The Once And Future Tyrant
The ceasefire co-signed by the belligerents - invading-occupying Russia, and apoplectic yet unbowed Georgia. No great rush to implement its provisions, however, since Russia has yet, despite its promises to the contrary, to decamp. To pull back its troops, back to pre-confrontation borders. Russia takes its peacekeeping mission seriously. It is so heartfelt about its humanitarian obligations.It was so painful for Russia to see its citizens confronted with the demand that they cease fulminating for secession, and with it their assaults on neighbouring Georgian towns. Russia as the benevolent tyrant of the past, returns to her former role, anxious to serve the will of her people. Meaning no real harm to the population of a former satellite-nation encompassed within the U.S.S.R., to be certain.
They just happened to be in the way of a military exercise. That exercise just happened to be related to a disagreement between Moscow and Tbilisi. But that's all right; everything has since been settled to everyone's satisfaction and everything is now on schedule to return to normal. These things happen, even between the best of neighbours.
Of course, it's debatable how many "best" neighbours Russia can celebrate. Just one of those things. A strong, assertive personality with a penchant for bellicosity, threats of reprisals against presumed insult, the pursuance of strong-arm blackmail when it seems advisable, makes others understandably nervous. Insinuations of "genocidal" intent lodged against neighbours which the stronger one actually practices cements insecurity.
It all comes down to perspective. And, to be sure, misperceptions. Russia, however, can be trusted to mean what it says, and if Russia says it has pledged itself to good relations with its neighbours, to upholding the peace, then why would the international community feel it has reasons for doubt? Something about actions speaking louder than words, they mumble, to mocking laughter from Russia.
Now a UN Security Council resolution is awaited to clarify and solidify intent - and just incidentally launch another international peace-keeping mission to keep the two erstwhile allies at arms' length from one another. Unfortunate that Georgian President Saakashvili remains so triflingly, irrelevantly irritating, insisting that Russia withdraw its forces from Georgia.
Russian willingness to demonstrate goodwill by blasting vital rail bridges and other civil infrastructures, including the setting of fires in forests and towns has been taken in poor spirit by Georgia. After all, Russia's foreign minister did put the world and Georgia on notice that Moscow will pull its forces in good time. Patience, patience.
"We are constantly encountering various problems with the Georgian side and it will depend how quickly and effectively this problem will be solved" before Russian troops will be pulled back, warned Sergei Lavrov rather crankily. Tbilisi could be a trifle more appreciate of the strenuous efforts Moscow is evidencing in goodwill for future relationships.
Of course Georgia is a trifle annoyed by the "Armed gangs of the Abkhasian separatist regime together with the units of the Russian regular army", shifting borders of administration. And they've been somewhat aggravated by the Russian military aircraft intent on dropping firebombs on Georgian forests. With predictably blistering results. Completely unreasonable accusations, according to Russia.
"We are now in peacetime. Why should we be blowing up bridges when our job is to restore?" complained the Russian deputy chief of the general staff. Mind, this peace has been problematical to the population, facing severe food shortages because of the Russian blockages at critical highways and seaports, and now the rail system. In fact the French ambassador to Georgia emphasized the deteriorating humanitarian plight.
"We're getting bodies mutiliated, eyes gouged, arms severed", mourned Georgia's health minister. "I'm horrified. I don't know ... if it's Russians or mercenaries doing it." Well, what on earth do they expect, confronting and maddening their neighbour whose only interest in intervention is for the good of their citizens, after all?
Can't have a country risking destabilizing the entire geography by insisting on its territorial integrity, now can we? Hey, can we?!
Labels: Political Realities, Troublespots, World Crises
posted by Pieface @ Sunday, August 17, 2008
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