As pathetic as it is that when Google-ing “Georgia” only one out of the first ten hits is related to the current conflict in the country, the odds are that most people in the United States know just as much about the issue. To complicate matters, the conflict has erratically intensified and thawed as the days have progressed, with new developments on a daily basis. As such, I have deemed it necessary to inform The Plateau Times’ masses of the details of this ongoing struggle and its possible implications, as the world might be changing for the worse.

The Background

On the first day of Olympic competition, August 9th, 2008, Russia conducted several airstrikes on Georgia, a small country just north of Turkey, beginning the conflict which has made headlines ever since. Although essays could be written several times over on this epoch of Georgian history, the short version is as follows: the current president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, has molded the former Soviet state into a democratic nation since his election in 2004. However, several regions of the nation took exception to this shift in ideology, namely South Ossetia, which houses many Russian sympathizers and is the scene of the violence today.

The Beginning

On August 7, 2008, Georgian forces marched into South Ossetia in an attempt to control the region, which had earlier broken away from the nation, failing to recognize the Georgian government. Since the region identified more with the ideals of Russia, having maintained its former ties to the since collapsed Soviet Union, the Russian military came to the aid of South Ossetia on August 9 with a mobilization of nearly all their land and air units — infantry, tanks, and aircraft.

The Fighting

Since the initial mobilization on August 9th, the United States, as well as other NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization- an alliance dating back to World War II: Basic NATO Info) nations, called for an immediate ceasefire, an action which initially fell upon deaf ears, as Russia advanced into the capitol of South Ossetia. Since, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin stole headlines across the globe by claiming, “war has started.” In order to combat the influx of Russian troops into a Georgian territory, Georgia further mobilized its armed forces, resulting in a massive standoff in the region. Unfortunately for the defender, though, the amount of Russian military is nearly three times greater than their own, giving them very little chance of holding the armies out of their nation.

A Russian airstrike on Georgia.

Heavy bombing and military action continued until late in the night on August 12, with well over 1500 deaths reported and countless others all but certain, when Georgian President Saakashvili and Russian President Medvedev agreed to a six point peace plan that provided hope that the already bloody conflict would not further escalate into a full on war. Unfortunately, the peace plan proved fruitless, as Russia continued to march deeper into Georgia, despite harsh words, even so far as blunt demands for immediate withdrawal, from the United States and other Western nations. Mixed reports make the situation all the more confounding, as there is news of Russian advances into the large city of Gori, in addition to Russian statements that the military is handing the city back over to Georgian officials and police forces.

As of the writing of this article, both sides have reviewed, and agreed to the six point peace plan after a strenuous negotiation session mediated by US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice. If both sides will adhere to these measures, which include the possibility of an annexation of South Ossetia, and peace does ensue in the following days, only time will tell.

For a detailed, day by day timeline of the events to date, check out this page put together by the BBC: Events in Georgia

The Tension

Russia’s sudden, and for the most part unexpected invasion of Georgia shocked the rest of the world, and has renewed several tensions dating back to the Cold War decades. The United States has taken a harsh stance to oppose Russia’s military movements, endangering recent American efforts to establish an amiable relationship with Russia in order to prevent, or at the very least, delay another major showdown. Russia has only used this point as leverage, pressuring the United States to avoid military involvement, implying profound ramifications. All the while, the United States has made clear that it supports the Georgian government, as well as its authority over the disputed regions.

In addition to delivering aid to the war ravaged regions, the United States has also recently accomplished an agreement with Poland to install an American missile defense base in Poland, a deal that has been in the work for several years, and has been a lightning rod of Russo-American conflict over the same time. In response, the Russian government stated that the action “cannot go unpunished.”

The Ramifications

Just over a week into this conflict, it is still unclear how it will unfold. Some analysts believe that it will blow over, as Russia withdrawals, and Russian relations with the rest of the world are only slightly worse for the wear. These are the optimistic few. The majority of analysts and politicians fear far worse results, ranging from renewed tensions and a resumption of the Cold War, only freshly buried, to an international war of World War proportions.

In this international episode of utter uncertainty, one thing is for certain: the tale will only be told by time. We can only hope that when time has taken its toll, it will be remembered only as a tragic time, not the beginning of a disastrous one.

The Plateau Times will be featuring an editorial with the predictions and feelings of several staff members regarding the conflict shortly. Check The Plateau Times regularly, and be among the first to weigh in once the story hits the press.