Flash Point: South Ossetia (9 - 11 August) - Small Wars Journal

Flash Point: South Ossetia (12 August) - Small Wars Journal

Flash Point: South Ossetia (13 August) - Small Wars Journal

Flash Point: South Ossetia (14 August) - Small Wars Journal

NEWS

Rice: Draft Truce Protects Georgia - Bahrampour and Schneider, Washington Post

With Russian troops still holding key positions in the country, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived here on Friday hoping to help resolve a week-long military conflict that has undermined relations between Washington and Moscow and left the two superpowers tossing threats at each other. In a show of support for the Georgian government, Rice will meet with President Mikheil Saakashvili to get his formal approval of a French-brokered ceasefire agreement - a step towards an expected Russian withdrawal. The US also has begun humanitarian aid deliveries to the country, and will be involved in future discussions about the fate of two Russian-allied separatist provinces which sparked the current conflict. Top Russian officials say that the two provinces, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, should not return to Georgian control, while the US and Europe say they expect Georgia's borders to be respected.

Russian Blockade Continues in Gori - Associated Press

Russian troops on Friday allowed some humanitarian supplies into the city of Gori but continued their blockade of the strategically located city, raising doubts about Russia's intentions in the war-battered country. A flurry of international diplomacy, meanwhile, was set in motion Friday to clear the way for a Russian withdrawal. Gori is on the country's main east-west highway about 45 miles west of the capital, Tbilisi. By holding it, Russian forces effectively cut Georgia in half.

Russian Relations In Doubt, Gates Says - Karen DeYoung, Washington Post

Russian behavior in Georgia has "called into question the entire premise" of relations between Washington and Moscow, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said yesterday, even as the Bush administration appeared willing to let Russia take its time removing its forces from disputed areas inside the former Soviet republic. Gates reported a sharp drop in Russian military activities and said troops seemed to be positioning themselves to depart Georgia proper, toward the separatist, pro-Russian enclaves of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. He said a US military humanitarian-assessment team that arrived Wednesday will take 48 hours to determine how best to distribute aid. But US officials acknowledged late in the day that they were uncertain whether any significant Russian movement was underway.

Russia Actions Jeopardize Ties - Myers and Shanker, New York Times

Russia’s military offensive into Georgia has jolted the Bush administration’s relationship with Moscow, senior officials said Thursday, forcing a wholesale reassessment of American dealings with Russia and jeopardizing talks on everything from halting Iran’s nuclear ambitions to reducing strategic arsenals to cooperation on missiles defenses. The conflict punctuated a stark turnabout in the administration’s view of Vladimir V. Putin, the president turned prime minister whom President Bush has repeatedly described as a trustworthy friend. Now Mr. Bush’s aides complain that Russian officials have been misleading or at least evasive about Russia’s intentions in Georgia. Even as the conflict between Russia and Georgia appeared to ease on Thursday, Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates said the Russian attack had forced a fundamental rethinking of the administration’s effort to forge “an ongoing and long-term strategic dialogue with Russia.”

Russians Leave, Then Return to Gori - Tara Bahrampour, Washington Post

Georgia remained in a state of uncertainty Thursday as Russian troops retreated from and then returned to the city of Gori and spent much of the day destroying or carrying away captured Georgian military equipment. Elsewhere in the country, Russian tanks and trucks rolled along country roads toward unknown destinations, watched by local people. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared that Georgia could "forget about" ever regaining the two secessionist regions that are at the heart of the conflict. At the Kremlin, President Dmitry Medvedev warmly received the political leaders of the zones, which Georgia and the United States insist remain part of Georgia. Two days ago, Medvedev said Russian troops had ceased hostilities and would withdraw. Since then, his troops have moved erratically, heading in one direction and then veering off or reversing course.

Russia Vows to Support Two Enclaves - Clifford Levy, New York Times

Russia issued a rebuke to President Bush on Thursday over the conflict in neighboring Georgia, refusing an immediate withdrawal of its troops there, affirming its support for two separatist enclaves and warning the United States to avoid doing anything that would encourage its Georgian ally to reignite hostilities. In response, in the most pointed language yet from a Bush administration official, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates declared that Russia’s actions now required a full reassessment of administration efforts to create “an ongoing and long-term strategic dialogue with Russia.”

