Comments on: While You Were Away: Russia-Georgia http://www.undiplomatic.net/2008/09/05/while-you-were-away-russia-georgia/ Bringing foreign policy back, girl. Those other countries don't know how to act. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:24:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Midwest McGarry http://www.undiplomatic.net/2008/09/05/while-you-were-away-russia-georgia/#comment-1088 Midwest McGarry Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:56:26 +0000 http://www.undiplomatic.net/?p=714#comment-1088 Linking South Ossetia to Kosovo makes me crazy. Saakashvili is not Slobodan Milosovic. Following the end of Serb oppression in Kosovo (an international effort which Russia and the US jointly participated in) Kosovo had nine years of international rule, vigorous UN debate, and an internationally mediated process which led to stalemate because the Serbs had assurances from Russia of a veto. Basically, on Kosovo the international process broke down (due to Russia). So after nine years, the rest of the world took action (recognition, not violence). How is this at all like South Ossetia? The Russians were even giving the South Ossetians Russian passports... which makes the whole thing look like a land grab not a geniune Kosovar style desire for independence. On South Ossetia, Kosovo is a red herring. Linking South Ossetia to Kosovo makes me crazy. Saakashvili is not Slobodan Milosovic. Following the end of Serb oppression in Kosovo (an international effort which Russia and the US jointly participated in) Kosovo had nine years of international rule, vigorous UN debate, and an internationally mediated process which led to stalemate because the Serbs had assurances from Russia of a veto.

Basically, on Kosovo the international process broke down (due to Russia). So after nine years, the rest of the world took action (recognition, not violence).

How is this at all like South Ossetia? The Russians were even giving the South Ossetians Russian passports… which makes the whole thing look like a land grab not a geniune Kosovar style desire for independence.

On South Ossetia, Kosovo is a red herring.

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