Georgia | Hope is Not a Foreign Policy

Posts Tagged ‘Georgia’

Saturday, August 30th, 2008 at 2:37pm

Georgia Severs Diplomatic Ties with Moscow

Posted by Tom Skypek in Russia

Yesterday, the government in Tbilisi announced that it cut diplomatic ties with Russia to protest the continued presence of Russian troops in Georgian territory. The situation in Eurasia is not improving. Russia’s decision to recognize the “independence” of South Ossetia and Abkhazia was particularly problematic since these two regions are part of Georgia.

This week, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev escalated his rhetoric. Commenting on U.S. plans to install missile interceptors and command and control nodes in Poland and the Czech Republic, Medvedev threatened to use military force: “This will create additional tension and we will have to respond to it in some way, naturally using military means.” Medvedev’s comments…

1 Comment Tags: Dmitry Medvedev, Georgia, Missile Defense, Russia

Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 at 3:28pm

NATO and the Georgia-Russia Conflict

Posted by Tom Skypek in Russia

Morton Abramowitz wrote an interesting article for today’s online edition of the National Interest, raising an important question about NATO’s willingness to allow a small state, emerging from the shadow of the Iron Curtain to be routed by a resurgent Russia:

The time is now ripe for NATO to also consider how it allowed a small state (and aspiring NATO partner) to be shattered and to reach a reckoning with Russia’s abusive behavior. All that requires some historical perspective, and that is difficult given the posturing, piety and self-justification permeating our public discussion. Posturing and piety are indeed an essential element of policy making in democratic countries; they are not substitutes for policy…

…Russia has gone well beyond merely “protecting their…

No Comments Tags: Georgia, NATO

Saturday, August 9th, 2008 at 4:29pm

The Politico-Military Objectives of the Georgian and Russian Leadership

Posted by Reggie Gibbs in Iran, Russia, Terrorism

I wrote to some of you yesterday about what I thought the objectives were for both sides of this conflict. I still think these hold pretty much true. Just to rehash:

Russia: Toss the Georgians out of South Ossetia, and embarrass them enough so that they (the Russians) maintain de facto control over South Ossetia, while leveraging their position in Abkhazia and throughout the southern Caucasus region in general

Georgia: Bloody the Russians bad enough, or make the case that they (the Russians) have committed a.) multiple human rights violations and/or war crimes and b.) overreached in their operations, that the international community will get involved and apply pressure to put a truly international and neutral peacekeeping force in South Ossetia. If…

2 Comments Tags: Georgia, Russia, Russia Today, South Ossetia

Saturday, August 9th, 2008 at 5:38am

Military Conflict Continues Between Russia and Georgia

Posted by Tom Skypek in Russia

Defense analysts who once believed that Dmitry Medvedev’s Kremlin would differ from Vladimir Putin’s now have their answer. Russia needs to withdraw its forces from Georgia immediately. Here’s an article from Bloomberg News:

Russia Is Waging `Full-Scale War’ Over S. Ossetia, Georgia Says
By Alex Nicholson

Aug. 9 (Bloomberg) — Georgia accused Russia of waging “full-scale war,” as Russian troops took control of the capital of the separatist South Ossetia region, rejecting calls by the international community for an immediate cease-fire.

“Georgia is under military aggression of the Russian federation,” Georgian Security Council secretary Kakha Lomaia told reporters in a conference call today.

Ships of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet moved toward Abkhazia, another separatist region, and Russian…

No Comments Tags: Dmitry Medvedev, Georgia, Russia, South Ossetia, Vladimir Putin