War in Georgia

John Norton with a backgrounder on new troubles

N

ews headlines today are reporting of war between Russia and Georgia. My fear is that no one will pay attention as all eyes are on the opening days of the Olympics. I know something of Russia and Georgia. I lived from 1995 - 1998 in Georgia. I then lived from 1998 - 2001 in Russia.

The war is not surprising. It has been simmering to a slow boil since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. Most everyone knows the story of the breakup of the Soviet Union but few know much about Georgia and its socio-political situation.

Comparing Russia to Georgia is to compare the elephant to the mouse, at least in size and strength. Russia has approximately 185 million people and is millions of square kilometres in size. Russia is an energy superpower and is currently going through something of a renaissance because of its oil and oil’s current prices. On the other hand, Georgia has just 4 to 5 million people and is about the size of the Canadian province of New Brunswick or the U.S. state of Maine. For another comparison, Austria is just a bit bigger than Georgia. In terms of economics, Georgia is poorer than Russia and still continues to struggle to produce enough electricity to keep the lights on each night.

From Georgia’s perspective and historically, Georgia is an oasis of Christian Orthodoxy surrounded by Muslim peoples. For centuries Georgians felt themselves under attack from Muslims to the south and to the north. Far to the north lay Russia, also Christian Orthodox, and for this reason Georgians turned to the Tsar for protection in the 19th century. The Russian Revolution in 1917 brought a very brief period of independence until about 1921 when the Red Army invaded and “liberated” Georgia.

Seventy years after the Revolution, Georgia was one of 15 republics that comprised the Soviet Union and which, upon break up of the Soviet Union, became independent.

Russians consider the break up of the Soviet Union a great loss. This has been repeatedly stated by Vladimir Putin, former president and now prime minister of Russia.

Russia would like to extend its influence into Georgia and all former Soviet Republics. Most former Soviet Republics pay lip service to Russia. But the Georgians don’t. They speak up and tell Russia they don’t want it meddling in their affairs. Russians don’t like this.

Russians tend to look down on Georgians, who are darker skinned and easily identifiable on the streets of Moscow. Police regularly stop Georgians for questioning and usually require bribes. Many Georgians moved to Russia in the 1990s to seek out a better life but today, for most Georgians, life has become unbearable in Russia because of persecution by the police. Public opinion now is against the “dark skinned” Georgians, who are perceived by the public as thieves. Many Georgians have now returned to Georgia or are trying to do so.

Georgians believe that Georgia’s territory should remain as it was at the time of the Soviet dissolution. However, within Georgia are two smaller people groups: Ossetians (a people who straddle the Georgian-Russian border) and the Abhazians (a Muslim people who live in the north west on the Black Sea).

The Ossetians want independence. Some of them live in what is called “North Ossetia” in Russia and some live in “South Ossetia” on the Georgian side. But they are all Ossetians. Truth be told, they would like independence from both Russia and Georgia. Against Russia they have no chance but to negotiate some kind of internal autonomy but against smaller Georgia, they believe they have a chance.

In 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed the Ossetians decided to go for it. They proclaimed independence and began fighting against the Georgians.

The Georgians believe that the Russians have aided the Ossetians as a means of destablizing Georgia. This seems to be somewhat true. First of all, Russia was able to use its international influence to get itself appointed as “peacekeeper” between Ossetians and Georgians. So Russian peacekeeping troops have been in South Ossetia, which is part of Georgia, for more than 10 years. This peacekeeping operation, according to the Georgians, has enabled the Russians to prop up the Ossetians independence movement by arming its militia. The Ossetian militia, along with actual Russian troops, is now fighting the Georgian military.

Why not just let Ossetia separate from Georgia? For the Georgians this is unthinkable. The Georgians point to the fact that Russia has not allowed Chechnya to separate from Russia. They suggest it would be like the United States allowing Vermont or some other small state to become an independent nation. The rest of the country just isn’t going to allow it.

The result?

Russia can beat Georgia easily.
Georgia can beat Ossetia easily.
Georgia cannot beat Ossetia supported by Russia.

