For the USA, preventing Russians from subduing its ally Georgia is a matter of prestige.
Europe, on its part, can be afraid of more palpable and more significant consequences [of the conflict], Weiss writes. First, there is energy security. Georgia is the only corridor for oil and gas from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to flow without transiting Russia. For the USA, this is interesting, but for Europe it Militants kill Pakistani soldiers ...
Unarmed Russian soldiers sent to Abkhazia ... is vitally important, Weiss says. There is also the political aspect. Putin is evidently determined to correct the "biggest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century" - the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Weiss says. "If Moscow's Georgian solution becomes an acceptable way of behaviour, what could prevent it from becoming a Lithuanian solution as well?" he asks. As no one enjoys admitting his own helplessness, Europe will now be tempted to blame everything on the Georgian hotheads. But it can hardly do so, as it has followed and commented on Georgian developments in the long-run, and it has raised objections to the latest steps by Russia, Weiss writes. Already in 2006 the EU representative for the Caucasus stated that the Russian "peace" units in Georgia are not neutral. However, what can be done about it if no one is strong enough to put up resistance to the Russians? Weiss writes. Why has not Russia accepted the ceasefire offer now that it holds control of the situation in the Caucasus and why has not it disclosed its aims? Zbynek Petracek asks elsewhere in Lidove noviny. Because it is the Kremlin, which has always been secretive, Petracek answers his own question. "We, nevertheless, already know that the Kremlin's goal is not the return to the status ante, i.e. to the situation on Thursday, August 7. The rest can be only speculated about, but on the basis of a certain experience. Moscow seems to plan to topple the government and the regime in Tbilisi," Petracek writes. If Moscow gains a sufficient influence in Georgia, even the Georgians will come to the conclusion that a despotic ruler with an accommodating approach to Russia, like the Azeri one, would be better for them than the pro-Western Mikhail Saakashvili, Petracek writes. Another aim of Moscow is not to discuss its aims with anyone. If Russia set its conditions for a ceasefire or even a peace agreement with Georgia, this would be something for the West to negotiate about. No, the Kremlin would not please the West this way, Petracek concludes. In Pravo, Vladimir Plesnik ponders the question of whether the South Ossetian adventure was Saakashvili's own initiative or whether he had it [maybe tacitly] approved by his "number one protector." If the former alternative were true, the self-confident Saakashvili might have followed the example of Israel, which several times launched its own operations, including military, that the USA had to cope with as a fait accompli. Israel did so aware of Washintgon's "special friendship" and sure of U.S. support, Plesnik writes. However, Georgia is no Israel and its steps are far from those taken by the experienced Israeli leaders, Plesnik writes. Speculations about the latter alternative arise from the fact that a number of U.S. officials visited Tbilisi recently, including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Plesnik says. The idea of Tbilisi managing to withhold its [planned] serious and sensitive step [the extensive operation in South Ossetia] from the Americans is not credible, Plesnik writes. Georgia, in attempting to take control of South Ossetia by force, undoubtedly wanted to take Moscow by surprise. Many in the world seem to have been taken by surprise, but not the Russians. To hide extensive transfers of tank convoys, artillery and rocket launchers is hardly possible in the present era of spy satellites, Plesnik writes. The Russia vs Georgia conflict can result either in a defeat of Tbilisi or a crushing defeat of Tbilisi, he says. By all means, the conflict has rocked relations between Russia and the West. As any war conflict always enhances the initiative of hawks, apprehensions of the consequences Georgia's adventure may have are fully substantiated, Plesnik concludes.
(Ceske Noviny)
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