to its defense, and the war between Washington and Moscow might escalate beyond mere words.
Its a safe bet that when President George Washington urged the nation to steer clear of permanent alliances in his Farewell Address, he never dreamed that the United States would someday be entangled in an alliance that threatened to draw us into a conflict on behalf of the state of Georgiathe one on the Black Sea, nearly 6,000 miles away.
Its an equally safe bet that today, Washington would be appalled at the specter of U.S. leaders urging this country to confront a major world power over a tiny enclave few Americans have ever heard of, while already overextended fighting two wars and sliding into a recession.
In November 2004, the International Crisis Group warned, Should one side use force to seek its political goals, the other would respond in kind, and massive displacement of the inhabitants of South Ossetia would ensue. The war that would engulf the region would destroy the Saakashvili presidency and Georgias hopes for a bright future, while pulling Russia into another conflict in the volatile Caucasus region.
Instead of heeding that warning, the Bush administrations support fueled Saakashvilis territorial ambitions. The result, as predicted, is a catastrophe for the immediate region with the terrifying potential to ignite a new Cold War.
J. Victor Marshall is a research fellow at The Independent Institute in Oakland, CA. For biographical information, please see: http://www.independent.org/aboutus/person_detail.asp?id=846
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Comments (6)
Incidentally, is reading Peter Dale Scott a good idea? I bought one of his books a while back (Deep Politics and the Death of JFK), but I'm kinda scared to read it, because my bullshit detector isn't *perfect* and I'd hate to be led astray by an intoxicating brew of 75% fact 25% mixed nuts.
Advice, anyone?
Posted by texas dem | August 13, 2008 12:14 AM
Did anyone else think of Putin's march to the sea through Georgia after setting Tiblisi ablaze?
But seriously, the flaw in this line of thinking is similar to that offered up by Reagan in the 1980s against the "Nicaraguan Communists."
On what planet would a tiny nation like Georgia antagonize an ascendent megalith like Russia knowing that the US was too overextended to even contemplate the notion of yet another land war in ASia?
-marc
Posted by marc | August 13, 2008 09:25 AM
Uhh, the planet on which the president of said tiny nation has been hanging out with Cheney, McCain, and a bunch of other belligerent neocon fantasy artists who think they can defeat a great power in their own back yard with the power of their minds.
Seriously, Saakashvili was high on the neocon mushrooms. He thought we had their backs. Plus he has a reputation for volatility; Powell had to give him a massive tongue-lashing in 2004 to dissuade him from launching any provocations. Sadly, that was probably the last time Saak talked to an American with any sense. Certainly talking to Condi Rice a month ago in Tbilisi didn't seem to help.
Another nation ruined by Dick Cheney. He's going to have quite an impressive score by the end of this. Too bad our country is his trophy kill.
Posted by texas dem | August 13, 2008 01:51 PM
to Texas Dem - please stop trying to push your own agenda - this is not about our pilitics here at home really. You obviously do not know ANYTHING about Georgia and its history. You also don't know anything about Russia and its relationship and activities over years and years - long before Bush or any other politician in the office today.
I am not trying to insult you - just trying to spread the word about the TRUTH, considering it my duty as a Georgian-American. If you would like to know more, please read it here: http://michaeltotten.com/
Thank you.
Posted by Natalie Khvitia | August 30, 2008 02:23 PM
You know, there are idiots. And then there are Bush ass kissing idiots. The former can be forgiven, the later not.
I am an American of 5 generations. And I am telling the world that Bush, Cheney, et al are intentionally and criminally surrounding Russia with our troops, our military hardware, etc. It is politics and you all know it.
And you ass kissing idiots think that is ok? And forigners like Natalie that seem to think they know more about my people and my country than I do. Well, let me tell you about my country and my government.
The US is a corrupt, filthy, corporate state intent on world domination. It is this corruption and filth that is responsible for what happened in Georgia. Now you ass kissing idiots can rationalize all you want and put spin on the facts to fit your twisted world, but the truth is there for all to see.
Bush, Cheney, et all want a pipeline and they are willing to push Russia aside to get it. And that is exactly what they tried to do... the US used Georgia as slaves to do their violent dirty work. And what is sad, the Georgian people, and the Bush ass kissers here, celebrate their slavery to such corruption and filth. THAT is what is so very sad.
What idiots.
Posted by ken | September 9, 2008 08:14 AM
I wonder if it's just a case of our cold warriors upset they never got to fight a war against Russia and will do whatever it takes to start one.
A stupid move to be sure. Russia's not perfect by any means, but to think we can somehow "control" them is a fallacy. They have energy resources, a huge military and an authoritarian government. I'm not suggesting appeasement, but beating the drums of war and "tough talk" from folks like Cheney who never pay the price for their war mongering (just make a buck instead) is just stupid.
Posted by greg | September 9, 2008 07:20 PM