Russia Preparing for Georgia Withdrawal - Al Pessin, Voice of America

A top US military officer says Russian forces appear to be preparing to withdraw from Georgia, but Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the moves must continue or Russia will face serious long-term consequences in its relations with the United States and the West. The secretary says some consequences are already in order. The number two US military officer, General James Cartwright, says Russia has virtually stopped air activities over Georgia and is generally complying with promises to end hostilities. "It's difficult at the tactical level to know each and every engagement in each town," he said. "But, generally the forces are starting to move out of the city, particularly Gori, starting to consolidate their positions and get themselves into a position where they can start to back away toward the border." General Cartwright says a 12-member US military assessment team is working to determine whether roads, airports and seaports are clear to enable the delivery of relief supplies, with two planeloads already on the ground in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. But Secretary Gates said he sees "no prospect" of US forces getting involved in the conflict, saying the United States worked hard for 45 years to avoid war with the Soviet Union and Russia, and he sees no reason to change that policy now.

Saakashvili: Russia Occupies One-Third of Georgia - Voice of America

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili says a convoy of Russian tanks pushing deeper into Georgia towards the second largest city, Kutaisi, has stopped. Mr. Saakashvili gave no details on the Russian tank movement. But he told CNN television Thursday that Russia currently occupies one-third of his country. He said the presence of Russian irregulars, armed men who are not full-time soldiers, is extremely worrying. He accuses them of looting and killing in ethnic Georgian villages in South Ossetia. Earlier, Russian tanks took up positions outside the strategic city of Gori after a stand-off with Georgian authorities who were trying to re-enter the abandoned town. The Georgians had refused to endorse a proposal for South Ossetian police to patrol Gori. It was not immediately clear if the stand-off has ended, but no shooting has been reported. Elsewhere, witnesses say Russian troops entered the undefended Black Sea port of Poti and took computers and other equipment from port facilities. US officials have accused Russia of disabling Georgian military installations.

Russians Refuse to Withdraw from Gori - Tony Halpin, The Times

It was a moment when the ceasefire between Russia and Georgia could have collapsed in a single nervous twitch of a soldier's trigger finger. Opposing troops came within a hair's breadth of a firefight yesterday as a tense stand-off developed over the continued occupation of Gori by the Russian Army. Amid allegations that they were mining the city before a withdrawal, Russian tanks and troops continued to man checkpoints blocking access into the town. They showed no sign of surrendering Gori to the Georgian authorities despite an earlier pledge to do so. Georgian police were admitted briefly to patrol Gori with Russian troops but retreated after relations between the two sides broke down.The dramatic checkpoint confrontation occurred when a convoy of heavily armed Georgians in 20 pickup trucks approached the Russian position, apparently expecting their troops to be withdrawing.

US: Russian Scorched Earth Tactics - Halpin and Baldwin, The Times

The United States accused Russia yesterday of waging a campaign to cripple Georgia’s ability to defend itself in the future. As American military transport aircraft landed in Tbilisi to strong complaints from Moscow, the Russian Army undertook search-and-destroy missions on Georgian soil, defying the ceasefire agreement brokered by President Sarkozy of France. Tanks and soldiers continued to occupy Gori despite promising to leave by yesterday. A Georgian military base in the city was destroyed and the Georgian Ambassador to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe accused the Russians of laying mines before a withdrawal.

Signs of Ethnic Attacks in Georgia - Tavernese and Siegel, New York Times

As the conflict between Russia and Georgia enters its second week, there is growing evidence of looting and “ethnic cleansing” in a number of villages throughout the area of conflict. The attacks - some witnessed by reporters or documented by a human rights group - include stealing, the burning of villages and possibly even killings. Some are ethnically motivated, while at least some of the looting appears to be the work of profiteers in areas from which the authorities have fled. The identities of the attackers vary, but a pattern of violence by ethnic Ossetians against ethnic Georgians is emerging and has been confirmed by some Russian authorities.

