Now that the Russian-Georgian conflict is nearing its end, it is time to start taking a step back and ponder the true dimensions of the conflict, its causes and long term consequences. But to do that, we should first escape the simplistic approach to the conflict that was prevalent all over Western media.

The view that Russia was the aggressor, the bad guy in this conflict, was the main take of Western news sources. Reports of indiscriminate violence and acts of aggression committed by the Russian troops triggered a similar approach by this blog.

Now it’s time to balance this view. First, we provided you with a number of articles taken from the Russian press, and showing how the conflict was viewed frm Moscow. Next on the list  this article from eXiled, republished from The Nation. The article takes a far more critical view of Saakashvili’s regime then has been the norm in Western media [with regard to the recent conflict], and points to some critical tensions that lie at the hear of the Russo-Georgian conflict:

  • Does Georgia fit the paradigm of a small democratic nation, given Misha’s authoritarian tendences?
  • How does West choose its side, when confronted with the self-determination / national sovereignty dichotomy?
  • How much is America willing to risk in order to secure Georgia?

All this from a leftist American perspective. Regardless of whether you agree with the argument, the article is worth reading.