South Ossetia, The Candidates, and You

First, the Basics. We have 3 sides here. Georgia, South Ossetia, and Russia. South Ossetia is a province in the nation of Georgia that has been trying to break away from Georgia for the better part of 18 years. It has declared independence, along with an area called Abkhazia. This independence has not been diplomatically recognized by any nation. For a history of the Georgia-South Ossetia conflict, click here.

The Beginning of this Conflict is Kind of Murky. Both sides claim the other started shooting first. At this point it doesn’t really matter, because what started out as dueling sniper fire now has thousands of combatants, and is drawing the increasing ire of a great many nations, calling for an immediate cease fire. A few selected statements:

President Bush said on Monday:

“Russia has invaded a sovereign neighboring state and threatens a democratic government elected by its people. Such an action is unacceptable in the 21st century,”

From this Report from Reuters there was also a statement from a “Senior U.S. official” that this looked like it had been planned out by the Russians for some time.

Great Britain’s Prime Minister, Gordon Brown on Sunday said:

We will continue to press for international action to help bring this conflict to an end, and we urge both parties to agree an immediate ceasefire.”

Almost All the nations of the G-8, Which include not just the Two above-mentioned nations, but Japan, Germany, Canada, Italy and France, are also calling for International mediation over the growing crisis. Notice I said Almost. Russia was noticeably absent here.

I do not know how much you know about this place, I am only really learning about it myself, But there are a few things that strike me here. Vladimir Putin is quoted as saying that this war will be taken to it’s “logical conclusion”, and that there are two very profitable oil Pipelines, The Baku-Supsa and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, that run through Georgia.

Can you say war for oil? It is being talked about. One or two more fast facts.

Russia moved 5 battalions of the 58th Army to the Russia/Georgia Border several days before The Georgians began their all out assault on South Ossetia, when this was still just a few snipers on both sides going at it.

The United States has airlifted the Georgian troops that were serving with us in Iraq directly to Georgia after the Russians Invaded.

Word that I am getting is that the Georgians have pulled back, but that the Russians have not.

For their Part, both Barack Obama and John McCain have also joined the chorus of voices around the world calling for a cease fire. Both men have spoken to Mikheil Saakashvili, President of Georgia and issued terse statements condemning the war. Read them for yourself. First from McCain:

“Russian President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin must understand the severe, long-term negative consequences that their government’s actions will have for Russia’s relationship with the U.S. and Europe,”

Barack Obama makes an even stronger statement:

Russia has escalated its military campaign through strategic bombing and the movement of its ground forces into the heart of Georgia. There is no possible justification for these attacks.
I reiterate my call for Russia to stop its bombing campaign, to stop flights of Russian aircraft in Georgian airspace, and to withdraw its ground forces from Georgia. The Georgian government has proposed a cease-fire and the Russian government should accept it.

A Video for you, from the scene.

The Questions I think need to be asked are as follows. Do the Candidates statements have any real meaning outside the campaign trail? Do you think the world is really listening to them? They are still only senators after all.

Do you think this conflict could possibly draw the United States into it on the side of Georgia?

There are reports that have the Georgians opening fire on civilians, and even aid workers in the area, and killing Hundreds and possibly over 1,000 people, and of Russians doing the same, firing rockets, mortars and small arms at Georgian civilians, and of doing this for the Oil and not for the South Ossetians. Is there really any such thing as a good guy here, or in any war for that matter? Can there be?

Could the old Cold War, once dead, come back to life, and become Hot? I want to hear from you!

Uncle Mikey

Story Edit ETA 9:00A.M. 8/12 : Russia orders halt to fighting: Georgia Skeptical