Jules did a piece about an ordinary Russian’s reaction to the Russo-Georgian War. To give some balance, here are the views of an ordinary American and friend who got trapped in Tblisi.
We finally got back to the US last night, after a harrowing 11 days. Among other things, we got stuck in a column of retreating Georgian tanks in Gori 30 minutes before a major Russian air strike on the column and 2 hours before Russian ground forces occupied the city and closed the highway. Kouchner had been in the town earlier that day and we thought the Russians would hold off at least until the next day.
It’s a bad situation–and much bigger than Georgia. The EU and the US need to speak with a united voice. I’m glad Merkel went to Tbilisi and finally spoke up on Russian aggression. Her first comments from Germany were fantastically bad–and exactly what Russia is counting on.
After unsuccessfully trying to get our family and friends across the border to Azerbaijan, we were guests at the ‘solidarity’ rally with Yushchenko and the presidents of Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania
A lot was done badly in US-Georgian relations and in Georgian responses to retaliation, but none of that needs to be discussed under the barrel of a Russian gun. We need to find a way to force them to honor the cease fire or start to impose costs.
I think there is still a 50% chance they intend to occupy the whole country. I also think there is little possibility Georgia is the end of it.
