Georgia: Evil, reality and war

Kim — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 09:17:22 +0000

Standing beside US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, Georgian President Mikhael Shaakazvili described Russia as “evil”. It’s probably too much to expect that he might recognise his own degree of responsibility for the war (not forgetting Vladimir Putin’s of course), but the use of language such as this is reminiscent of Rice’s boss and the moralisation of international relations and conflict usually associated with George W. Bush’s regime. Opinions will differ on whether the use of such emotive rhetoric makes the settlement and resolution of conflict easier or more difficult. Of course war is an evil, but some international actors have acted as if it’s a necessary evil over the course of this decade, and indeed made a virtue of pre-emptive war. So it’s been difficult not to notice the hypocrisy of American claims about the inviolability of sovereign states in the 21st century.

In what I think is quite a balanced article in the New Statesman, Misha Glenny looks at the influence of the reality-free thinking of the Dick Cheney faction on the lead up to the Georgian conflict, without minimising the autocratic and bellicose behaviour of the Putin regime. At Open Democracy, Donald Rayfield looks at the realistic options Georgia has, and some of the background to the war, while Neal Ascherson similarly examines how Georgia could progress beyond this war. Both write as avowed friends of Georgia, but both don’t think inflammatory rhetoric from Washington helps at all – they believe that it in fact hinders any positive outcome. This isn’t to adopt some deracinated Kissingerian realism, but rather to argue that the Manichean language of good and evil does anything but achieve the objectives it ostensibly sets out. As Ascherson powerfully demonstrates, there’s evil enough to go around on both sides of this conflict, with atrocities committed at least since the fall of the Soviet Union. A recognition of that – rather than positioning one side as a plucky sovereign democracy and the other as the incarnation of Satan – might actually provide a basis for realistic and peaceful progress.

Meanwhile, on the American campaign front, McCain is being praised by his supporters for his “muscular” response. Hilzoy at Obsidian Wings is worth reading on what McCain’s rhetoric says about his suitability for the Presidency. And on the application of the “Cold War frame” to the reporting of the conflict, see Ronda Jambe at Ambit Gambit.

Georgia conflict – a couple of informative links.

Robert Merkel — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 05:13:35 +0000

If (like me), you know bugger-all about why Georgia and Russia have suddenly started a war, this piece in the NYT (hat tip Kevin Drum) provides some useful background. In short, it appears there’s a combination of old-style Cold Warriors in the Kremlin trying to re-establish dominance (if not outright political union) over key parts of the old Soviet Union, two provinces with distinct and complex histories who like their de facto autonomy under Russian protection, and a nationalist leadership in Tbilsi that wants to bring what they regard as “renegade provinces” back into the Georgian fold.

Lots more original reporting and commentary at a Fistful of Euros, which indicates that this may have been a massive miscalculation by the Georgians and particiularly their President (as distinct from all those other rational wars…).

If anybody else has seen (or has written) useful reporting or commentary, please add them in comments.

UPDATE: From comments, an interesting diary from Daily Kos, and an ABC RN “Rear Window” podcast. Also, a news update from the BBC.

Update: [by Mark] A very informative post at Obsidian Wings. And another interesting take at The Global Sociology Blog.

Larvatus Prodeo » georgia

Georgia: Evil, reality and war

Georgia conflict – a couple of informative links.