Posted on 08/16/2008 6:39:52 AM PDT by Jbny
Some political analysts are speculating about Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili’s motivation for acting so robustly against South Ossetian separatists and doing so while the eyes of the world were focused on the international spectacle in Beijing. The theory floating around is that Georgia moved on the Russia-backed region with the intention of “provoking” an attack, against which Georgia was knowingly unable to defend herself. In this way Georgia hoped to get the sympathetic attention of the West.
If such a gambit has been played, it is certainly the most cynical bit of statecraft employed by any present-day democracy. (In any event, there is no doubt that Saakashvili is looking for our sympathy now.) But did it work?
Georgia has our attention (or is sharing it with John Edwards). John McCain, Barack Obama, and George W. Bush have issued assorted statements on the matter, French president Nicolas Sarkozy has dashed through the motions of European diplomacy, and President Bush has sent Condoleezza Rice dashing after him. Additionally, American Navy vessels are heading toward the Black Sea–to deliver aid. But a week after Russian tanks and jets set Georgia ablaze–and three days since the announcement of a ceasefire–Russian troops patrol Georgian cities with virtual impunity. No nation has defended Georgia and no Georgian ally has even given her the means to defend herself. Moreover, no agreements have been drafted explicitly securing Georgia’s territorial integrity. In this way, Saakashvili got the West dead wrong.
(Excerpt) Read more at commentarymagazine.com ...
Pretty cynical himself—telling those folks he’ll write about their country and then his story basically blames them for the invasion and is solidly isolationist in tone.
Given the circumstances that's not only cynical that's just silly. When your territorial integrity is being violated by foreign aircraft, you've had your own aircraft shot down, you're receiving fire instigated by a foreign power with a history of oppression from your own territory and they're constantly moving troops into a region internationally recognized as your own and to respond is considered a ploy for international sympathy. If such a standard is applied to Russia and her former satellites then heaven help those former subjugated states, they're going to need it.
Who is Abe Greenwald and what references does he have to make such a claim?
From what I understand, the South Ossetian militia was attacking Georgian populated villages in the south of that area. How is Georgia “provoking” anyone by defending it’s people?
He’s listed as the online editor of Commentary magazine and google shows several articles by him. Don’t know anything else about his background.
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