The Problems of Binary Thinking on Russia
Robert Amsterdam (November 11th, 2008) Writes:
The release of the OSCE report which disputes Georgia's claims about the start of the August invasion by Russia has obviously caused quite a stir, and started a whole new series of arguments from some unwitting pro-war apologists among American liberal camps (case in point), seeking to push the new president-elect Barack Obama far clear of Russia's reclaimed "sphere of influence." Melik Kaylan has a good piece which clarifies some of the problematic thinking going on over the Russia-Georgia issue in light of the new reports, and reminds us not to overestimate either the influence of Mikheil Saakashvili in the Bush White House, nor underestimate the incompetence and disinterest of the Bushies in undertaking such Machiavellian fantasies abroad.
There is an additional misconception that underlies much of the programmatic left/right, Democrat/GOP, détente/Cold War binary thinking on the matter: that the Bush administration encouraged Saakashvili to confront the ...
Tags for this Post:
Barack Obama, bush administration, Georgia, israel, Republican Party, Russia, Russia, Tbilisi, White House
Barack Obama, bush administration, Georgia, israel, Republican Party, Russia, Russia, Tbilisi, White House


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