Editor's Selection -- On Gorbachev's View of Russian-Georgian War

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1.
EDITORS' SELECTIONS (what's this?)
August 20th, 2008 7:34 am
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This crisis reminds me of the Cuban Missile Crisis. We have taken the role that had been held by the Soviets, the intruders trying to establish bases inside the bounds of the sphere of influence of the other. We even have the aspect of the insertion of missiles into a border country.As I recall, in spite of the saber rattling on a superficial level, that crisis was resolved behind the scenes by an agreement that the Soviets would do what we wanted in terms of removing missiles from Cuba, but we agreed to remove our missiles from bases in Turkey.Perhaps a similar agreement can be negotiated in this instance, with the United States agreeing not to install missiles in Poland (perhaps even reinstating the anti missile treaty which we breeched) and the Russians agreeing to withdraw from the non-separatist areas of Georgia. Unfortunately, it looks like the Bush team is still playing the "my way or the highway" approach. It is a strategy which has not served America well in recent years.
— Steve, Japan
Recommend Recommended by 219 Readers
18.
EDITORS' SELECTIONS (what's this?)
August 20th, 2008 7:41 am
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Gorbachev is right; it's important to remember that this did not appear out of some vacuum or random Russian aggression, but from a pattern of slights by the West and American in particular. NATO into Eastern Europe, Kosovo, NATO suggestions for Ukraine, missile defense in Poland - all of these led to what Gorbachev described as questioning as to whether Russians even care if they are a part of these organizations.Now it has come back with a vengeance, because when pressed on this, NATO and the US folded like a cheap paper plate, trying pathetically to cry "This had better stop, Russia, I'm warning you!" while also saying "Well, if push comes to shove, we'll stay out of the way militarily".The result now is that everyone is going to be hurt by this. The Russians are going to suffer a blow in reputation that is not entirely fair (and possibly lose membership in some organizations), Europe is going to re-affirm that they are dependent on Russian petrol and unwilling to act in concert with the US, Georgia gets a good lesson on what happens when you idiotically provoke a strong next door neighbor - and the US ends up with egg on its face for 20 years of poor post-Cold War decision-making and for foolishly promoting a false unity and solidarity with a country in public.
— Brett, The United States of America
Recommend Recommended by 149 Readers
22.
EDITORS' SELECTIONS (what's this?)
August 20th, 2008 7:41 am
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As an American living and working in Moscow, I am not alone in having witnessed a noticeable discrepancy between western and Russian coverage of the conflict in S. Ossetia. The balanced view of the conflict lies somewhere between the two sides as both sides seem to be aggressively serving self-interests in their own coverage.But in general, the American press with the right of being "free" unlike its Russian counterpart, must do more to fact check these politicians Gorbachev mentions who make absurd statements, so that our nation does not end up in another unnecessary battle. The US press has long been denying its readers of a fair and balanced portrait of the state of affairs in the world, and the coverage of the S. Ossetian conflict has brought this issue into the forefront. As much as this conflict was a war between Georgia and S. Ossetia, it has been a war between each PR machines under the guise of media coverage.Thank you to the NYTimes for bringing this opinion piece into the mix, Gorbachev's views are a breath of fresh air in the confused and conflicting coverage of the issue.
— Mandi, Moscow
Recommend Recommended by 202 Readers
26.
EDITORS' SELECTIONS (what's this?)
August 20th, 2008 7:41 am
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I wish Americans would adopt a more nuanced view of the rest of world. This article is wonderful in that it shows us that the situation is not as simple as we are led to believe. McCain was applauded for being decisive by condemning Russia. Obama was criticized for taking a more nuanced position. We need more of Obama's judgment, not McCain's.
— Girish, Brookfield, WI
Recommend Recommended by 96 Readers
83.
EDITORS' SELECTIONS (what's this?)
August 20th, 2008 8:02 am
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"Russia did not want this crisis." As usual with wars, there is much blame to be shared, but surely Mr. Gorbachev isn't serious when he fails to mention that Georgia's actions are precisely the pretext that Moscow was looking for to play out its "near-abroad" strategy. Nor does he mention Ossetian military provocations under the nose of Russian "peacekeepers." Georgia was hardly clever in dealing with these, but Russia's military and rhetorical responses suggest precisely what Mr. Gorbachev aims to deny.
— GKJames, Washington
Recommend Recommended by 27 Readers
118.
EDITORS' SELECTIONS (what's this?)
