Intermarkets' Privacy Policy
Support


Donate to Ace of Spades HQ!



Recent Entries
Absent Friends
Bandersnatch 2024
GnuBreed 2024
Captain Hate 2023
moon_over_vermont 2023
westminsterdogshow 2023
Ann Wilson(Empire1) 2022
Dave In Texas 2022
Jesse in D.C. 2022
OregonMuse 2022
redc1c4 2021
Tami 2021
Chavez the Hugo 2020
Ibguy 2020
Rickl 2019
Joffen 2014
AoSHQ Writers Group
A site for members of the Horde to post their stories seeking beta readers, editing help, brainstorming, and story ideas. Also to share links to potential publishing outlets, writing help sites, and videos posting tips to get published. Contact OrangeEnt for info:
maildrop62 at proton dot me
Cutting The Cord And Email Security
Moron Meet-Ups






















« Cause It Had to Be 'Shopped - [Liberrocky] | Main | Top Headline Comments 08-08-08 »
August 08, 2008

Russia Invades Georgia

Low-level violence has been the norm between Russia and its former republic Georgia since Georgia declared independence in 1991. But this may be something different.

Georgian and Russian forces have come into direct conflict as Georgia attempts to reassert control over South Ossetia. Russian tanks as well as "volunteers" are entering the breakaway region, ostensibly to prevent violence. In fact, their goal is to maintain and encourage South Ossetia's de facto independence from Georgia.

An Italian news agency is reporting that a Georgian military base near the capital of Tblisi has come under air attack.

More: Part of Russia's problem with Georgia has been its increasingly pro-Western government. After 2003's Rose Revolution, Georgia's new president, Mikheil Saakashvili launched a program of reform with the ultimate goal of joining NATO. Georgia has been an ally of the U.S. in the War on Terror. At the height of its participation, it sent 2000 U.S.-trained troops to Iraq, making it one of the top contributors to our war effort. Our trainers and contractors in Georgia are reported to be safe and out of the conflict.

If you're wondering why I care so much, it's unknown right now whether this conflict represents a mere escalation of the conflict over South Ossetia or whether Putin (through Medvedev) intends to re-take Georgia with more former republics to follow. Whatever the case, Russia bears watching.

About South Ossetia and Abkhazia: Both breakaway regions declared independence in the early 1990s. That independence was not recognized by any nations, including Russia, but Russia has helped the regions maintain de facto independence from Tblisi by placing peacekeepers in both regions. Part of the reason Georgia moved on South Ossetia this week is because someone in the region has been shelling Georgian civilians.

So the question must be asked: is Kosovo going to come back and bite us? It depends on just what precedent you think Kosovo set.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February and was immediately recognized by the U.S. and several other countries. (It has not been recognized by Russia or the UN, however.) Prior to that declaration, Serbia had lost all control of the region and international peacekeepers were keeping Serbia from retaking it. Superficially, the situation in South Ossetia (and Abkhazia) look similar. However, there were several characteristics to Kosovo's independence that are not present in Georgia.

First, the whole of Kosovo was placed under international supervision following the wars in the late 1990s. The UN, through NATO, had ultimate administrative and military control. There was no analogue to this in South Ossetia. Georgia has always been able to exert at-will military control over South Ossetia. And though the Russian "peacekeepers" have kept Georgia from maintaining administrative governance, neither has an international group been responsible for administrative governance.

Second, after it was made de facto autonomous Kosovo developed a robust democratic government. No such government exists in South Ossetia. Instead, two governments (aside from Georgia, I mean) claim to represent the region: Ossetian separatists and a "Provisional Administration" which has Georgian support.

Third, Kosovar independence was achieved without military action. Actually, the fact that Kosovo was able to declare independence without going to war with Serbia is evidence of just how complete its de facto independence was. South Ossetia has no such claim. And it is noteworthy that although Ossetian separatists are fighting the Georgians, Russia is the real power keeping Georgia out.

Make no mistake. This is not a freedom movement for South Ossetia. And if Russia wins, South Ossetia will not be an independent and free country. It will be a part of expansionist Russia.


digg this
posted by Gabriel Malor at 11:49 AM

| Access Comments




Recent Comments
Decaf: "Reminds of a story my brother, a historian, told m ..."

Tim "Born to Kill" Walz: "Trump is Micheal Myers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ..."

Xipe Totec: "The most pathetic Ford evah! The ALL NEW, Piece of ..."

...: "I think it has helped them quite a bit, for decade ..."

People's Hippo Voice : "Why do people act like betting markets have some s ..."

whig: "337 Why do people act like betting markets have so ..."

ShainS -- In Trump's America, Garbage Throws YOU Out! [/b][/i][/s][/u] : "In hindsight it seems obvious. Yes, many people wa ..."

gKWVE: "[i]how did they identify male Orthodox Jews, and h ..."

Xipe Totec: "Babylon Bee: Millions of garbage bags seen lining ..."

ChrisW: "It's like when the media told us that football cro ..."

18-1: "[i]In the 80s and 90s he was going off on Japan. C ..."

Obligatory Seinfeld reference : ">>>An all white fiesta? What the hell is that? ..."

Recent Entries
Search


Polls! Polls! Polls!
Frequently Asked Questions
The (Almost) Complete Paul Anka Integrity Kick
Top Top Tens
Greatest Hitjobs

The Ace of Spades HQ Sex-for-Money Skankathon
A D&D Guide to the Democratic Candidates
Margaret Cho: Just Not Funny
More Margaret Cho Abuse
Margaret Cho: Still Not Funny
Iraqi Prisoner Claims He Was Raped... By Woman
Wonkette Announces "Morning Zoo" Format
John Kerry's "Plan" Causes Surrender of Moqtada al-Sadr's Militia
World Muslim Leaders Apologize for Nick Berg's Beheading
Michael Moore Goes on Lunchtime Manhattan Death-Spree
Milestone: Oliver Willis Posts 400th "Fake News Article" Referencing Britney Spears
Liberal Economists Rue a "New Decade of Greed"
Artificial Insouciance: Maureen Dowd's Word Processor Revolts Against Her Numbing Imbecility
Intelligence Officials Eye Blogs for Tips
They Done Found Us Out, Cletus: Intrepid Internet Detective Figures Out Our Master Plan
Shock: Josh Marshall Almost Mentions Sarin Discovery in Iraq
Leather-Clad Biker Freaks Terrorize Australian Town
When Clinton Was President, Torture Was Cool
What Wonkette Means When She Explains What Tina Brown Means
Wonkette's Stand-Up Act
Wankette HQ Gay-Rumors Du Jour
Here's What's Bugging Me: Goose and Slider
My Own Micah Wright Style Confession of Dishonesty
Outraged "Conservatives" React to the FMA
An On-Line Impression of Dennis Miller Having Sex with a Kodiak Bear
The Story the Rightwing Media Refuses to Report!
Our Lunch with David "Glengarry Glen Ross" Mamet
The House of Love: Paul Krugman
A Michael Moore Mystery (TM)
The Dowd-O-Matic!
Liberal Consistency and Other Myths
Kepler's Laws of Liberal Media Bias
John Kerry-- The Splunge! Candidate
"Divisive" Politics & "Attacks on Patriotism" (very long)
The Donkey ("The Raven" parody)
Powered by
Movable Type 2.64