In a nutshell, the former Soviet Republic of Georgia has bold ambitions, which appear to include ethnic cleansing in the break-away autonomous region of South Ossetia. Most of the residents there hold Russian passports and have voted to cede from Georgia and join North Ossetia as part of the Russian Federation.
It is, of course, more complicated than that.
When we wonder why They Hate Us For Our Freedoms, Georgia can serve as a good lesson. The US has been providing substantial military aid to Georgia, first with the Georgia Train and Equip Program and later with the Sustainment and Stability Operations Program. The US, in return, received the commitment of Georgian troops to participate in the occupation of Iraq.
So despite all this encouragement from the USA, and even throwing in major highway named after Bush (picture included on the sign, oh my!), the Georgians really goofed when they thought the USA would come to their aid in a fight against Russia.
Well, we've at least been courteous enough to airlift Georgian military from Iraq into the heart of the new conflict, which will of course be much appreciated by the Ossetes.
So, how many new terrorists will this US blunder generate, how many Georgians or Ossetes will come to hate the USA for encouraging this conflict? When they ask, cui bono, will they find people to hate because their weapons have "MADE IN THE USA" stamped on them?
