Lest we forget the Russian invasion of Georgia was well planned years in advance, and even admitted by Putin himself. When articles state that Georgia provoked it, they have virtually no clue. It was a land grab as Russia did Crimea, plain and simple. The Russians provoked Georgia’s move that gave Putin the excuse to go in — a manufactured crisis. Although the article is correct in saying the taking of Georgian land to push the West out is correct. It’s goal is to be able to project power into Europe, North Africa and the Middle East from the Mediterranean. For more on Georgia, see HERE.
Russia tightened its control Monday over Georgia’s breakaway province of Abkhazia with a new treaty envisaging closer military and economic ties with the lush sliver of land along the Black Sea.
The move drew outrage and cries of “annexation” in Georgia and sent a chill through those in Abkhazia who fear that wealthy Russians will snap up their precious coastline. It also raised further suspicions in the West about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s territorial aspirations after his annexation of Ukraine’s Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in March.
Under the treaty signed by Putin and Abkhazia’s leader in the nearby Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russian and Abkhazian forces in the territory will turn into a joint force led by a Russian commander.
Putin said Moscow will also double its subsidies to Abkhazia to about 9.3 billion rubles (over $200 million) next year. Continue reading
Global Geopolitics 