August 20th, 2008 8:20 am
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While Mr. Gorbachev is right that any hope of an effective resolution of this conflict must address the initial unjustified use of force by the Georgians, it is unclear how his call for a legally binding agreement rejecting the use of force makes any sense when Russian tanks are roaming the Georgian countryside. Mr. Gorbachev's call for a legally binding agreement, absent any mention of a body within which such an agreement could be formulated, is disappointingly empty. Instead of joining in the blame game, what is needed of leaders of Mr. Gorbachev's stature is a vision for how conflicts like this might be resolved. Why does Mr. Gorbachev make no mention of the United Nations? Surely the UN is precisely the sort of global body within which legally binding agreements regarding the use of force could be formulated.There is obviously a great deal of mistrust between the leaders of Russia and Georgia. Mr. Gorbachev is correct in his call for a legal process to resolve the conflict since only a process that would be accepted by both parties as balanced would provide an outcome that both sides could accept as fair. Assuming that Mr. Gorbachev is sincere in his desire for a peaceful resolution of this conflict, then his focus on the activities of the United States is distinctly unhelpful. Even if the U.S. had not defended Georgia without qualification, a single country, even the world's sole superpower, could not provide the means for a legal binding agreement.Mr. Gorbachev's response to this crisis has largely focused on the faults of the Georgians and U.S., apparently in response to a perceived bias against Russia. While a more balanced reporting could improve understanding of the sources of the conflict, it cannot provide a solution. I would like to call on Mr. Gorbachev to move beyond the rhetoric of blame and lay out a vision of how Russia and Georgia could enter into a legal process that would lead to legally binding agreements both sides could accept as fair and balanced. Could Mr. Gorbachev articulate a specific role the UN might play in such a legal process, perhaps involving the ICJ as well as the Security Council on a dual track? Or is Mr. Gorbachev aware of other global bodies that might be more effective in providing the context for such legally binding agreements?It seems to me that while many people are claiming that Russia is returning to 19th century politics, there is still hope that a more recent vision of resolving political conflict through the rule of law is viable. I would like to encourage world leaders like Mr. Gorbachev to use their stature and influence to move the various involved parties beyond accusations of blame and towards legally binding agreements that would leave Russia and Georgia with an outcome that both could accept as fair.
— Phil Enns, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Recommend Recommended by 15 Readers
123.
EDITORS' SELECTIONS (what's this?)
August 20th, 2008 8:20 am
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It's indeed refreshing to read about Russia's point of view of this conflict. If America wants to put the cold war behind it, it should also put the cold-war mentality behind it. Some American politicians. like John McCain, rushed to place all the blame on Russia and ascribe sinister intentions to it.Given the impending change in the American administration, it is an opportunity for the American voter to get rid of the cold-war mentality too. Mr. Obama's initial reaction was the correct one when he said that we must look at both sides of the issue before rushing to judgement.Russia is no fool to fall for the West's "sweet talk" on partnership when the actions of the West (such as expanded NATO membership) speak louder than words. If Russia is to be really integrated with the West, the West must be an impartial negotiator. That means giving serious consideration to Russia's point of view.It is really important for Americans to understand the psyche of a country that is severely dismembered. Like an earthquake that triggers a tsunami, the Soviet Union's dismemberment was like a political earthquake, and there are forces building in Russia hoping to reclaim lost glory, like a tsunami wave. If the West taunts Russia in unacceptable ways, it will provoke a severe reaction. Fortunately, we are only dealing with people and not mother Nature, and thus the crisis can be defused with the the foresight of statesmen and the genius of diplomacy. Given the nature of the cold-war, it will take at least two generations to really bury the cold war. In the meantime, it is the responsibility of the voters in the West to elect leaders who will vigorously continue to restrain the cold-war genie in its bottle, and not rake it up for short-term political gain.Can the real statesmen please step forward? Now is a good time.
— Kiran Achyutuni, Bangalore, India
Recommend Recommended by 22 Readers
149.
EDITORS' SELECTIONS (what's this?)
August 20th, 2008 10:49 am
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But the Russians also have wanted to be rid of Saakashvili for a long time. So I have to disagree: the Russians *did* want a war, to get rid of him if possible and scare the hell out of him if not.I agree that the West's attitude toward post-Cold War Russia has been too antagonistic. I also agree that Georgians started a fight they couldn't finish. But it is also the case that Putin is a despot, who uses belligerent rhetoric to bolster his popularity at home, nearly completely controls the Russian media and brooks almost zero political dissent. The blame for his rise cannot be laid at the feet of the West.I wish that Russia could become a free and democratic nation and join the European Community, which is where it belongs. It would only increase everyone's wealth, power and prestige.
— David Mebane, Stuttgart
Recommend Recommended by 11 Readers
216.
EDITORS' SELECTIONS (what's this?)