Moscow Vows to Back Separatists - The Australian

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told the separatist leaders of South Ossetia and Abkhazia yesterday that Moscow would act as their guarantor and support whatever they decided on their status. After a meeting with Mr Medvedev at the Kremlin, Abkhazian leader Sergei Bagapsh and South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity vowed to push ahead with independence from Georgia. "We will achieve independence in accordance with all of the rules of international law," Mr Kokoity said. Mr Bagapsh vowed the two separatist regions would move towards their aim of independence together. Mr Medvedev had earlier told the two separatist leaders Russia would support "any decision taken by the people of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in accordance with the charter of the United Nations, the 1966 international conventions and the Helsinki act on security and co-operation in Europe".

Chill Falls on US-Moscow Relations - Jon Ward, Washington Times

The widening gap between the United States and Russia expanded further Thursday as formerly communist Poland sought formal US protection and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates threatened the Kremlin with "consequences" for its actions in Georgia. Heightening tensions between the White House and the Kremlin resembled a 21st-century version of the Cold War, with Washington and Moscow trading diplomatic barbs and implied military threats over the Aug. 7-8 invasion of Georgia by Russian troops. Poland, a former Soviet Union satellite, Thursday signed a deal to host 10 American interceptor missiles to shoot down offensive missiles, a deal fiercely opposed by Russia. The pact included what Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called a "mutual agreement" that each country would defend the other in case of attack.

US-Russia Tensions Heighten - Megan Stack, Los Angeles Times

With Russia still defying US demands to pull its troops from Georgia, the short, one-sided fight over two small mountain provinces widened Thursday into the sharpest exchanges yet between Washington and Moscow, threatening to unravel the post-Cold War consensus between them. As Washington dispatched humanitarian relief, but no military aid, to its Georgian allies, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates warned that unless Russian forces relented from their incursion into Georgia, "the US-Russian relationship could be adversely affected for years to come." But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov bluntly told the Georgians to "forget about" recovering the two secessionist provinces whose unsettled fate triggered this month's fighting. Instead of withdrawing, as demanded a day earlier by President Bush, the Russian military plunged deeper into several towns in Georgia proper, Georgian officials said.

Georgian Invasion Sends Message to World, Gates Says - AFPS

With their invasion of Georgia, the Russians are sending a message not only to neighbors, but also to the world, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. Georgia, a nation of 5 million in the Caucasus region, has allied itself with the West and is seeking membership in NATO. Abkhazia and South Ossetia are provinces that are seeking to break away from Georgia and ally with Russia. Gates noted that, like clockwork, there have been exchanges of gunfire between Georgian and South Ossetian troops every August. “And this year, it escalated very quickly,” he said. “The Russians were prepared to take advantage of an opportunity.” The Russian air, land and sea attacks against Georgia went far beyond asserting the Russian view of the autonomy of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The Russians, Gates said, wanted “to punish Georgia for daring to try to integrate with the West economically and politically and in security arrangements.” The Russian military action was directed against Georgia, but Kremlin leaders wanted nations in all parts of the former Soviet Union to understand the dangers of integrating with the West, Gates said. “I think that they had an opportunity to make some very broad points [to these nations] and, I think, [the Russians] seized that opportunity,” he said. Gates holds a doctorate in Russian and Soviet history from Georgetown University. The message has been received by the nations of the world, Gates said.

Bush Wants Russia to Honor Cease-Fire - Scott Stearns, Voice of America

US President George Bush is again calling on Russia to respect the territorial integrity of Georgia. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, Georgian officials say Russian tanks are moving deeper into the country. President Bush met with intelligence officials at the CIA for an update on fighting in Georgia. Speaking to reporters following that briefing, Mr. Bush again called on Moscow to respect the French-brokered cease-fire. "My call, of course, is for the territorial integrity of Georgia to be respected and for the cease-fire agreement to be honored," said President Bush. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters the world can forget about Georgia's territorial integrity, as President Dmitri Medvedev met with leaders of the Georgian breakaway republics of South Ossetia and Abzhazia.

