Georgian Conflict Forces the U.S. to Take Sides
President Sakaashvili Wants to Protect Georgia's Independece
Aug 17, 2008
Even though the South Ossetia War appears to be between Russia and Georgia, behind the political curtains the real conflict is actually between Russia and the United States. Russia’s occupation over the U.S supported former Soviet state Georgia is just another test of the United State’s military and global political influence.
Testing the World’s Reaction
Since the beginning of human civilization, the stronger have always tried to rule over the weaker. Things have not changed. Since the Cold War ended in 1989 Russia has been gathering its strength to be able to go and conquer again. It was just a matter of time before they attacked one of their neighbor states to test the Western world's reaction.
As the Cold War ended with the symbolic destruction of the Berlin Wall, the physical division between political ideologies came to an end. Despite the fact that history books today name the Soviet Union the looser of the Cold War, former President Putin and current President Medvedev views Russia’s position as a great power, and to prove their military and economic superiority in the region, they could not wait to have a reason to respond to one of their neighbors’ military mistakes. Georgia gave the Russians the awaited excuse and on August 7th Russian tanks begin to move into Georgia.
Georgia is currently a member of the United Nations (UN), the Council of Europe (CE), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and seeks to join NATO and, in the longer term, the European Union (EU). Georgia’s geopolitical position makes the small but courageous country a political buffer between the West and Russia and since its independence from the Soviet Union Georgian is has been strengthening its political and diplomatic connections with the West as well as its military in case of another Russian invasion.
Saakashvili the New President
On January 4, 2004 Mikheil Saakashvili, leader of the United National Movement won the country's presidential election and was inaugurated on January 25. President Saakashvili knew in 2004 when he took office that his country’s geopolitical position makes Georgia’s political loyalty a great issue. Just as Georgia was one of the first states to become independent from the Soviet Union in 1991, today, eighteen years later, Georgians still insist on their Western political orientation over a Russian dominance. Counting on the support of the United States, President Saakashvili has to call for help to its protégé to make sure his country does not sink back into the Russian Empire’s influence.
To make sure Georgia was capable of defending itself from Russia since coming to power, Saakashvili has boosted spending on the country's armed forces and increased its overall size. About one-fourth of the troops have been trained in advanced techniques by U.S. military instructors. Some of these troops have been stationed in Iraq as part of the international coalition in the region. Due to Georgia’s loyalty to the U.S. and its support of the War in Iraq, now President Saakashvili expects the U.S to return the favor and help preventing the Russians from occupying the country again.
The timing of the attempted occupation is not a coincidence as the United States is currently being militarily stretched out in Afghanistan and Iraq. President Medvedev ordered the military response in South Ossetia testing the U.S. and the world while taking advantage of the EU’s and NATO’s incapability to act. The recently signed cease-fire will buy some time for Georgia and for the West, probably causing President Busch to turn back in his comfortable chair at the water cube in Beijing and discuss the issue with former Secretary State Henry Kissinger, who has been enjoying the Olympic Games just behind the 43rd president. In any event, the U.S will need to find a fast and powerful response to this conflict to avoid the incident from happening in Ukraine and in the Baltic States in the near future.
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