Georgia on my mind

Everything I write here is strictly provisional whilst "events, dear boy, events" continue towards some sort of conclusion.  However, so far I have to give Putin top marks for a masterful example of real-politik.  We should all be grateful to him for blowing away some of the silly froth that bubbles forth on a fairly constant basis from the soppier sort of opinion makers like the Grauniad.  It will act as a salutary reminder that there are statesmen out there who could not give a fig for 'world opinion' (whatever that is!) and will therefor pursue their aims with ruthless determination.  Was there ever a more complete waste of oxygen than the vapid, useless witterings of the so-called Security Council in New York?  And how delicious to see the puffed-up pretensions of the European 'Union' exposed in all their pathetic fear and feebleness.  The fact is that they are already in thrall to Russia because of their dependence on that country's supply of oil and gas.  All they can afford to raise is the tiniest of tiny squeaks!

Of course, I have no views on the rights and wrongs of the issue, not only because I have virtually no knowledge on the subject (before the weekend I would have had considerable difficulty pointing out Georgia on a map), but also because rights and wrongs, as I keep repeating, have no place in international affairs; that is to say, I do not deny that they may exist but that when push comes to shove they have no importance - except possibly as propaganda for either side.  Putin recognises that in this particular dispute he doesn't even have to bother too much about propaganda because no one can lay a hand on him.  Those people, and here I point at the White House, who may have given the Georgians rather too much in the way of encouragement in the past deserve some of the blame for providing Putin with an opportunity to get away with daylight robbery.  Equally, the Georgian government deserves a bucket full of blame for imagining, even for a second, that all those so-called 'friends' in the West would lift a finger to help when the Russian army marched in. 

The really interesting question is what happens next?  Success to people like Putin can often lead to hubris which then produces tragedy, so watch carefully what happens in the Ukraine over the next few years! Meanwhile all the leaders of those small nations previously part of the old Soviet Union will be re-assessing their geo-political options.  And perhaps, just, perhaps, there might be one or two of the soppier sort of Lefties who now realise that all the evil in the world is not centred in Washington.

In the meantime, and I stress again, provisionally, were I a Russian, I would be rather pleased with this little exercise.

Comments

[szeni]

Most Russians are indeed very pleased with this nasty little war. Russian TV channels, all under Kremlin's control, are running pictures of hospitals full of injured Ossetian cilivians, terrified Ossetian refugees and their bombed out houses. And many who don't care about Ossetians are happy to remind the US - and the rest of the world - who is the boss in North Caucasus

[David Duff]

Szeni, I am sure you are correct. Unfortunately, when it comes to international affairs in general, and war in particular, it is necessary to look at things very clearly and coldly. You cannot re-act as you would normally do as a fellow human being. For example, I saw on Sky News an elderly lady standing outside the wreckage of her home with blood pouring from her head. She looked utterly lost and bewildered and I keep thinking about her and wondering how she fared. But if you are a statesman you are only responsible for your own people, not people from another country, and you must act in that way. (That is why I could never be a politician!)

Anyway, the fact is that the Russians have got exactly what they wanted, and even more important, they have sent a very clear message to others. If I was Ukranian, I would have my bags packed ready to move at short notice.