Attacks on Cyberspace Preceded Tanks - Matthew Clayfield, The Australian

At least a week before Russian tanks rolled into Georgia, the country had already come under attack on another front -- in cyberspace. Emphasising the increasing importance of the digital battlefield in modern warfare, Western internet experts said cyber attacks against Georgia's internet infrastructure might have begun as early as July 20, well before Russia began its aggressive campaign against its former satellite. Researchers at the US-based Shadowserver Foundation reported seemingly coordinated attacks against strategic Georgian websites. The site of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili was attacked late last month and the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs site became a target late last week. Known as distributed denial of service - or DDOD - attacks, the online assault involved millions of simultaneous hits on the sites, which overloaded Georgian servers, causing them to crash. It remains unclear whether the attacks had been orchestrated by the Russian Government or independent Russian "hacktivists".

Georgian Humanitarian Mission Continues - AFPS

The humanitarian mission under way in Georgia is intended to alleviate suffering for now and will move into longer-range help in the future, officials said at a Pentagon news conference today. The Air Force has sent two supply-filled C-17 Globemaster III transports into Georgia’s capital of Tbilisi. More flights will follow, officials said, but none are scheduled just yet. Russian troops who invaded Georgia last week are beginning to pull back, Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said today. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates also spoke at the news conference. “Generally, the [Russian] forces are starting to move out of the city, particularly Gori, starting to consolidate their positions and get themselves into a position where they can start to back away towards... the border,” the general said. “We see that going on particularly in the areas around the seaports and around Tbilisi, and up north of Tbilisi and west towards Gori.” Russian air activities in and around the region have virtually stopped, Cartwright said. “Over the last 24 hours, really, there has been no air activity,” he said. “So we see them generally complying and moving back into a position where they can start to make their exit in an orderly fashion.” Another Air Force plane transported a six-man humanitarian assistance assessment team. “This is a sequenced kind of thing,” Gates said. The team will look at the seaports, airports and roads, assess their condition and report back to US European Command. The team also will work with the US Embassy in Georgia and with Georgian leaders to ascertain what the country needs. US military transport planes or ships will deliver that aid.

Ukraine Ups Ante in Threat to Block Fleet - Tony Halpin, The Australian

Ukraine threatened to blockade the Russian Black Sea Fleet yesterday in an act of solidarity with Georgia that risked escalating the conflict. After flying to Tbilisi to assure Georgians of his country's support, the pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko signed an order imposing restrictions on the Russian fleet, which is based in the Ukrainian port of Sevastopol. His decree instructs Russia to give 72 hours' notice of any movement of ships, aircraft or personnel in Ukraine or its waters. And he gave Ukrainian authorities the power to alter those plans. Ukraine had already warned Russia it would bar ships from returning to Sevastopol if they took part in military action against Georgia.

Russian Warship Notice Sought - Svitlana Korenovska, Washington Times

Ukrainian military officials on Thursday vowed to uphold a decree ordering Russia to seek permission to move its Black Sea warships based in the Ukrainian port of Sevastopol, setting up a conflict between Russia and another pro-Western former Soviet republic. "The president's decrees on the Black Sea fleet will, of course, be implemented on the territory of Ukraine," said Ukrainian Chief of Staff Serhiy Kyrychenko, according to the Unian news agency. "The Defense Ministry and the general staff are among those state bodies responsible for this task." Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko on Wednesday issued the decree, which stated that Russia is required to notify Kiev of its warships' movements within Ukrainian territory at least 72 hours in advance.

US and Poland Set Missile Deal - Shanker and Kulish, New York Times

The United States and Poland reached a long-stalled deal on Thursday to place an American missile defense base on Polish territory, in the strongest reaction so far to Russia’s military operation in Georgia. Russia reacted angrily, saying that the move would worsen relations with the United States that have already been strained severely in the week since Russian troops entered separatist enclaves in Georgia, a close American ally. But the deal reflected growing alarm in countries like Poland, once a conquered Soviet client state, about a newly rich and powerful Russia’s intentions in its former cold war sphere of power. In fact, negotiations dragged on for 18 months - but were completed only as old memories and new fears surfaced in recent days. Those fears were codified to some degree in what Polish and American officials characterized as unusual aspects of the final deal: that at least temporarily American soldiers would staff air defense sites in Poland oriented toward Russia, and that the United States would be obliged to defend Poland in case of an attack with greater speed than required under NATO, of which Poland is a member.

