Comments on the Ossetia Conflict
Aug. 10th, 2008 02:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
4thofelevenSo, is it just me, or is 90% of the western coverage of the current Caucusus crisis bloody awful? I mean, I understand, they don't want to be wasting time on pointless irrelevancies like major regional conflicts when there's a major sporting event going on, and sure, most of the time, "It's all Russia's fault!" actually is the correct interpretation of events... but this time? No, it's actually a lot more complicated that "Evil Ruskies invade plucky little democracy during Olympics!".
To begin with, this isn't a new situation - South Ossetia has been de facto independant since the breakup of the Soviet Union. Georgia may claim to be defending its territorial integrity, but the modern Republic of Georgia has never actually had effective control over Ossetia or Abkhazia. There's been a number of conflicts in the area, and this is just the most recent in a number of attempts by the Tbilisi government to force its authority over all the territories contained within the former Georgian SSR.
A fair number of media reports have managed to pay attention long enough to report accurately that the majority of South Ossetians have Russian Federation citizenship. Again, this is not a new development; the Russian government tends to make it very easy for citizens of the former Soviet Union to gain Russian citizenship. While cynics might see this as an easy way for Russia to justify interference in the affairs of former Soviet territories by claiming to be defending its citizens - and certainly Russia does not have clean hands in the Caucusus - it is a fairly reasonably policy for the successor to a large empire to have. Specifically, in the case of South Ossetia, it is understandable that the ethnically and linguisticly different Ossetian people would prefer to be part of Russia - which includes North Ossetia - than being citizens of the increasingly nationalistic Georgian Republic.
Now, a lot of news outlets have drawn attention to the surprising speed and coordination of Russian response to the Georgian assault on the Ossetian capital. Unfortunatly, since they've failed to provide any historical context for the conflict, the result has been to cast Russian actions in a far more sinister light than would probably be justified. As I said, there have been conflicts between Georgia and South Ossetian seperatists since the fall of the Soviet Union, and Russian peacekeepers have been there almost as long. With such a long-running conflict on their border, involving a seperatist group that seeks unification with Russia, it would be suprising if the Russians did not have long established plans for military intervention drawn up.
Now, let's be fair, Russia's certainly not acting out of the goodness of their hearts; it's in their interests to see Georgia divided. However, it should not be forgotten that it was Georgia, not Russia, that started this crisis. The western media, unfortunatly, is determined, as usual, to cast every crisis and political struggle in the former Soviet Union as a battle between pro-western democracy and anti-western autocracy. In this case, since Russia by definition must represent the anti-western side, Georgia has become the pro-western faction by default. It's a simplistic reading of a complicated scenario in which, for once, the Russians may actually have the moral high ground.
To begin with, this isn't a new situation - South Ossetia has been de facto independant since the breakup of the Soviet Union. Georgia may claim to be defending its territorial integrity, but the modern Republic of Georgia has never actually had effective control over Ossetia or Abkhazia. There's been a number of conflicts in the area, and this is just the most recent in a number of attempts by the Tbilisi government to force its authority over all the territories contained within the former Georgian SSR.
A fair number of media reports have managed to pay attention long enough to report accurately that the majority of South Ossetians have Russian Federation citizenship. Again, this is not a new development; the Russian government tends to make it very easy for citizens of the former Soviet Union to gain Russian citizenship. While cynics might see this as an easy way for Russia to justify interference in the affairs of former Soviet territories by claiming to be defending its citizens - and certainly Russia does not have clean hands in the Caucusus - it is a fairly reasonably policy for the successor to a large empire to have. Specifically, in the case of South Ossetia, it is understandable that the ethnically and linguisticly different Ossetian people would prefer to be part of Russia - which includes North Ossetia - than being citizens of the increasingly nationalistic Georgian Republic.
Now, a lot of news outlets have drawn attention to the surprising speed and coordination of Russian response to the Georgian assault on the Ossetian capital. Unfortunatly, since they've failed to provide any historical context for the conflict, the result has been to cast Russian actions in a far more sinister light than would probably be justified. As I said, there have been conflicts between Georgia and South Ossetian seperatists since the fall of the Soviet Union, and Russian peacekeepers have been there almost as long. With such a long-running conflict on their border, involving a seperatist group that seeks unification with Russia, it would be suprising if the Russians did not have long established plans for military intervention drawn up.
Now, let's be fair, Russia's certainly not acting out of the goodness of their hearts; it's in their interests to see Georgia divided. However, it should not be forgotten that it was Georgia, not Russia, that started this crisis. The western media, unfortunatly, is determined, as usual, to cast every crisis and political struggle in the former Soviet Union as a battle between pro-western democracy and anti-western autocracy. In this case, since Russia by definition must represent the anti-western side, Georgia has become the pro-western faction by default. It's a simplistic reading of a complicated scenario in which, for once, the Russians may actually have the moral high ground.
thanks
on 2008-08-10 06:16 am (UTC)All of it is true, and yes our media coverage is one sided.