The U.S. is too far away and too stretched out fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to significantly support Georgia. Plus it would be a political minefield for the West to take any big risks against Russia in Russia’s “own backyard”. So my guess is that Russia will get its way, limited only by condemnation from the West if it goes too far. Further, Bush is now a lame duck president and would be unlikely to get support for any action at all.

The U.N. is impotent because of the veto power of Russia on the Security Council. Russia can veto any measures adopted by the rest of the world against it. Georgia is not yet a member of the E.U. or NATO.

The danger is that the conflict could escalate and draw in a bordering power such as Turkey. Alternatively, Russia could decide to take over Georgia and even march through it to oil rich Azerbaijan. That is unlikely in my mind.

More likely is a lot of awful bloodshed in Ossetia. Worse still, would be full scale war in Georgia proper, such as in Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital of over one million people. The potential for disaster is great.

Writer: John Norton lives in London, Ontario, Canada with his wife and two children and they can usually be found on Sunday mornings at their local Anglican church. John works as a lawyer and previously worked as a Salvation Army officer in Russia.

7 Comments to War in Georgia

1. Very American point of view, John, very “propaganda”.

   Just to point out a couple of things. There is no way Russia as it is right now will want to “invade” Georgia. They would have done it in one swift act if they would want it to. Just like the Georgians simply wiped out the city of Tzhinvali, leaving ruins behind.

   Russian had numerous chances to “take over” peacefully when Shevordnadze was a Georgian President and many times before that.

   Russians looking down on Georgians, Americans on Mexicans, Norwegians on Russians (Polish, actually, but they don’t know what the difference), Italians and most countries of Europe on Romanians etc… it is not really a country policy, is it.

   “The U.S. is too far away and too stretched out fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to significantly support Georgia”. - Where does this World Police attitude comes from. Oh, the war against terror!? Interesting how we you use this “terror” glasses just when we want to.

   Why do Russia want to be in the region? Same reason US wants to be in Poland for example, with it’s radars etc.

   Oil? Really? Russia does not have a problem with. US does.

   Georgian motion to EU and NATO is very much money motivated, just like all of those new EU countries, who suddenly felt the need to be independent. Would you not want to have a support from EU for your new National Government structures, your National FREE TV, your National football team? Nationalism is the card that many play in EU right now.

   It is much easier to let Americans come and build the military base, employ people, build infrastructure, invest money then deal with huge gaps in National Economy which is not working.

   It is like Faeroe Islands. There is a strong notion to brake away from Denmark and become an independent state. But it is a piece of rock (well, many pieces) and you can’t build Economy of the country solely on fishing! Same with Georgia. They got the independence all right, but lost all the resources that Russia used to provide for generations.

   There is no justified war. Any war is evil. I am not going to take any side in it. I am Russian, but I don’t live there anymore, for many reasons.

   I just wanted to point that what you hear in the news is not even close to being a “true” picture.

   Love,

   Yuri
Yuri Zelentsov on August 10th, 2008

2. Good points, Yuri.

   It is not my intention to be pro American or against Russia on this very complex issue. Certainly Georgia bears responsibility for initiating this latest fighting when it decided last week to try to take Ossetia by force.

   If I seem to be siding a little bit with the Georgians on this issue (which was not my intention with this article), perhaps it is because as a Canadian I know something about being the “underdog” - the one who is always struggling for respect. We Canadians, like Georgians, live next to a much larger and more powerful neighbour too. We are always comparing ourselves to the United States, just as Georgia compares itself to Russia.

   I agree that Georgia is just looking to secure its position in the E.U. and NATO. That is Georgia’s aim.

   It seems that Saakashvili (president of Georgia, very pro American) has rolled the dice and taken a very big risk. He hoped to bring South Ossetia back under Georgian control. But perhaps he did not expect such a demonstrative response from Russia and perhaps he expected more support from the West.

   But what is Russia’s aim in all of this?Don’t you think it seems a little inconsistent for Russia to be supportive of South Ossetia’s independence from Georgia when Russia has been so opposed to Chechnyan independence?

   I am an outsider looking into the situation and certainly not an expert.

   Let me just add for other readers that Yuri and I go way back as friends. We were both involved in the opening of the Salvation Army in Russia - and Yuri is one of the good guys. And I know few people who are as intelligent and qualified to speak on Russia as he is. So I defer to Yuri on this issue for sure.

