RUSSIA AND GEORGIA - What's Up?

Well I might as well get into this Georgia / Abkhazia & South Ossetia conflict in more detail since Russia recognized the break-away republics as legitimate and sovereign this morning.
Yesterday, President Bush warned Russia NOT to recognize the two republics saying it would be “unacceptable” to the United States.

What do it all mean?

The history of Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia is very fluid with borders and peoples changing locations and allegiances many times. I think for our discussion we should know that Georgia has existed as a separate entity for some time in history but we know it as a country within the Soviet Union until the break-up of the union and the independence of Georgia in the early 1990s.

Georgia’s borders were ruled legitimate and recognized as such by the world (including Russia) upon Georgia’s declaration of independence.

The other thing to realize here is that the areas of Georgia known as Abkhazia and South Ossetia are populated mostly by non-Georgians (different culture, language, etc.). We may compare this situation to that of Kosovo which was a part of Serbia (Yugoslavia) but populated by non-Serbs (Albanians) that the United States recognized as independent from Serbia even though the Serbs did not want to let go of the area.

South Ossetia (in Georgia) shares the same culture and language with people in North Ossetia (in Russia). It would seem logical that the two Ossetias should be one, especially if that is what both parts want. It is not the same as the Communist North Vietnam invading the capitalist South Vietnam.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Georgian forces have had battles with both regions, actually small wars, and that the autonomous regions fought fiercely to keep their independence and have tried to thwart any Georgians from moving into their territory by attacking their villages.

In 2008, Georgia attacked South Ossetia and the Russians intervened; plain and simple and will not let the Georgians attack again. Russia has now declared these territories as independent of Georgia and under Russian protection – that’s all folks!

South Ossetia is pretty poor and barren but Abkhazia borders the Black Sea and has a huge amount of Russian investment in luxury villas, resorts, etc. It also has a valuable port on the Black Sea. Georgia still has a Black Sea presence but not as big – look at map.

So I can’t really get all upset over what Russia did since we have lost all credibility with our unprovoked invasion of Iraq – who are we to talk? BUT I do have some consternation about Russia’s threats of invasion or retaliation against former Soviet states that now choose to side with the West. Here is where we need to make some diplomatic or military moves.

Even if Georgia gives up those disputed territories, we should arm the Georgian army with defensive weapons so they can repel, at least, initially, any Russian incursion into their legitimate and sovereign territory. Give them tank busters and truck busters and some good artillery that can take out a line of Russian tanks. The Afghanistan rag-tag soldiers beat the Russians once and drove them from their country, I am certain the Georgians can do the same.