Georgia on my Mind...

[Northern Neil]

Eventually a strong leader and culture will absorb the smaller states into a larger whole, as might easily happen with the European Union for instance.

 

Maybe the EU as a united entity prevents Russia from bullying the Baltic states and Finland as it was inclined to do in earlier times.

[Ludovicus]

Not long after the Georgians bombed the capital of Ossetia, which resulted in the massive Russian response, George Bush accused the Russian Federation of "bullying" Georgia. The next day Senator McCain stated, in reference to the Russian presence in Georgia, that "in the 21st century nations don't invade other nations."

 

What was the Bush Administration's treatment of Iraq, if other than "bullying?" There are at least tens of thousands of dead Iraqi's and a destroyed country that are very good witnesses to the action of George Bully Bush. And he wants to wag his bloody finger at the Russians!

 

Maybe the Russians are taking a lesson from the Bush manual of international relations.

Edited August 19, 2008 by Ludovicus

[ASCLEPIADES]

Salve, L

Maybe the Russians are taking a lesson from the Bush manual of international relations.

One important difference may be that Iraq was never part of the US and they don't even share borders, while Georgia has been Russian for almost two hundred years, up to less than two decades ago.

[Kosmo]

JR - Romanian news used western media as source and given our history with Russia it's obviously pro-georgian. The president did not miss the chance to point that Kosovo it's a bad precedent (Romania does not recognize Kosovo)

Transnistria in Moldova, Abhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia were created by direct actions of the Soviet and Russian army in the early 90's. They are puppet governments still under russian army protection and Russia does not recognize their independence probably because it wants to annex them. The independence of Abhazia and South Ossetia would stir trouble for Russians in the many North Caucasus federal entities that they rule, including much larger North Ossetia and rebel Cecenia.

For the Georgians South Ossetia it's important because it controls the mountain pass on the main military road between Georgia and Russia. If the Georgians would have reached that pass before Russian reinforcements the war would have been more complicated. But their military moves seemed chaotic while Russians showed speed and determination (and surprising use of lots of guided ammunition).

Ukraine plays a double game showing support for Georgia to get in good books with the Americans while continuously allowed the existence of Transnistria since 1991. All the trade and supplies of this landlocked entity, including the personnel, weapons and supplies of the Russian 14th Army still defending Transnistria are passing Ukraine.

[Ludovicus]

Salve, L

Maybe the Russians are taking a lesson from the Bush manual of international relations.

One important difference may be that Iraq was never part of the US and they don't even share borders, while Georgia has been Russian for almost two hundred years, up to less than two decades ago.

 

 

I agree. That's an important distinction.

[Nagelfar]

Eventually a strong leader and culture will absorb the smaller states into a larger whole, as might easily happen with the European Union for instance.

 

Maybe the EU as a united entity prevents Russia from bullying the Baltic states and Finland as it was inclined to do in earlier times.

 

Perhaps their NATO membership has a chilling effect on the Russian ambition. Finland did have a "friendship and assistance pact" with the Russians. However, the Finns I know never enjoyed the "friendship". The Baltic states entered both NATO and EU when there was a window of opportunity. There can be considerable Russian influence in Finland, the Baltics and Sweden (for that matter). However, Russia will have to use other methods than military to achieve this.

[ASCLEPIADES]

Salve, Amici.

 

Checking on some "civilisations military competition" concepts (theory?), one can't help but conclude that Russia is at the risk of "atrophy" (if such process is not actually on course) for the lack of military "exercise" in recent years.

Afghanistan and Chechenia would have clearly been not enough.

So the Georgian-Abkhazian-Ossetian affair might come to be exactly what the doctor ordered...

 

This is an example of why I may find this kind of ideas not only absurd, but also dangerous.

[Faustus]

Salve, Amici.

 

Checking on some "civilisations military competition" concepts (theory?), one can't help but conclude that Russia is at the risk of "atrophy" (if such process is not actually on course) for the lack of military "exercise" in recent years.

Afghanistan and Chechenia would have clearly been not enough.

So the Georgian-Abkhazian-Ossetian affair might come to be exactly what the doctor ordered...

 

This is an example of why I may find this kind of ideas not only absurd, but also dangerous.

And Russia's military would probably have continued to atrophy without their new found wealth in Oil revenues to fund it anew.

As Russia once entered the world's stage (communist/command economy) operating as an over-arching corporation, now they have entered into capitalism as something we might recognize as a thugocacy (or a fascist state?) Russia today (and yesterday) was not that different from Nazi Germany: (Stalinism Was Just as Bad as Nazism

 

edit:In occupied countries, Poland for example, the Nazi Gestapo and the Soviet NKVD worked hand in hand. Germany's secret police killed people in its zone of occupation according to racial criteria. In its zone, the Soviet secret police killed according to social or political criteria. The Nazi SS handed over Ukrainian nationalists to the Soviets; in return the NKVD handed over escaped German communists to the Gestapo.

from commentary by Mart Laar, a former prime minister of Estonia; a founder of the Foundation for the Investigation of Communist Crimes.

Edited August 22, 2008 by Faustus