   We agree that war is evil. I have received some emails this morning from friends in Tbilisi saying that there were loud explosions last night. Presumably these were Russian bombs. So things may get worse before they get better - let’s hope not.
John Norton (Canada) on August 10th, 2008

3. Hello John, great to hear from you!

   I kinda knew that the question of Chechnya will pop up. And Geoff will be the one to be asked to comment on that, he is an expert.

   Correct me if I am wrong, but Osetia has never been a part of Georgia, as it has never been a part of Russia (except for the Soviet period), it was occupied by Georgia in the ancient days and people were forced to the mountains. The trade connections with the Russian Empire and Russian troops brought back Osetia as a sovereign state.

   Nowadays Russians stood in between the fighting sides just because Georgians wanted to use an opportunity of Soviet Union collapse to do just what they did centuries ago - ethnically clean the region.

   Russians found themselves being attacked by the army which was 12 time bigger then the peacekeeping force they had in Osetia and it took Russians some time to retaliate full scale. It is another sign for me that Russian did not really wanted all this to happen. If all this as American mass media says was a provocation from the Russian side, Russians wold have had enough force for full size war right there.

   So this is a difference as I see it. Osetia has never been a part of Georgia and Chechnya was a part of Russia, since early Empire days.

   To be honest I am far from supporting Russia in the Chechnya question. I also know that it is not as simple as mass media presents it or whatever politicians say.
   But I simply can not understand how can one nation, that proclaims adherence to the human rights, mass murder 1500 unarmed civilians, including women and children. However, it might have been Saakashvilli’s way to show that they fully accept NATO standards of resolving conflict situations.

   I pray this madness stops asap. Need to get in touch with my SArmy friends in Georgia and see if they all right and safe.

   Yuri
Yuri Zelentsov on August 10th, 2008

4. Hi, John!

   I would like to ask you: if Russia is an aggressor how can you explain the fact - refugees from South Ossetia run to the Russia, instead of to the Georgia? Moreover, Russia has granted asylum even for the Georgian refugees.

   with love In Him!

   Sergey
Sergey Zhuravliov on August 11th, 2008

5. Hi John!
   Hope all is well with you and your family.

   As I read the article I felt like I wanted to say so much, but after reading the comments I realised you guys had said it all.
   Just one thing that makes me a little jumpy here.
   I can not guarantee if I got the dates right, because when this whole quarreling (pardon my French) began, I forgot how to watch the calendar, so shocking it was…

   Getting to the point.
   How much time did it pass since Media announced Saakashvili’s solemn promisse to have to agression on fire on the region, until media exploded with “Russian tanks invade Georgia” thing? About 24 hours or a bit more, right? Whithin these 24 hours all you’ve heard was the Olympics.
   Let me tell you the rest of the story.
   on the evening we’ve watched Saakashvili solemnly promise “there will be no fire from Geoegia’s side”, and we went “Sigh! now we can relax a bit and enjoy watching the Olympics
   opening” Hooray!” That was, if I’m not mistaken, the day of the Olympics Opening, Friday night (Moscow time, your’s would more likely be morning). So most of us went to sleep happy. Gues what we’ve heard in the breaking news the very next morning. About 5 am (some 6 to 8 hours after Saakashvili had performed so well) Georgian side began to bomb Ossetia with missile fire, cannon fire, and airplane bombers. The city was sound asleep at 5 am, as you can imagine. A little later came Georgian tanks, and began to fire, direct-laying, at Russia peace-keepers disposition, then on the Hospital and living blocks. Residents of the Ossetian Capital city say Georgians deliberately aimed their fire on living blocks, Peace-keepers base, and hospital; they all say it was not random fire.
   It gets better, I personally saw the videos of the missile fire in the morning, and pretty much the rest of the day. I saw destruction of houses and dead bodies on the streets, wearing civilian closes, or not much closes at all, as you can expect from people sleeping in their beds at 5 am. I turn to “EiroNews” channel, and what do I see? Nothing!
   About 20 hours after Georgia began firing Ossetia Russian tanks finally made it there to support our own peace-keepers, who were dying under direct-laying fire. That was about evening time the same day Georgia started firing Ossetian cities and villages few hours after Saakashvili’s “we are peaceful” performance. And miraculously, and the very same moment all leading western news-channels began yelling “Evil Russians Invade Innocent Georgia, mass-killing civilians, etc.”
   And meanwhile, “peaceful” Georgian solders entering Ossetian villages, killing wounded and POW, shooting pregnant women, old and young men, and children dead… Oh, right… they forgot to tell you this part, too?

