Conflict Between Russia And Georgia Is Escalating
I’m sure by now, everyone has heard about the escalating conflict between Russia and Georgia. Here is a quick video addressing some of the history behind this conflict and how the U.S. is involved.
Today, the situation in Georgia is becoming even more critical. American citizens are being evacuated from Georgia, and the democratically elected president of Georgia may need to evacuate as well.
Here is a sampling of what is being talked about around the web…
From The Carpetbagger Report…
With the conflict between Russia and Georgia moving “toward full-scale war,” even those of us who follow the news closely might pause and think, “Now, what’s that conflict about again?” The NYT’s James Traub wrote a very helpful piece today offering plenty of background and history to explain the context for the violence, and why the parties have been moving towards this war in the North Caucasus for quite some time.
From Daily Intel…
For Barack Obama and John McCain, however, the war was a chance to demonstrate how they would respond to an unexpected international crisis as president. Obama initially called for both nations “to show restraint” and “avoid an escalation to full-scale war,” before later blaming Russia for escalating the crisis and violating “Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” McCain, who has repeatedly expressed his disdain for Putin (“I looked into Mr. Putin’s eyes and I saw three things — a K and a G and a B”), was taking a hard line against Russia from the start, calling for them to “unconditionally cease its military operations and withdraw all forces.” Earlier this morning, he said that Russia’s actions are “unacceptable” and that the world should come “together in universal condemnation of Russian aggression.” There may be no winners in war, but who’s coming out on top in this political test?
(click here to find out what other commentators are saying about the Obama/McCain remarks)
According to this article on Yahoo, Dick Cheney stated that Russian aggression must not go unanswered. Russia attacked Georgia for attacking South Ossetia, and that’s pissed off the Bush administration. Some might say it’s because Russia shouldn’t be getting involved in a hotspot that hasn’t cooled down since the fall of the Soviet Union. Others would suggest it’s because Georgia’s President is a staunch ally of the Bush administration. Personally, I think Cheney just is itching to attack someone.
From The Washington Post…
The details of who did what to precipitate Russia’s war against Georgia are not very important. Do you recall the precise details of the Sudeten Crisis that led to Nazi Germany’s invasion of Czechoslovakia? Of course not, because that morally ambiguous dispute is rightly remembered as a minor part of a much bigger drama.
The events of the past week will be remembered that way, too. This war did not begin because of a miscalculation by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. It is a war that Moscow has been attempting to provoke for some time. The man who once called the collapse of the Soviet Union “the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the [20th] century” has reestablished a virtual czarist rule in Russia and is trying to restore the country to its once-dominant role in Eurasia and the world. Armed with wealth from oil and gas; holding a near-monopoly over the energy supply to Europe; with a million soldiers, thousands of nuclear warheads and the world’s third-largest military budget, Vladimir Putin believes that now is the time to make his move.
From World Politics Review Blog…
For those looking to make sense of the Russia-Georgia conflict, we’ve published three commentary/analysis pieces on the subject today.
–Richard Weitz looks at Moscow’s motives;
–Frida Ghitis says Russia is sending a message; and
–Peter Doran says Moscow has been allowed to play both mediator and spoiler.
What do you think about this? What can the U.S. do to help resolve this brutal conflict? How damaging is this going to be to U.S. and Russian relations? Does it “look bad” that Barack Obama is continuing with his vacation? Let me know what you think in comments.
If you missed the Obama or McCain response to this conflict on Friday, I’ve included a recap video below (first McCain, then Obama).
Also See:
Huffington Post
The Democratic Underground
Crooks and Liars
