Comments on Scraps of Moscow: "Neutral peacekeepers"

Thanks, for your comment. You are right of course...

2008-07-22T15:01:38.753+01:00

Thanks, for your comment. You are right of course - there was a particularly violent war which both sides remember, there are still so many IDPs, and many Abkhazians no doubt believe they really are fighting for the survival of their nationality. So I don't mean to reduce it to a beef between Russia & Georgia, it's of course much more complex than that. Perhaps I've spent too long in Russia and am prone to see it as the center of gravity in the region. I do think, though, that it is important to discuss the Russian-Georgian aspect of the conflict (which certainly exists), and also the degree to which Russia's involvement has the potential to eclipse and Abkhazian hopes for actual independence.

Your note on sources is also helpful, and I tend to agree with your assessment. Notice that I was careful to say that Jamestown is "forceful" and "thorough" (i.e., prolific), but not objective or even necessarily fact-based at all times. The trouble is that their material is so easily available and they write so much about these topics, but you're right, IWPR and the ICG's reports are much more objective. Socor's writings are essentially activist journalism.

Just wanted to say: I do think you are underestima...

2008-07-22T14:46:11.447+01:00

Just wanted to say: I do think you are underestimating Georgian-Abkhazian disagreement. Whatever proposals Georgia is putting out now amount only to what Abkhazia suggested before the war. Abkhazia has won de facto independence at very high cost and it is just not willing to give that up. If the alternative is 20 more years of status quo, then it will still choose that. Likewise, there is no reason why Georgia would want to recognise Abkhazia, so it too prefers the status quo over that.

And I think the Jamestown Foundation is not a good source. In particular Vladimir Socor's contributions are worthless. He basically repeats the official Georgian position, but what is worse, his facts are wrong half of the time and his interpretations and conclusions are not thought through at all.

The best sources on the conflict are Civil.ge for day-to-day news, IWPR for background stories, the occasional report by institutions such as the ICG and analysts such as Ghia Nodia and interesting bits from RFE/RL and Window on Eurasia.

Like your weblog very much, keep up the good work!

Just to expound on one point for those who haven't...

2008-05-14T01:57:20.757+01:00

Just to expound on one point for those who haven't been to Russia, Putin's picture is in every single government building, usually in every office. When pointing out that Putin's portrait is hanging on the wall of the the peacekeepers' HQ, this portrait makes it seem like an official office of the Russian Federation.