   What’s interesting, at first they were showing the same videos our news channels were showing since early morning, only they were saying it was Russia firing at peaceful Georgians. Later they got some more videos. One more peculiarity: all their reporters are nowhere near the conflict zone, they all stand before their cameras in Tbilissi and it’s suburbs. How can they possibly know what’s going on in Ossetia, if they do not see it? Or is somebody telling them what to say?

   Now, how come the world’s top 5 news channels had no idea about Georgia’s attack at 5 am, but they all were well aware of “Russian aggression” later the same day, and may I say, they were Sooooooo quick to announce it? Kinda one-sided, isn’t it?

   And Sergey is right, if Russia is the aggressor, why do refugees flee AWAY from Georgia? Who knows the Truth better then the people directly involved in the story?

   So I absolutely agree, any war is evil, and we all here praying that this madness stops asap. But as I see it from Great Novgorod, the bigger war is not the one with the gun-fire. It’s the one in the Media. And that, my friend, is even worse.

   The only channels we have that were NOT talking about Georgia’s aggression since Saturday morning were National Geographic, Discovery, and AXN-Sci Fi. The rest of Mass Media avalable in Russia had pretty much only this in breaking news every quarter or half hour for the whole day.

   If somebody close to the top of some western governments is deciding which parts of the truth most of the world will or will not know…. So much for the democracy and Human Rights….
   And if our political commentators got a point, and all these people (it’s coming up to 2000+, so I’ve heard) died just to help Obama lose Presidential by bringing Cold War’s “Russian threat” back, then somebody is playing VERY low.

   That makes me feel disgusted.

   Sorry if I sound much too angry. I tend to get emotional about this, as I see my homeland being portrayed as a threat to the rest of the world. We are not. Yuri is right, oil is not OUR problem. Ukraine is the only other country that is more or less involved in the conflict by threating us that they will not let our ships back in the Russia’s fleet bases in Sevastopol. Also they are the ones to tell us off for the conflict.
   I say, they’d do better if they thought about it when they were arming the Georgians with the weapons they got from States after the famous “orange revolution” and entering NATO. After another “Colored revolution” Saakashvili became the president of Georgia, and immediately American dollars, weapons, and military trainers flooded Georgia.

   I’m sure you can connect the dots.

   Nothing personal. No offense meant to any of readers, and I apologize If I caused any. Just wanted to tell the other side of the story.

   May God bless us all, and heal us all from this madness, so this never happens again anywhere in the world. No one person, alive or dead or not yet born, deserves to go through what is going on there…

   With love of Jesus

   Pasha.
Pavel Gorbunov on August 11th, 2008

6. Misspelled in the second paragraph.
   should read: “Saakashvili promised to have NO aggression OR fire in the region”.

   Few paragraphs below, it’s “EuroNews” instead of EiroNews/
Pavel Gorbunov on August 11th, 2008

7. Sergey and Pavel:

   I am very glad to hear from you!! It has been a long time! Can you forward your email address to me? I am at nortonje@gmail.com

   As for this issue about Russia and Georgia, I appreciate your comments. You bring a helpful perspective. I won’t say anymore. I have said enough and people are dying and I am safe in Canada. So I think I’ll just defer to those of you closer to what is happening.

   I am concerned for my friends in Georgia.

   I also hope this does not cause any kind of disagreement between Salvation Army officers and soliders in Russia and Georgia. I know there are Russians serving in Georgia and, likely, Georgians in Russia. It must be difficult but it is a testimony to the internationalism of the Salvation Army (and the larger Church) that these issues do not come between Christians.

   Blessings! (and write me!)

   John
John Norton on August 11th, 2008

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