War Erupts in Far Southeast Europe

The region between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea in far southeast Europe is one that nearly all Americans know little or nothing about. It is an area long filled with tragedy, hardship, strife, and war. With the collapse of the USSR almost 20 years ago, peoples that had been oppressed by outside rule for centuries finally had an opportunity to establish their own nations. This process has been difficult with violence and war continuing, The eruption of war between Georgia and Russia is a continuation of this transition. Lands, territories, peoples, and assets are at stake and agreements and understandings are difficult to achieve. And the growing power and greed by Russia under Vladimir Putin adds another strong dangerous element into the equation. Putin is committed to and has publicly declared he wants Russia to reclaim and reconquer all the new nations that emerged out of the old USSR posthaste. This philosophy of aggression is being put in place with Georgia, a tiny state relatively speaking, beriddled with poverty and possessing little in the way of any valuable resources or economic strengths. The consequences and risks of Russian aggression in response to Georgia sending troops into the rebellious breakaway province of South Ossetia are indeed immense. The conflict is still likely to be akin to the wars between Azerbaijan and Armenia in recent years; but there is a chance it could escalate into something much bigger, and an exchange of nuclear weapons between the United States and Russia is not entirely out of the question. Georgia is viewed as a vital ally to the US and is located in a region where the US is increasing its presence in a number of ways, including due to its proximity to Iran. While an escalation to this extent is not out of the question, remember the leadership in place in Russia and and in the US, particularly with men like George Bush and Richard Cheney at the helm.
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http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008087858_apgeorgiasouthossetia.html

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L9618164.htm
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http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080809/D92F03GG0.html
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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/weekinreview/10traub.html?hp=&pagewanted=all
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_(country)
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_South_Ossetia_(2008)
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