What's this Georgian - Russia conflict all about?

Question

I've been on vacation the last week and deliberately avoided news and emails. This morning I hear two different versions on the news. The Russians were protecting a breakaway Georgian province? Or was it unprovoked aggression to seize that province?

What's the real story?

Answer 1

Russia trying to take over some land/a country. Of course they will spin it as something different.

I think its heading towards the rebirth of the old Soviet Union. They are trying to take back all the land they lost when it fell apart.  

Answer 2

It is Uncle Sam's dog that attacked its neighbour, the big Russia bear. In return, the big Russia bear started to teach that little dog a lesson it would never forget. I think the punishment fits its crime well this time even though its master complained a lot about disproportional punishment.

Answer 3

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0811/p09s0...

Answer 4

Technically they are both correct.

South Ossetia is a break-away region of Georgia.  They are ethnic Russians who lost alot of their power following the end of communism.

Russia has a strategic interest in the oil and gas pipelines within Georgian borders and they would like to get them back under their own control.

The Georgian governement decided that they would launch a military offensice in S. Ossetia to force the region back under its control.  The Russians saw it as an opportunity to get a foothold in Georgia and are exploiting it to the fullest.

The Russsians claim that they are protectig ethnic Russians from ethnic cleansing.  The Georgians are claiming that they are being attacked by Russia because it wants those pipelines.

Pretty much everyone outside of Russia believes that Russia is making an illegal land grab and killing innocent people to do it.

Answer 5

well these gerogian blokes are likeee lets bomb some s.osetians for lulz and then the russians were like NOO u cant do that they are 'our' citizens so they came and ruffed them up which would be fair enough if russians were only targetting military targets.

EDIT: on a sidenote, USA wants georgia in NATO and russia does not want georgia in NATO. Condalizaaa rice face went to georgia a while back and sexually pleased the president so he was probably expecting assistance from america, however he is dummkoft.

Answer 6

Plummy is absolutely correct.  There are a lot of Russian apologists on Yahoo answers, but the truth is getting through.

Answer 7

The Georgians bit off more than they could chew....they hoped bandying the word 'democracy' about would have the US running to their aid...The Georgians started it but I think the Russians will finish it. The west is only worried about the oil pipeline that runs through Georgia and supplies the west. So...all in all...a lot of self interest going on by everybody as usual.

Answer 8

I am bit confused myself and about to ask the same question. It seem as Russia is trying to protect its interest. My understanding Georgia launched an attack first and Russia is protecting its citizens rightfully so. Russia might of taken it a bit too far. Of course when any other country other than the United States wants to protects its interest the United States condemns it. Talk about calling the pot black...

Answer 9

It's a complicated story. The root of the conflict is an internal war between Georgia and South Ossetia, where at least some (perhaps most) of the citizens wish to become independent of Georgian rule.  Fighting has been on and off, and the recent crisis began with a large-scale assault on separatist militaries by Georgian forces last Thursday.

It is complicated by Russian military involvement, which began Friday morning, and in large force. The Russian forces have claimed they are only protecting Russian citizens in South Ossetia, although strikes upon civilian targets in Georgia proper have called that assertion into question.

Russia has exercised political control off and on over Georgia for the past several centuries, much like other Caucasian nations (named from the Caucasus mountains, not because there's a bunch of white people living there). Part of it is Russia's perennial desire to show it still has hegemony, ie can project its power in the area.

Part of it is also ethnic. There are many ethnic groups in the region, some of which Russia identifies strongly with (or at least claims to). In this instance, it's the Ossetians, many of whom Russia claims are actually Russian citizens whose independence and self-determination is being subverted by Georgians (whom Russia does not identify with ethnically).

Russia feels a double-need in intervening (to be euphemistic) in Georgia. First, it is expressing its need to protect those whom it considers to be ethnic Russians (as well as the Russian 'peacekeepers' who remain in South Ossetia under Russia's own mandate, rather than an international mandate).

Second, Russia desires to project its control against what it sees as hostile moves (and certainly pro-Western actions) by the Saakashvili Administration in Georgia. Any former Soviet Republic that has exercised substantial sovereignty and self-determination has had some political, economic or military action taken against it by Russia (consider the poisoning of Ukrainian president Viktor Yushenko and the military intervention in Chechnya).

Third, Russia often has acted to offset pro-Western movements among its former states - especially those that have expressed interest in joining NATO, an organization constructed for mutual defence against Soviet aggression.