Memories of a cold war nation

OUR OPINION
Published: August 15, 2008

Seemingly out of nowhere Russia, the spearhead of the former Soviet Union, invades Georgia, one of its former territories, and it makes little more than a blip on our collective consciousness.

Entranced by the Olympic Games and former presidential candidate John Edwards’ sordid affair, we mostly turn our heads away from an event that is significant on many different levels.

The most obvious level of significance is simply that one nation has invaded another. True, Russia put forward some rationale for its invasion and by now it is pulling out, but still the crossing of one
country’s military into another country should push all other news to the wayside, especially when the aggressor happens to be our former cold war enemy.

There was no warning from the media, Russia or anybody else that something like this was about to happen. One day, Russia and Georgia were separate, the next their troops were mingling on a bloody
battlefield on the spur of questionable logic.

The second point of significance we have already touched upon. This is Russia doing the invading.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the later disintegration of the Soviet Union, Russia showed signs of embracing a more democratic and capitalistic way of life.

But with the ascendancy of Vladimir Putin, an ex-KGB colonel, to the presidency, Russia began to resemble the nation of old. Crackdowns on Russian media and Putin’s attempt to hold power
indefinitely by quitting the presidency after two terms and scooting over to the Prime Minister chair so he could play puppeteer to the new president’s puppet, showcase characteristics of the former
empire Russia may again wish to be.

So, the invasion of Georgia must be seen beyond the veneer of public rationale and argument given by both Russia and Georgia. It must be seen as an attempt by Russia to reexert some of its bullying
force and reputation, and given Russia’s dismissal of the cries from democratic nations like the European Union and the United States, the invasion must also be seen as an international comment from
Russia: “We will do what we want. We don’t have to listen to what you say.”

As the Olympics roll on and Edwards sinks further into the mire of political death he dove into, take some time to reflect on the significance of Russia’s recent invasion of Georgia.

Hopefully, it was an isolated incident. But what if Russia invades another country? What then?