NEWS ANALYSIS / COMMENTARY

Poland Spring - Wall Street Journal editorial

Russia's invasion of Georgia seems to have concentrated the minds of at least some politicians in Europe. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced Thursday that his country had agreed to host 10 American missile-defense interceptors. The agreement comes along with an enhanced promise of mutual defense between the US and Poland. Poland is already a member of NATO, whose linchpin is a promise of mutual aid in case of attack. But Mr. Tusk made it clear that, in light of the West's anemic initial response to the Russian invasion, he wanted more. "It is no good when assistance comes to dead people," Mr. Tusk said, as far too many Georgians have learned. NATO, he feared, would take "days, weeks" to mobilize a response to aggression against Poland.

America's Challenge; Russia's Choice - The Times editorial

On Tuesday it appeared that Russia would withdraw its troops from Georgia just in time to claim victory with honour. Yesterday it became clear that the ceasefire signed by President Medvedev was nothing of the sort. Witnesses reported Russian armour conducting a scorched-earth policy instead of an orderly retreat. Tanks and troops were seen in at least three major towns from which they had been expected to pull back. Not wishing to abandon its Georgian ally - or be seen to - Washington has sent military aid flights to Tbilisi and ordered naval vessels to the Black Sea. The ceasefire brokered by President Sarkozy of France was clear in its broad outlines. It required both sides to desist immediately from using force; to renounce military action in the region in the future; to give free access for humanitarian aid; and to withdraw their troops to pre-conflict positions. These requirements must be enforced at all costs.

A Postwar Post-mortem - Boston Globe editorial

The short but vicious war in the Caucasus this week between Georgia and Russia appears to be winding down. Although Russian troops have yet to quit Georgian territory, it is not too soon to draw lessons from what went wrong and to apply those lessons in policies designed to prevent similar conflicts. Murky as the genesis of the war may be, there is little doubt that the czar-like decider in Russia, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, was implementing a preexisting strategy. Putin is determined to reassert Russia's dominance over former Soviet republics that are today independent countries on the periphery of the Russian Federation. Given how overt the Kremlin's aims are, the fiery nationalist president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, blundered grievously when he responded to small-scale violence from local separatists in South Ossetia by sending Georgian troops to shell and assault the breakaway region's capital city. Saakashvili had to know the Kremlin was eager for just such an excuse to punish him for his efforts to take Georgia into the NATO military alliance. He didn't merely fall into Russia's trap; he leaped in headfirst.

Europe's (Dis)unity Over Russia - Christian Science Monitor editorial

This week President Bush promised to "rally the free world in the defense of a free Georgia." But will America's European allies fall in line? Troubling divisions on the continent show just how difficult it may be to present a united front against an overly aggressive Russia. Moscow's invasion of Georgia one week ago, including its bombings, naval presence, and tank incursions in democratic Georgia proper; and its shaky cease-fire and dawdling over a withdrawal - all this presents the greatest test of US-European unity relating to Russia since the cold war. For the sake of democratic and economic freedom in Europe and beyond, and for the integrity of international organizations that support such freedoms, the West must stand together. And yet, European leaders can't agree on how to respond to Russia's calculated crush.

The Kremlin's 'Protection' Racket - Rivkin and Casey, Wall Street Journal

Russia's invasion of Georgia will be a defining moment for America's credibility and global stability. If the Medvedev (or, rather, Putin) regime succeeds in using force to topple a democratic and pro-Western government, based on spurious claims of "protecting" Georgia's population against its own government, the stage will be set for similar aggression against the other states - from the Baltics to Ukraine - that border Russia but look to the free West. The dangers of the post-September 11 World will be combined with the challenge of a new Cold War. Russia is fully aware of these ominous implications. It has accordingly sought to cloak this act of aggression in the raiment of modern international justice. Its officials and surrogates (including Mikhail Gorbachev) have falsely accused Georgian leaders of violating international law in the South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions, which have "Russian" populations on account of Russia's extralegal issuance of its passports in those areas.

