The Return of Russian Bear

Yesterday, Russia attacked Georgia. This has launched the 2008 South Ossetia War. The war stated after hostilities between Georgia and Russia reached a peak over South Ossetia. South Ossetia want's to become part of Russia, and Georgia was not exactly happy about it. On August 7th, Georgian troops invaded the South Ossetia capital of Tskhinvali. In response, Russia attacked Georgia.

When I began writing this article, in my mind, I wanted to paint Russia for the corrupt, incredibly hostile nation it has become since the rise of Putin. Instead, I'm stuck asking the same questions anyone else would in this matter: Why did Georgia begin the invasion in the first place? The answer was simply this; the amount of uprising in South Ossetia was reaching a boiling point, and to a degree, they saw a need to invade.

But what really strikes me, and anyone who not only has any sense of personal well being in the fact that Russia has become an attacking force once more, is the threat this truly signals as well as the timing.

Vladamir Putin is a tyrant who hides behind Democracy in order to stay in power. The last election in Russia was an obvious farce to anyone outside their country, and nothing more than Putin ensuring his political party stayed in power and a virtual guarantee that, as Prime Minister, he would still have control. Russia saw a decline overall in the 90's and, with Putin in control, the nation has basically rebounded. But that return to power has also seen a return to military strength.

It is my honest and learned opinion that this was, in fact, in the works longer than anyone now learning about this (myself included) could truly have imagined.

In 2006, the real troubles began with a sabotage of a pipeline that ran through North Ossetia. Following that, Russia banned wines from Georgia and a controversy alleging to Russia spying on the nation soon followed. There have been various problems since then, including violations of airspace and anti-government protests around the nation. By no means am I saying Georgia is clean in all of this as well, but I am agreeing the majority that, yes, Russia is going to far in their actions and, in fact, are using this for something more.

The recent attack is what I think will be the beginning of Russia flexing it's military might and Vladamir Putin's master plan to make Russia, with it's alliance with China, the most dominate nation on the planet. The attacks happened right at the dawn of the Olympics, begging to ask if the "uprising" was not staged by Russian supporters with the help of the Russian government, or the government of Georgia using information they received and forcing their hand.

This may be the beginning of a display of military might, and it may be the start of something more, something even worst. I do see this as a return of the Russian Bear, an aggressive force that will try and force it's will down the necks of others. This is not about supporting democracy to them or anything of that nature, just pure force.