Saakashvili's Big Blunder
The Georgian president grossly miscalculated when he sent his forces into war. Believing he was the West's darling and point man in the Caucasus and that Russia would react cautiously and with restraint - Saakashvili invaded South Ossetia.
Instead Russia has acted with an iron fist; pounding and swiftly sweeping the Georgians out. And within the last few days, thousands have died; tens of thousands have been uprooted and displaced; whole livelihoods have been destroyed. All because of one man's short sightedness and silliness.
As always, Western politicians and leaders are unashamedly hypocritical and biased in their reaction. They never used the same language and never criticized in the same tone - America's invasion, crushing and occupation of Iraq; or Israel's invasion and destruction of Lebanon, or its strangulation of Gaza. To them, America and Israel were/are acting in self defense and protecting their interests and were/are not aggressors; while Russia, now, is portrayed as an aggressor and a bully.
What is painful and sad in all this, is to watch the many people so badly affected due to one man's blunder. Who is to blame or who is wrong, is not most important now; what is of priority and of concern, is how to help the thousands of people on both sides - children, women and the elderly uttermost - whose lives have been wrecked and who are now homeless and in need; they need the World's attention and care. And if there is any body to most blame for this mess, it's none other than the reckless Mr. Mikheil Saakashvili.
Instead Russia has acted with an iron fist; pounding and swiftly sweeping the Georgians out. And within the last few days, thousands have died; tens of thousands have been uprooted and displaced; whole livelihoods have been destroyed. All because of one man's short sightedness and silliness.
As always, Western politicians and leaders are unashamedly hypocritical and biased in their reaction. They never used the same language and never criticized in the same tone - America's invasion, crushing and occupation of Iraq; or Israel's invasion and destruction of Lebanon, or its strangulation of Gaza. To them, America and Israel were/are acting in self defense and protecting their interests and were/are not aggressors; while Russia, now, is portrayed as an aggressor and a bully.
What is painful and sad in all this, is to watch the many people so badly affected due to one man's blunder. Who is to blame or who is wrong, is not most important now; what is of priority and of concern, is how to help the thousands of people on both sides - children, women and the elderly uttermost - whose lives have been wrecked and who are now homeless and in need; they need the World's attention and care. And if there is any body to most blame for this mess, it's none other than the reckless Mr. Mikheil Saakashvili.
Comments
just thought I would drop in to say cheers for your insights into Hadhramout.
W
After the Georgian leader being so shortsighted and invading South Ossetia, couldn't the Russians - being as mighty as they are - not have been more reasonable and humane?
These 'powerful' countries with all the arsenal: biological, chemical and nucleur - that they have, are trully scary.
Russia gives the same reasons that America and Israel give for their destructive invasions - that is: they are 'protecting their self interests'. Russia did the same in Chechnya and long ago In Afghanistan. And got away with both, just as it would get away with this; just as it would get away with it if invades Ukraine. And America, even against the UN, has got way with its destruction of Iraq - to 'protect its self interest' Iran might be next. As for the tragedy of Gaza and the Palestinians, it's as if the 'International community' does not exist.
It's the same game. The same power game that years ago resulted in the 1st and second World Wars.
Saakashvili should have calculated and realised that Russia would use its might and simply crush Georgian troops, no matter what. How could he have not realised that?
What surprises me most and makes me angry, is how the Georgian president could be fooled in to thinking he could retake South Ossetia using force. He should have known of what it would lead to. Now tens of thousands of lives have been destroyed within just a matter of days, beacuse he was foolish enugh to act as he did.