Humanitarian Mission Could Spark Conflict - Richard Beeston, The Australian

Sending US forces into Georgia, even to deliver humanitarian supplies, represents the most serious military escalation between Washington and Moscow since the end of the Cold War. Not since British paratroopers came face to face with Russian soldiers at Pristina airport in 1999 have the old East-West rivalries resurfaced in such explosive form. Back then, the situation was defused by the British commander, General Mike Jackson, who refused to confront the Russians and "start World War III". It is to be hoped the US navy and air force commanders now leading their forces into Georgia will be equipped with the same diplomatic skills. The US warships will be challenging the Russian naval blockade of Georgia's ports, while the giant US military cargo planes will be landing close to areas recently bombed by Russian planes. The Georgians tried to exploit the move yesterday by declaring their ports and airports would be put under US military control, an offer the Pentagon quickly declined. Everyone concerned is fully aware this operation has little to do with humanitarian aid. Georgia is not an African country in the grip of a terrible drought. It is a small pro-Western nation at Europe's fringe that is struggling to recover from a vicious bashing by its giant neighbour.

Conflict Shows EU's Energy Vulnerability - Jeffrey White, CS Monitor

Russia's invasion of Georgian territory last week, in addition to reasserting Moscow's military strength, has complicated Europe's effort to diversify its oil and gas supplies away from the growing dominance of Kremlin-controlled energy giant Gazprom. In the post-Soviet era, and particularly since 9/11, Central Asia has become a central focus for Western countries looking for more secure energy sources. But this week's offensive, during which British Petroleum shut down an oil pipeline and temporarily stopped pumping gas through Georgia, has called into question plans for a Eurasian corridor free from Russian interference. The Russo-Georgian conflict is the latest in a series of setbacks for Europe's planned Nabucco pipeline – its best hope of weaning itself off Gazprom, which set off alarm bells by cutting crucial gas supplies to the continent in the winters of 2006 and 2008.

Global Strategy Harbinger? - Kenneth Timmerman, Washington Times

Russia's new "czar," Vladimir Putin, has much more on his agenda than just invading Georgia. As former Reagan administration diplomat Robert Kagan has argued, Mr. Putin is "making his move" to restore Russia's superpower status. Russia's support for Iran and its nuclear ambitions is a large part of Mr. Putin's global strategy. It's time to face facts about Russia's deep involvement in Iran and recognize that here, too, Russia is no longer an ally, and hardly a friend. Just two days before the invasion of Georgia, Russia again came to the aide of a recalcitrant Iranian regime, even as the United States and its allies were counting on Russia's support to increase pressure on Tehran.

Rainy Nights in Georgia - Cal Thomas, Washington Times

Russia's invasion of Georgia on the pretext of "protecting" Russian peacekeepers stationed in the separatist enclave of South Ossetia and ending the "ethnic cleansing" of native Russians living there is a sobering reminder that the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 was not a sign that old-line communists were ready to walk the sawdust trail of repentance and convert to capitalism, democracy, human rights and religious freedom. Quite the contrary. Vladimir Putin, who continues to effectively run Russia through his hand-picked "successor," President Dmitry Medvedev, still resembles what he once was: the head of the notorious KGB security agency. Mr. Putin never renounced communism, nor has he embraced Western values. Russia was admitted to the G-8 largely because many in the West believed it would soften Mr. Putin and transform the Russian bear into a pussycat. That was a mistake and now we see Mr. Putin for what he is: a man intent on restoring Russia's "greatness" by means that closely resemble those employed by deceased Soviet dictators.

Russia's Ominous New Doctrine? - Strobe Talbott, Washington Post

Russia has been justifying its rampage through Georgia as a "peacekeeping" operation to end the Tbilisi government's "genocide" and "ethnic cleansing" of South Ossetia. That terminology deliberately echoes US and NATO language during their 1999 bombing campaign against Serbia, which resulted in the independence of Kosovo. Essentially, it's payback time for a grievance that Russia has borne against the West for nine years. The Russians are relying on the conceit that Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili is today's equivalent of Slobodan Milosevic, and that the South Ossetians are (or were until their rescue by the latter-day Red Army last week) being victimized by Tbilisi the way the Kosovar Albanians suffered under Belgrade. This analogy turns reality, and history, upside down.

