I hesitate to bring up this issue because there are other Gather writers out there who could do a much better job of explaining all the ins and outs of this looming foreign affairs problem.
While Americans have been distracted by hurricanes, candidates for vice president, and political party conventions, there have been ominous events taking place in Europe that have not been covered by the media in the United States, and only covered a little better by the foreign press. I don't know if it is because the news isn't credible, or because the press worldwide is so monopolized by media owned by global neo-cons that the information is purposely being kept from the public. If it is true, it is very serious.
Sometime last week the Russian ambassador issued a threat of war to NATO. The text of his message that I read is: "If NATO suddenly takes military action against Abkhazia and South Ossetia, acting solely in support of Tblisi, this will mean a declaration of war on Russia."
I first read about this at OpEd, which I consider to be rather alarmist. They printed an article quoting another article by someone called Lord Stirling of the UK, who also seems to be an alarmist. But if such a warning was really given to NATO by Russia, we really should be alarmed, shouldn't we? John McCain jumped in right after the Russians sent tanks into South Ossetia saying that "We are all Georgians" in opposition to Russia. It doesn't sound as if he understands the facts and sequence of events. It's all too tempting to blame the Russians because they are powerful and eager to control the supply of oil to United Europe and everywhere else within the scope of their power.
But this time there is some justification on Russia's part. South Ossetia was split off from North Ossetia when the Soviet Union failed. It is another case of remote powers drawing geographical lines to define someone else's country. South Ossetia has always been dissatisfied, and has wanted to become a sovereign country, possibly joining up with North Ossetia in Russia. Anyhow their ethnic make up is more Russian than Georgian, so when they began to make moves to break away from Georgia, the Georgian government attacked them killing thousands of civilians. That is what triggered Russia to send in tanks to protect the South Ossetians from their own imposed government. It probably had more to do with Russia's desire to control oil pipelines in Georgia than in benevolence toward the people of South Ossetia, but that's the reason they gave. The United States has been supporting Georgia for the same reason - control of oil, and trying to get Georgia into NATO. That is a big irritant to the rulers in Russia. And don't forget our deal with Poland to build a missile base there that we say we need because of Iran's belligerence but with minor adjustments could target Russia. Shades of the Cuban missile crisis! It gets curiouser and curiouser.
What I'm saying that there are a lot of underlying reasons for Russia and the United States to get into a state of unpleasantness, and they all revolve around oil. The threat to NATO by the Russian ambassador is really a threat of WWIII, isn't it?
I wish one of our Gather pundits like Dave McGill would clear up this issue and write his views. He could give us a better understanding about this frightening sequence of events.
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Comments: 17
It would be interesting to see what David McGill has to say
IMHO, Russia's actions here were a test to see how the US would react in preparation for larger moves at other former Soviet states (ie. Ukraine). The US sent "humanitarian aid" to Georgia almost immediately upon Russian entry. Yesterday, it announced significant aid to Georgia for "rebuilding". If all support is humanitarian, Russia does not have international support for further action. If there is a military component, Russia could garner enough support to pursue this.
Ruth, I thank you SO much for bringing up this issue. My boyfriend told me about it a few days ago, and indeed, our media has buried the issue beneath the major hoopla and shock of Palin's candidacy.
Ruth, you are like a lightning bolt, illuminating the reality we're now living in. We should all be seeking more information on what's really going on in the world. We can't count on USA national media to tell us what we need to know.
Re: "We can't count on USA national media to tell us what we need to know."... thats on every issue of import you realise.
And now our military is just spread too thin to do anything about it. Maybe Bu$h should have been more concerned about what is a serious threat instead of living in his fantasy world that is Iraq.
"martial law"????? what the heck are you talking about?
Linda,
Palin is 180 degrees off-base, as usual. The pipeline was built by Russia and holds Russian oil and gas. They are defending their assets. The current attitude of the United States and Cheney are the real threats to peace. We have absolutely no business in that region which has traditionally been Russian territory.
The covert activities of the US in the past are the basis of a lot of the hatred toward us now. We meddled in Iran and had our embassy employees kidnapped for over a year, we meddled in Vietnam and that led terrible losses, we meddled in Iraq and helped put Saddam Hussein into power and are trying to tell ourselves and the world we have almost won a war there where internal hostilities that started over 1400 years will probably continue on for another thousand years after we are all dead. Next we area going to mix it up more seriously with the Afghani war lords and try to entice them with democracy. That is expecting a lot even from General Patraeus.
We need to stay home and concentrate on educating our kids to be smart enough to compete in the increasingly globalized economy and be smarter than the last few generations of government officials have been.