One Thumping Isn’t Enough

For a history recap, last year Georgian armed forces attack the separatist region of South Ossetia despite the presence of Russian peacekeepers in the region. Russia responded by launching a full scale attack on Georgia; retaking South Ossetia and even threatening the Georgian capital of Tbilisi before retreating back to South Ossetia. The brief war may have tarnished Russia's image, but they came out of it as the overall winner. Not only did the Red Army destroy the Georgian forces, both South Ossetia and another separate province, Abkhazia, are now as good as independent countries. Georgia's push for NATO and EU membership are also dead in the water because, let’s admit it, no one in their right mind will anger Russia for the sake of Georgia.

Despite such an overwhelming thumping, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili (who somehow still has the support of the West) has accused Russia of preparing for new hostilities and his government has issued an extensive report detailing its contention it had to launch an artillery barrage on Tskhinvali, the South Ossetia capital, because Russian troops had moved into South Ossetia hours earlier and because of attacks on Georgians by South Ossetian forces. The fact that not even Western countries believe that tale is of course not in the report.

It seems that one thumping isn’t enough for some people. As the first anniversary of the Russian/Georgian war approaches, the West and the Georgian people need to rein in this idiot Saakashvili before tensions in Georgia get out of hand again.