No Options? Nonsense. - Michael Ledeen, National Review

Over and over again, in tones ranging from annoyance to paternalistic, the pundits tell us that “there is no military option” with regard to the Russian invasion of Georgia. And in case you missed the point, they will tell you that we’re not going to war with Russia over this particular crisis. Not for little Georgia, so unimportant, so far away. It’s very hard to find any of the leading commentators who thinks otherwise. It’s an odd way to formulate the issue, since Russia has gone to war with us. Georgia is our ally. As of the time of the invasion, there were more than 150 American military men and women in Georgia, training the locals for self-defense. We are sponsoring Georgian entry into NATO, along with Ukraine. It sure looks like an attack against us. And it’s conjoined to an ultimatum from the Russian foreign minister, who said that the United States would have to choose between good relations with Russia and friendship with our “virtual ally” Georgia.

Dire Aftermath - Austin Bay, Washington Times

As I write this column, Russian troops have halted their main attack just short of Tbilisi, Georgia's capital. That's smart diplomatically and sharp militarily. In late 1994, the Russians attempted to drive Chechen rebels from Grozny, Chechnya's capital, and suffered a terrible defeat. Georgia lacks Russia's vast military arsenal, but Georgian infantrymen are motivated, and the "closed-terrain" of cities gives quality infantry an advantage. The phrase "the situation remains in flux" always applies to initial cease-fires, as forces scramble to secure "just one more" road or ridge. Reports from South Ossetia and Georgia's other separatist region, Abkhazia, are confused. The coming days will provide more reliable details. Nonetheless, a complex and dire diplomatic and political aftermath is upon us.

Georgia's Recklessness - Paul Saunders, Washington Post

The fates of South Ossetia and Abkhazia are chief among the many issues that are still unresolved in the war between Georgia and Russia. What's clear, however, is that Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili ordered his country's military to assert his authority over South Ossetia by force. American officials should reflect on the implications of Saakashvili's behavior for US policy toward Georgia, Russia and the region. Saakashvili ordered the assault last week knowing that South Ossetia would resist, knowing that his forces would have to take on Russian peacekeepers and knowing that Moscow has been spoiling for a fight. In fact, his own government had claimed for some time that Russia was preparing to attack.

Europe Wins a Gold for Defeatism - Gerard Baker, The Times

To some, China's muscular domination of the Olympic medal table is a powerful allegory of the shifting balance of global power. A far better and more literal testimony to the collapse of the West may be seen in the distinctly weak-kneed response to Russian aggression in Georgia by what is still amusingly called the transatlantic alliance. Once again, the Europeans, and their friends in the pusillanimous wing of the US Left, have demonstrated that, when it come to those postmodern Olympian sports of synchronized self-loathing, team hand-wringing and lightweight posturing, they know how to sweep gold, silver and bronze. There's a routine now whenever some unspeakable act of aggression is visited upon us or our allies by murderous fanatics or authoritarian regimes. While the enemy takes a victory lap, we compete in a shameful medley relay of apologetics, defeatism and surrender.

Russians Confident That Nation Is Back - Anne Barnard, New York Times

While Western commentators are talking of a strategic sea change and a resurgent Russia newly ready to use its military might, many Russians say their country had nothing to prove, at least not to them. The West, they say, may simply have learned what they already knew: Russia is back. And its actions in Georgia are nothing to get excited about, just the ordinary business of a great power in its traditional backyard. Their tone was not so much militant as proud. To describe Russia’s actions, they used words like competent, correct, reasonable. Russia, in their view, is the peacemaker.

High Stakes - Jack David, National Review

As a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction and Negotiations, I’ve sometimes said that the US might consider giving security guarantees to countries worried that not having nuclear-weapon capabilities would put them at risk from neighbors who have them or are seeking them. But my next sentence usually cautioned that US security guarantees will be effective for US intended purposes only if the US has credibility derived both from the ability of its military to provide the guaranteed protection and the perception that the US is politically willing to direct its military to do so. US credibility is very much at stake in the Georgia scenario. President Bush’s announcement Wednesday that humanitarian assistance is on it’s way to Georgia in a C-17 was a good first step; it would have been a better first step for President Bush to add that additional C-17s and other vessels would be following shortly, as it would have shown a measure of US resolve that has to be suspect at this point in time. But subsequent news reports that more C-17s and ships are on the way is promising.

