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A Consolidated Primer on the South Ossetia Conflict
Guest Column | By Tom Ordeman, Jr. | August 11, 2008
As
Russian forces attack the Caucasian republic of Georgia, many in the
West are no doubt puzzled. While many might be familiar with Georgia,
fewer will have heard of South Ossetia before Russia sent tanks into
the region on Friday. Although this remote dispute is taking place in
an unfamiliar area, its repercussions will undoubtedly impact global
security. In order to understand, a discussion of the conflict's
background is in order.
Georgia is a former Soviet republic
that gained its independence during the collapse of the Soviet Empire.
Since then, the Georgians have been pro-Western, and somewhat
confrontational with their Russian neighbors. Like the Ukraine, Georgia
aspires to NATO membership, a policy that Russia opposes to the point
of threatening both countries. (Jamestown, AP, Spiegel) The Georgians have not only deployed troops to Iraq, but sent more as part of a sort of "Georgian surge" (AP, BBC)
- this is in direct contrast to countries such as Italy, Spain,
Australia, and Japan, who have all discontinued their operational
involvement in Iraq. The United States recently concluded a training evolution with Georgian troops outside Tbilisi.
Within the recognized borders of Georgia itself are two breakaway
regions that have enjoyed relative autonomy for years: Abkhazia and
South Ossetia. Remember the Beslan school massacre in 2004? That attack by Chechen terrorists occurred in North Ossetia,
which remains part of Russia. (Interestingly enough, the North
Ossetians attacked the Russian military during the December 1994 invasion of Chechnya.) These two regions have
engaged in low-level separatist operations for more than a decade,
involving occasional skirmishes and regular political actions against
the Georgian government. When Abkhazia declared independence from
Georgia in 1992, the declaration resulted in a conflict that ended with
a Georgian withdrawal and ethnic cleansing of Georgians, Greeks,
Armenians, and Russians by Abkhaz militants. In November of 2006, South
Ossetia held a formal referendum in which nearly all voters favored
South Ossetic independence. (Global Security, BBC, AP) The referendum was formally dismissed, or ignored outright, by the international community - save for Russia.
Russian involvement in both Abkhazia and South Ossetia has been
extensive. Whether out of legitimate concern for the Ossetians, or out
of a desire to set an example for the West while punishing the
obstinance of a former subject, is subject to interpretation. Russia
has garrisoned so-called peacekeepers in both regions for years, and
the Russians have been known to make regular aerial incursions into
Georgian airspace. The Georgian military flies regular surveillance
missions in Abkhazia and South Ossetia using unmanned aerial vehicles.
In April, a Russian MiG 29 aircraft was caught on video over Abkhazia
in the process of shooting down a Georgian surveillance drone. (BBC) As a result, analysts spoke of the possibility of war between Russia and Georgia over Abkhazia. (Guardian, UPI) The diplomatic conflict continued through July and into early August. Last week, the Israeli government discontinued
drone sales to Georgia in a bid to limit Russian support for Iran's
nuclear program. (Jerusalem Post, Wired)
Fighting broke out earlier this week between the Georgian military and
South Ossetia's rebel forces. Despite an initial ceasefire agreement,
fighting flared back up, eventually resulting in Georgian forces
shooting down two Russian aircraft. (Guardian, Times). The Russian military responded by sending tanks into South Ossetia and bombing Georgian air bases.
The Russian incursion has allegedly escalated to air attacks on Russian
cities outside South Ossetia. How this incident will end, and what its
impact will be, is anyone's guess.
While this is a conflict
between Russia and Georgia, the international overtones are obvious.
Despite publicity stunts aimed at making the Russian military appear
modern and lethal, the majority of Russia's equipment is slowly
deteriorating, and its ranks are filled with inexperienced conscripts.
As the Russian leadership consolidates its political power, most of the
countries formerly within its orbit have either joined, or aspire to
join, NATO. Russia's protests at Kosovo's declaration of independence
were ignored, and the Russian opposition to America's ballistic missile
defense system has been politely brushed aside - not to mention the
diplomatic and economic capital the Russians have expended on
supporting Iran's nuclear program. While the current conflict is
specifically about South Ossetia, the Kremlin likely feels no pain over
the diplomatic fallout of punishing Georgia for its perceived insolence.
The Cold War may be over, but Russia remains a significant monkey on
the collective back of the West - as the West's Georgian allies are
learning.
FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Tom Ordeman, Jr. is a technical writer for a major defense contractor. He holds a B.S. in History and Naval Science from Oregon State University, and specializes in military affairs and international terrorism.
Guest columns do not necessarily reflect the views of Accuracy in Media or its staff.
3 Comments | Post a Comment
Georgia threw the first punch. when they saw the counter-punches coming they’re in a hurry to call ceasefire. Ceasefire??? You have to teach that word first to their president Saakashvili! Imagine- before the fighting began he declared unilateral ceasefire, then after a few hours his forces attacked Ossetia hitting Russian barracks first, then Ossetian civilian targets killing 2000 people. Such cowardice and treachery!!! He is a man without honor. His words cant be trusted when he stated that they are pulling out of Ossetia, it could be that they are just reorganizing. 2,000 may be a small number compared to victims of the holocaust, but that is a significant number considering a population of roughly 80,000 Ossatian people. Genocide anyone? His actions must have a greenlight from his U.S. backers given the number of more than a hundred US military advisors in Georgia. US has a solid vested economic and military interest in the country considering its oil pipeline route and strategic proximity to Russia. More importantly, how come western media and governments were quick and bias to condemn Russia and throw favor and support for Georgia while ignoring the victims of their initial attacks on people fighting for self-determination? This raises double standards on their part. On the issue that russia might be aiming for regime change with its action? i dont know, but when it comes to regime change and meddling with local affairs of sovereign nations you have to ask the US - remember Chile (deposing Allende), Iran (deposing Mossadegh), Cuba (Bay of Pigs Invasion), Philippines (support of Marcos dictatorship), Indonesia (support of Suharto dictatorship), Vietnam (of course) and host of other countries. Shame on several media practitioners for letting themselves be used by US-Georgian gov’t propaganda! Saakashvili must pay for his aggression and war crimes! Russians must immobilised georgia’s military capability to prevent future bloody adventures in suppressing people’s right to self-determination. U.S. Government bullshit polemics on words like “freedom” and “democracy” should end. STOP USING SUCH SACRED WORDS FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE AND ADVANCING YOUR INTERESTS A-HOLES!!!
Sack-O-Shitky is just another Toadie for the Neocon Agenda and as such needs to be cut free to face the wrath of the people who ‘Democratically’ elected him. Just as those very same Neocon Trotsky Communists need to be sent back to their collective Homelands of Eastern Europe. Free America of the ‘Enemy From Within’!
August 11 at 5:47 pm | #1 | Link
South Ossetia simply wants to be its own republic, or if not that, then an ethnic group independent of other nations’ “solicitude”. There are a number of small virtually unknown nations (unknown to the West) “residing” in the national boundaries claimed by Russia, or Georgia, and the big dogs are fighting over South Osettia like it was a bone (Georgia is not going to win, it is not nearly as big a dog as Russia is…). Ossetians don’t feel like Georgia is any more their country - no more than Russia. I note when the representative government of South Ossetia wanted a referendum to become independent, Georgia said, no, we want it…so I am not that impressed with Georgia’s claims, nor am I outraged by the claims of George Bush. Furthermore, Georgia is not quite eastern Europe. We should not allow ourselves to be pulled into this war. This is within Russia’s sphere of influence, and all our talk of democratic peoples, and so on is just so much talk (our outrage notwithstanding)