Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from August, 2008
Georgia: Recklessness & Recognition
Although noting that Russia oversteppend the mark by invading Georgia, Registan says that Moscow's gambit in the South Caucasus paid off. However, the blog notes, it required a temperamental, reckless and impulsive leader such as the Georgian president, Mikhail Saakashvili, in order to succeed.
Georgia: Different Opinions on South Ossetia
Registan responds to a post made by Michael J. Totten on the conflict in South Ossetia. The blog strongly disagrees with the background to the conflict between Russia and Georgia put forward at a government press conference in Tbilisi.
Georgia, Russia: Interethnic Relationships
Tbilisi-based LJ user shupaka and Russian war journalist Vadim Rechkalov (LJ user voinodel) share stories about interethnic relationships in Georgia and North Ossetia, Russia, in the time of conflict between the two countries.
Georgia: Pulitzer Crisis Analysis
Untold Stories, Dispatches from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, quotes from a speech made by its Executive Director blaming all sides for the crisis in Georgia. In a second post, the blog examines the issue of Abkhazia's independence.
Georgia: Russian-Georgian News Item Translations
Exercises in Translation has started translating news items in Russian and Georgian on the conflict between Moscow and Tbilisi over Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In the two most recent posts, for example, the blog translates a news item on Russian president Dmitri Medvedev's interview to French TF-1 and a Georgian...
Georgia: The View from Tbilisi
Michael J. Totten's Middle East Journal is in Tbilisi and reports from the Georgian capital on a recent press conference given by the government's media advisor. The blog also recounts a conversation on the conflict with Russia between Totten and veteran Caucasus journalist and author, Thomas Goltz.
Poland: Reactions to the Russian-Georgian Conflict
The beatroot writes that “Poland – in the shape of its government and particularly its president, Lech Kaczynski – has been using the conflict between Moscow and Tbilisi to nail their colours to the mast of “protecting freedom and democracy” of the brave young George against the might of an...
Hungary: Reaction to the Russian-Georgian Conflict
“Hungary's reaction to the Russian-Georgian conflict is in line with that of the European Union,” Hungarian Spectrum reports. “Given Hungary's energy needs and its reliance on Russian gas and oil the country can't afford to lash out against Russia.”
Georgia: Blogging from Poti
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty is once again blogging from Georgian towns under Russian military occupation. The station's Tea Absaridze is providing daily updates on the situation in the strategic Black Sea port of Poti, currently controlled by the Russian military despite a ceasefire agreement requiring Moscow to withdraw...
Russia, Georgia: Unilateral Recognition of Abkhazia's and South Ossetia's Independence
Russia has formally recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia today. Below are some of the initial reactions from LiveJournal's Cyrillic sector.
Georgia: Photo Blogs
Georgia & South Caucasus posts a selection of images from two photo blogs taken in the aftermath of the Russian-Georgian conflict over South Ossetia. The photos include those of IDPs in Tbilisi and from the strategic town of Gori which was until recently occupied by Russian troops.
MENA: Veiled Athletes in Beijing
Despite the Saudi Arabia's decision to ban Saudi women from taking part in the Olympics this year, Blogger Dilshad D. Ali writes about the emergence of hijab (veil) at the Beijing Olympics. Blogger Jana, also lists the 12 veiled Muslim athletes who competed this year in Beijing.
Georgia: Pepsikolka's Dispatches From Poti
OpenDemocracy.net posts translations of posts by LJ user pepsikolka (Samira Kuznetsova), a blogger living in Poti, Georgia: here, here, and here. (Earlier GV translations of pepsikolka‘s posts are here and here.)
Georgia: Russian Parliament Recognizes Abkhazia, South Ossetia
Unzipped comments on news that the Russian parliament has voted to recognize the independence of the breakway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia. The Armenian blog says that the move sets an important precedent for resolving another frozen conflict in the region — Nagorno Karabakh.
Georgia: Dispatches
My The Caucasian Knot has posts accompanied by photographs of a press conference given by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, an account of attempts to get into the Russian-occupied town of Gori, humanitarian concerns in Tbilisi following an influx of IDPs, and a report...
Kyrgyzstan: Kyrgyzs Want to Join Russia
Elena publishes the result of a poll, announced that the majority of Kyrgyzstan’s population thinks that Kyrgyzstan should consolidate with Russia.
Kyrgyzstan: Plane Crashed Near Bishkek
Elena uploaded photos of the Boeing-737 crashed outside the capital Bishkek on Sunday where 25 people of the 90 people on board have survived.
Kazakhstan: Commenters at the Olympiad
Adam reports on the unethical behavior of the Russian commenters of the Olympics.
Afghanistan: Karzai Fingerpoint at NATO
Azar Balkhi reports that Hamid Karzai, the President of Afghanistan yet again points finger at the NATO Forces without knowing the real story behind the confrontation that took place in Azizabad, where 90 civilians were shot to death in the counter-Taliban operation.
Georgia: McCain Benefits?
Nazarian says that the real winner in the war between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia might be U.S. presidential candidate John McCain. The blogger also believes a new Cold War is in the making.
Georgia: Regional Reporters
The conflict between Georgia and Russia over the breakway territory of South Ossetia were accompanied by cyber-attacks on several Georgian official government and independent media sites. But rather than prevent journalists from utilizing the Internet to report on the war, it achieved the opposite. Many Georgians -- media professionals and citizen journalists alike -- set up blogs to report or comment on the conflict.