August 20th, 2008 11:36 am
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On the 40th anniversary of the Soviet invasion (August 20-21, 1968), I never thought I would be writing the New York Times to say, Yes! Mr. Gorbachev is right!!There is more truth and quiet reasoning in what he writes than in the 2 weeks of screaming in the Western media.My own gut level feeling is that this was engineered by the Bush administration to aid Mr. McCain and to pressure the Poles into signing the missile treaty. Other fallout was welcome, too, and the media have fallen in step. We are SO-O-O tired of this.Thank you, Mr. Gorbachev, and thank you NYTimes.
— P. Hedgie, Prague, Czech Republic
Recommend Recommended by 14 Readers
220.
EDITORS' SELECTIONS (what's this?)
August 20th, 2008 11:40 am
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Sounds to me like McCain knew all along what was coming and is attempting to use Georgia to get elected:FROM WORDPRESS:PETE YOST August 13, 2008 04:14 PM EST WASHINGTON -- John McCain's chief foreign policy adviser and his business partner lobbied the senator or his staff on 49 occasions in a 3 1/2-year span while being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars by the government of the former Soviet republic of Georgia.The payments raise ethical questions about the intersection of Randy Scheunemann's personal financial interests and his advice to the Republican presidential candidate who is seizing on Russian aggression in Georgia as a campaign issue.McCain warned Russian leaders Tuesday that their assault in Georgia risks "the benefits they enjoy from being part of the civilized world."On April 17, a month and a half after Scheunemann stopped working for Georgia, his partner signed a $200,000 agreement with the Georgian government. The deal added to an arrangement that brought in more than $800,000 to the two-man firm from 2004 to mid-2007. For the duration of the campaign, Scheunemann is taking a leave of absence from the firm."People die so McCain can realize his political ambitions.
— Jane Smiley, California
Recommend Recommended by 5 Readers
303.
EDITORS' SELECTIONS (what's this?)
August 20th, 2008 1:38 pm
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I fully agree with President Gorbachev. The proximate cause of all of this was U.S. adventurism in Georgia. It was foolish to try to establish a client state there, foolish to try to extend NATO there, and most foolish of all to give our support to a hothead ultranationalist like Saakashvili.
— Mark Morss, Columbus, Ohio
Recommend Recommended by 11 Readers
305.
EDITORS' SELECTIONS (what's this?)
August 20th, 2008 1:52 pm
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I am originally from Krasnodar, South of Russia, and have lived in the states for almost 8 years and thought there could be a better news coverage. Oh well, it turns out that the US media is just as simply ignorant as any media that is controlled by the figures like Cheney.I am thankful that NYTimes listens to Mikhail Gorbachev and shows its respect to someone who is trustworthy in the US.It is disgusting that everyone on every corner shouts that Russia being a big bad guy who crushed the small shivering neighbor but no one claims any deaths of Ossetians, almost 2000 people in the first day of Georgia's invasion! And no reaction from the acclaimed and "unbiased" UN, not a soul from the American administration either. How can you forget about Ossetians dying? And sure I don't want to ignore Georgians being killed in this strife but who started it? How come nobody wants to hold Saakashvili responsible for striking up this bloody revenge-driven conflict?Indeed, Caucasus is a very complex territory and Americans along with the West and so-called democratic new growing country like Georgia cannot give honest opinion about the conflict.It is all about who gets what. What did Georgia get out of it? Even more anger coming from Ossetians, Abkhazians, and Russians toward Georgia and its common people, instead of having a well-thought compromised conversation with Russians for a better future.
— Natalia Novikova, New York City
Recommend Recommended by 2 Readers
364.
EDITORS' SELECTIONS (what's this?)
August 20th, 2008 3:32 pm
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Let's not forget that the author has his own axe to grind. This is not an unbiased opinion. This is a spin job by a skilled politician and diplomat. So skilled in fact, that he has managed to make his version of events sound more plausible than those presented by our own government.Maybe Gorbachev is right, but more likely his version is no more realistic than the Georgian version of events. To claim that Russia did not want this crisis belies the facts on the ground. Russian troop build ups in the area prior to this action were not accidental or coincidental.But in truth, the spin of events by both sides pales in importance to the real message behind Mikhail Gorbachev message.The Russian bear has once again decided to take it's place at the world table.We have choices; we can engage them and work together for our mutual benefit, we can engage them and work to exploit them for our exclusive benefit. We can ignore them and hope for the best. In a 21st Century plagued by conflict and the heightened possibilities of mass destruction, working towards our mutual benefit seems the most prudent course of action.Let's hope that our system of checks and balances can produce prudent decisions.
— Owat Agoosiam, NY
Recommend Recommended by 6 Readers