But it is even more complicated. Starting with the strategic location on the way of delivering Caspian oil and following from that 'important ally and friend', invitation to NATO and orchestrated by CIA 'revolution' that brought current president to power in Georgia. I would note that main pursuits of Russia are also purely imperialistic.
We witness more nations being sacrificed on the altar of "access to strategic resources" and "geopolitical influence". US, countries that helped militarize Georgia (US, UK, Ukraine, Israel, France), those who were silent to aggressiveness and authoritarian style of 'democratic' Georgian president (EU) and Russia are all responsible for what is going on now.
Following 'recommendations' from Washington should not be a criteria for judging how 'democratic' a country is. Georgia has one of the toughest regimes with thousands imprisoned for political reasons, thousands immigrated for political reasons, one of the most aggressive states in the region with over 10% of GDP spent on military. This tiny state has more troops in Iraq then any other nation except US and UK! This what makes it 'democratic'.
this is just to add a bit more complexity.
South Ossetia
on 2008-08-11 07:13 am (UTC)Russian introduced new forces in South Ossetia on the 9th of August (the next day) to stop the complete assassination of the South Ossetian people in Tskhinvali, after Georgian forces broke through the demarcation line established in 1992. Presently, the city is in ruins and desperate efforts are being made by Russia to accommodate and offer medical assistance to the civilian population of South Ossetia. 34 thousand residents of South Ossetia have fled to North Ossetia (Russian Territory) to find refugee from the acridities that they had faced during the recent days. Stories of South Ossetian eye witnesses are horrendous revealing numerous cases of overt slaughter of children, women, aged and disabled seeking shelter in underground basement of houses into which Georgian soldiers threw hand grenades. The basements of houses were the only shelter from the incessant shelling of residential districts by heavy mortar and rocket fire.
The military infrastructure of Georgia was attacked by Russian aircraft following Georgia’s use of aircraft, heavy artillery, and rocket units in its destruction of Tskhinvali. Russian troops crossed the border of South Ossetia on the 9th of August to enforce its peacekeeping contingent following the assassination of 12 of its peacekeepers and the remorseless destruction of civilian population in Tskhinvali that began a day before. Russian forces now proceed to extrude all Georgian military forces beyond the demarcation line established in 1992. No bombing of Georgian cities as claimed by Georgian news reports and strongly supported by the western media have taken place other than the areas containing Georgian military infrastructure in which case some unavoidable damage has occurred to civilian buildings.
Russia has announced that it will address The Hague court as Georgia’s action abrogated international law. The murder of thousands of South Ossetians “citizen of Georgia” is nothing other than pure ethnical cleansing and was intended to drive the people of South Ossetia off its territory and deprive it of any signs of Ossetians. Georgia for Georgians was the motto of the former Georgian president Gamsakhudi that began the slaughter in 1992 and it remains the slogan of Saakashvili today.
Regretfully, lop sided information is reaching the western world claiming Russian troops are attacking Georgia. Little or no mention is made of why Russia introduced additional forces in South Ossetia. Russia’s peacekeeping contingent was twelve times outmatched in number and lacked any heavy weapon systems compared to the well prepared intruding Georgian military forces. The limited contingents of Russian peacekeepers was not capable of stopping the massacre of civilians in Tskhinvali nor protect its own limited contingent that was attacked by a squall of rocket blasts in the first minutes of the attack.
127 US military instructors engaged in the training of Georgian military contingent, prier to the beginning of the onslaught on South Ossetia, are now speedily leaving the country. Georgia has increased its military expenditures in the recent years by 30 times mainly assisted by gratuitous US support.
Mr. Putin has put forward a bid of 500 million US dollars to restore the dwellings, schools, kindergartens, hospitals and infrastructure of South Ossetia totally destroyed by the Georgian bombardment.
Presently, the aim of Russian troops is to impel Georgian military forces to return to the demarcation line established and approved by the UN and sign an agreement forbidding all use of weapons.
Georgians are limited in their information sources as opposing TV channels have been closed down and Russia internet sites providing their account of the happenings have been cut off.
no subject
on 2008-08-12 05:31 am (UTC)Comparison
on 2008-08-14 03:11 pm (UTC)1. Serbia
1. Georgia
2. Kosovo
2. South Ossetia
3. Etnicity in Kosovo: Albanians
3. Etnicity in S. Ossetia: Russians
4. In 1999 Serbia (Miloshevikj) attacked Kosovo
4. In 2008 Georgia attacked S. Ossetia
5. In 1999 NATO bombarded Serbia (and Kosovo) to protect Albanian people.
5. In 2008 Russia bombarded Georgia (and S. Ossetia) to protect Russian people.
6. In 2001 Miloshevikj was sent to the court in Hague.
6. In 2010 Saakashvili will be sent to the court in Hague.