Trouble Spots the Russian-Georgian Conflict:

Trouble Spots

The Russian-Georgian Conflict:

International and Regional Implications

The recently completed 2008 summer Olympic games was a milestone for the meshing of East and West. Beijing and the United States competed not only for gold, silver, and bronze metals, but also for legitimacy and recognition in the other's eyes. But as Beijing and the United States met in competition after competition, two other countries' conflict over sporting events mimicked their conflict over a shared boarder -- Russia and Georgia. While the land dispute between the two states has a long and violent history, the renewed conflict is of international significance, as other states' international relations with Russia have been tested over the land dispute. A brief explanation of the conflict, and a discussion of the short-term and long-term impact of solving the problem will paint a picture of the seriousness of the problem.

Nestled among the states of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, with the natural boarders of the Black Sea and the Caucasus Mountains, Georgia is a natural-resource rich country with a Mediterranean climate with a high literacy rate, low infant mortality rate, and a republican government (CIA). Controlling most of the Caucus Mountains, and the tunnels that run under them, Georgia has been long targeted by Russia. In fact, the boarder between the two countries is through the Caucus Mountains, an area primarily controlled by Georgia. It is this control that has fueled the historic conflict between Georgia and Russia. Although the countries agree on about eighty percent of the boarder division, the remaining twenty percent consists of passages through the Caucus Mountains that are highly desirable for both states (CIA). Particularly volatile have been the regions of the Argun Forge and the Pankisi Gorge. In fact, the historic conflict has been so violent that the United Nations has continued a peace-keeping mission in the country since the early nineties (CIA).

Although the boarder between the two states has been historically disputed for years, the fighting between the two states has begun once again. The most recent conflict began on Thursday August 7, when Georgia sent troops into South Ossetia, a pro-Russian region of Southern Russia. The Georgian troops were responding to those separatists in the region who are seeking unification with Russian North Ossetia, or independence. On Friday August 8, Russia sent troops to Georgia in defense of the South Ossetian separatists. Russia's bombing was without discretion. Attempting to wound Georgia in its economic infrastructure, civilians were killed along with Georgian troops and government officials. The evacuation of buildings and certain regions in the areas were attempts to save some lives, and others took their lives into their hands, fleeing the region and for Russian North Ossetia ("Fighting With Russia Spreads"). Although the conflict was originally confined to the disputed region, Russian bombers continued to push hostilities throughout the country for five days of fighting ("Fighting With Russia Spreads," "Chronology -- Russia Orders end to fighting").

Although the Russia-Georgian conflict lasted only five days, the area continues to function as a region of violence and concern. During the conflict, both the United States expressed their disappointment with the fighting, acknowledging its significance ("Fighting With Russia Spreads"). Similarly, both entities were asked to get involved, which they may have done if the fighting had continued for longer. In addition to its international significance, the terms under which the fighting ended signaled the region's future importance as an area of potential conflict. Russian president Dmitry Medvedev ordered Russian troops to put an end to the fighting on August 12, saying that "the aggressor [had] been punished and sustained various serious losses" ("Chronology -- Russia orders end to fighting"). In an even more serious statement, the president acknowledged that Russian troops would "remain in current positions," while Georgia also planned to maintain its current armed positions in case of a second Russian attack ("Chronology -- Russia orders end to fighting").

Taking place in the midst of the Olympic games, an event that is symbolic for international cooperation, the fighting between Russia and Georgia ended without a clear victor. Georgia sustained innumerable losses and Russia's reputation with the United States and other Western democracies suffered a defeating blow. Although most residents of South Ossetia acknowledge that the five-day conflict did not have the sting of ethnic cleansing that accompanied so many of the other wars that have marked the region over time, "the victims seemed marked by their ethnicity" (Tavernise). While some killings occurred because of revenge and theft, most were to send a message that "the power balace [is] shifting away from ethnic Georgians to the Ossetian separatists and their Russian Backers" (Tavernise). Thus, while the importance of this conflict can be counted in the number of soldiers and civilians dead, homes ruined, and landscape damaged, its enduring significance is both in its international and ethnic implications. Failure to improve relations and contain future conflict in this reason will, therefore, have significant results for both the international and regional community.

Internationally, the regional conflict allows for the long-term effects of poor foreign relations between Russia and the Western democratic world. Since the crumbling of the Soviet Union, the subject of Russian international relations has been tumultuous at best. In fact, Shleifer and Treisman discuss the Western world's impressions of Russia after communism. Although the researchers found "a large gap" between "the common perception [of Russia] and the facts," both Western leaders and civilians consider Russia a government over power-hungry Putin supporters that still adhere to and hope to reinstall the principals of communism (Shleifer and Trisman 152). In fact, many consider Russia's current President Medvedev to be merely a puppet for now Prime Minister Putin. Whether or not accusations regarding the degree of Russia's communist leanings are true, the fighting between the country and neighbor Georgia will not help matters. Although Georgia first sent troops into disputed region in order to suppress separatists, and is considered the aggressor in the most recent conflict by Russia, the rest of the world views Russia as a violent aggressor in the matter. While Russia was defending a group that it views as part of its own country, the disputed area lies within Georgia's legal boarder. For this reason, Georgian troops may have begun the fighting, but Russia is the international aggressor. Given its history considering the Cold War, this is not a title that the former Soviet Union country is likely to relish or that is likely to advance its relations with Western democracies. For this reason, a failure to calm the current conflict in the area and prevent future outbreaks will have a significant impact on the relations between Russia, one of the world's largest and often most influential countries, and the rest of the world. Considering its history and the fact that many believe it is still communist at heart, poor relations could lead to another cold war. In fact, prolonged poor relations could serve to turn that cold war warm.