The Great Illusion - Paul Krugman, New York Times

So far, the international economic consequences of the war in the Caucasus have been fairly minor, despite Georgia’s role as a major corridor for oil shipments. But as I was reading the latest bad news, I found myself wondering whether this war is an omen - a sign that the second great age of globalization may share the fate of the first. If you’re wondering what I’m talking about, here’s what you need to know: our grandfathers lived in a world of largely self-sufficient, inward-looking national economies - but our great-great grandfathers lived, as we do, in a world of large-scale international trade and investment, a world destroyed by nationalism.

Kremlin Crushes Truce of the Games - Paul Hayes, The Australian

So much for the Olympic truce. Its failure to prevent the conflict between Russia and Georgia shows its idealistic fragility and is yet another realist victory over the neo-liberal view of international order. The Olympic truce, or Ekecheiria, has its origins in the ancient Olympic era (776BC-AD394). According to historian Tony Perrottet, the truce was a sacred ceasefire honoured throughout the Greek world. For one month either side of the games, "wars were stalled, feuds were put aside and highwaymen laid low", primarily to ensure the safe passage of competitors and spectators travelling to and from Olympia. The present Olympic truce has a similar objective. It was initiated by the International Olympic Committee in 1992 as part of its ambitious charter to promote a more peaceful world through sport, or more particularly Olympism, and was adopted by the member states of the UN General Assembly in 1993. It has been continuously affirmed and observed by the international community at each Olympiad since.

Russia's Payback - Andrew Bacevich, Christian Science Monitor

Poke a bear often enough and you're likely to get bitten. As the crisis over Georgia continues, this describes where the West finds itself today in its relations with Russia. Amid conflicting reports of Russia's commitment to a cease-fire, one thing is clear: Moscow scored a crushing geopolitical victory this week. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared that the US must choose between a "virtual project" with Georgia, or a real partnership with Russia. After days of evident disarray, only now is the West cobbling together a response: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit Georgia in a symbolic show of support, US Air Force cargo jets are delivering small amounts of humanitarian aid, and NATO ministers will meet Tuesday to consider the crisis. When they do, they should remember how we got to this point. The cold war's end nearly two decades ago left Russia badly weakened. Adhering to the iron laws of politics, the West immediately set out to exploit its advantage.

A Free Press? Not This Time. - Olga Ivanova, Washington Post

I wish I could fly back to Russia. I have been in the United States for a year, and I am studying and working here to get experience in American journalism, known worldwide for its independence and professionalism. But in recent days it has felt as though I am too late, that the journalism of Watergate is well behind us and that reporting is no longer fair and balanced. For years I have respected American newspapers for being independent. But no longer. Coverage of the conflict between Russia and Georgia has been unprofessional, to say the least. I was surprised and disappointed that the world's media immediately took the side of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili last week. American newspapers have run story after story about how "evil" Russia invaded a sovereign neighboring state. Many accounts made it seem as though the conflict was started by an aggressive Russia invading the Georgian territory of South Ossetia. Some said that South Ossetia's capital, Tskhinvali, was destroyed by the Russian army. Little attention was paid to the chronology of events, the facts underlying the conflict.

BACKGROUND / QUICKLOOKS

Peace Accord Sarkozy Gave to Georgians - New York Times transcript
Timeline: Key Events in Russian-Georgian Relations - Associated Press
Day-by-Day: South Ossetia Crisis - BBC News
Q&A on Georgia - New York Times
How Russian and Georgian Forces Stack Up - Reuters
South Ossetia Picture Gallery (1) - Washington Post
South Ossetia Picture Gallery (2) - Washington Post
Factbox: International Reaction to South Ossetia Conflict - Reuters
Georgia - Library of Congress Country Study
Russia - Library of Congress Country Study
Georgia - CIA World Factbook
Russia - CIA World Factbook
Georgia - US State Department Background Note
Russia - US State Department Background Note
Georgia - BBC Country Page
Russia - BBC Country Page
South Ossetia - New York Times background and related news
South Ossetia - BBC background

DISCUSS

Small Wars Council - Discussion and study / background links