So what do we all make of the current and troubling state of affairs? I must confess, I'm not at all too unenlightened about that part of the world, so any insight you can give would be much appreciated.
greg in noord-frankrijk
Oh I think it's all about oil & gas.
Elaine
greg in noord-frankrijk wrote:
Oh I think it's all about oil & gas.
Isn't it always about gas & oil? If all of a sudden it was discovered that our shit made a viable fuel source, we'd all be fighting over each other's shit.
My goodness! Maps galore! I'm trying to make sense of these maps (in French, no less!), but I'm not following-- how does South Ossetia factor in this scramble for gas and oil? Why does Georgia want to hold on to this territory so much when it seems that South Ossetia had always had some level of independence under Soviet rule? Je ne comprends pas.
greg in noord-frankrijk
Basically the USA is trying to contain Russia within certain limits of the Caucasus (to the north of major natural resources) just as it did so with USSR (well up to the north of major maritime routes → Persian Gulf & Indian Ocean).
Georgia is a US keypoint since it faces Azerbaïdjan to the west, an oil-rich, US-friendly country neighboured by two major ambitious powers, Russia & Iran. Armenia too adjoins Azerbaïdjan, a naturally pro-Turkish country, but Armenia (a former Soviet Republic just like Az.) is traditionally hostile to Turkey & Az. So the situation in Eastern Caucasus is potentially explosive. However, it is Georgia, which happens to be located in Western Caucasus, that is seeing her territory hit by the first Caucasian war since Chechnya (not to mention Armenia vs Azerbaïdjan during the late 80s & early 90s).
In addition to being a strategic natural resources circuit for Turkey (outside Armenia, that is), Georgian territory is spotted with pockets of independentism and/or irredentism : South Ossetia, Adjarie, Abkhazie etc. Everything's ready for a new Yugoslavia, only worse...
Elaine
Thanks for the education, Greg. Now the US is sending in troops to "oversee humanitarian efforts." Just what we need, more of our men and women in troublesome areas.
greg in noord-frankrijk
Et voilà ! C'est reparti comme en 40...
Russia has just paid back the "coalition" of the "willing" for the "liberation" of Iraq & all NATO sponsors of Kosovar "independence" in their own coin.
Needless to say the USA has lost the face and the EU looks even more ridiculous than it ever did, even during the preparation of the invasion of Iraq or the foolish attempts to bypass the European nations (draft "constitutional" "treaty" in 2005 and draft Lisbon "treaty" in 2008).
Even Israel is keeping a low profile...
Bravo la Russie ! Now multipolarity is on its way.
If all of a sudden it was discovered that our shit made a viable fuel source, we'd all be fighting over each other's shit. 
