Understanding the Russia–Georgia Conflict

by Gordon Cooper

From Broader View Weekly, August 29, 2008

In a scene reminiscent of the old Charlie Daniels fiddling song, “The Devil went down to Georgia”, the army of Russia marched across the international border of neighboring Georgia. As the opening line of the song describes the mission of the antagonist, so to could we describe the mission of Putin and company.


“The devil went down to Georgia,
He was looking for a soul to steal.
He was in a bind, ‘cuz he was way behind
And he was willing to make a deal…”


The soul that was stolen by the current “devil” was the warm, beating heart of the post-Cold War relations between the west and the former Soviet bloc nation. The deal that Putin was willing to make is still in the process of being worked out, and unlike the song’s boy fiddler, Johnny, the current U.S. stance may not be “the best that’s ever been”.

First of all, we need to look back into the history of this conflict to try to understand why Russia decided to open up the door to that cold, dark walk-in freezer that stifled trade, hindered progress, and wasted millions of dollars on military spending. Depending upon which website or news source you read, the main cause of the new conflict was either too much U.S. involvement or not enough U.S. involvement in the young democratization of Georgia under current President Mikhail Saakashvilli.

The undisputed facts are that two breakaway provinces currently held within the larger domain of Georgia, namely, Ossetia and Abkhazia have been harboring ethnic groups that were given autonomy after the annexation of Georgia into the old Soviet Union. These groups resisted the idea of joining the sovereign nation of Georgia during the breakup of the U.S.S.R. during the 1990’s; instead they chose to cast their allegiance toward Moscow.

Fast forward to the 2000’s and the rise of Saakashvilli’s administration. Saakashvilli has not only been leaning toward joining the consolidation of NATO countries, but has also gone so far as inviting U.S. military advisors to train his troops, and even sent over 2,000 of his soldiers to aid the coalition forces in Iraq.

The rising oil prices have given a boost to the economy of Russia, and an accompanying boost in the ego of Putin. Again, depending on whom you read or listen to, the coziness of the U.S./NATO – Georgia relationship and the recent talk of President Bush with Poland about installing missile bases there, has either bred fear or resentment of the west’s intention. As we have seen so many times before, the combination of ego and fear or resentment is a volatile mixture.

The explosion came while the rest of the world was watching the display of international peace and harmony in Beijing. The Russian-sponsored rebels in Ossetia and Abkhazia have been pestering Georgian troops with sniper fire and the reports of ethnic cleansing; raping and torturing of native Georgians by the Abkhaz separatists had pushed the Georgians to the point of exhaustion, and they responded finally with military maneuvers. The Russian army was waiting for just such a response and in the course of only 24-hours, they had moved deep into Georgian territory.

The heavy use of air strikes, tanks and missile fire dealt a heavy blow to Georgian forces and civilians. As casualties mounted and refugees fled, Russia pointed the finger at the west and dared us to respond.

So, then, what should be our response?

The first response came in the form of some weak words and an even weaker agreement on a cease-fire. Through the efforts of the EU and the G-7 nations, some pressure was placed upon Russia, but the promised withdrawal has been slow and halting at best and deliberately misleading at worst. The devil is still in Georgia and he is not about to lay any golden fiddle at our feet any time soon. He is trying our resolve. He is waiting to see if we are indeed, “the best that’s ever been”. How can we prove to the new bully on campus that his days of forcing his way into the lands and property of others is wrong and that he will not be allowed to play in our playground if he persists?

The proper response should be continued humanitarian aid to Georgia and heavy economic sanctions against Russia. While many may say that military action should never be threatened unless there is will and means to carry it out, we must also let the bullies of this world know that there is greater force to deal with. We have learned from history more than a few times that acquiescence and passivity lead to further and more defiant provocations.

As we look forward to our November tradition of electing a new leader, we must keep in mind that our choice matters not only to the fiddling boys in our state of Georgia, but also to those who hope to fiddle in the nation of Georgia