Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T21:15:59.317Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The August 2008 war: main consequences for Georgia and its conflicts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2018

Ghia Nodia
Ghia Nodia*
Affiliation:
International School of Caucasus Studies, Ilia State University, Tbilsi, Georgia
*
∗Email: ghian@iliauni.edu.ge
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to take stock of the major political consequences that the August 2008 war had (or did not have) for Georgia: how the war affected Georgia's internal political dynamics and its policies toward its separatist conflicts, its neighbors, and the world. I start by briefly summarizing my views on the nature of and reasons for the war, and on its impact (or the lack thereof) on the global security architecture. These constitute the backdrop against which changes in Georgia can be understood.

Type
Special Section
Information
Nationalities Papers , Volume 40 , Issue 5 , September 2012 , pp. 721 - 738
Copyright
Copyright © 2012 Association for the Study of Nationalities 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Allison, Roy. “The Russian Case for Military Intervention in Georgia: International Law, Norms and Political Calculation”. European Security 18.2 (2009): 173–200. Print.Google Scholar
Asmus, Ronald D. A Little War That Shook the World: Georgia, Russia, and the Future of the West. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. Print.Google Scholar
“Bill on Occupied Territories Signed into Law.” Civil Georgia, 31 Oct. 2008. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=19868>..>Google Scholar
Blank, Stephen. “America and the Russian-Georgian War.” Mediterranean Quarterly 20.4 (Fall 2009): 32–48. Print.Google Scholar
Charap, Sam, and Welt, Cory. More Proactive U. S. Approach to the Georgian Conflicts. Washington, DC: Center for American Progress, February 2011. Print.Google Scholar
Chivers, C.J. “The Chechen's Story: From Unrivaled Guerrilla Leader to the Terror of Russia.” New York Times, 15 Sep. 2004. Print.Google Scholar
Cornell, Svante E., and Starr, Frederick, eds. The Guns of August 2008: Russia's War in Georgia. Armonk: M.E. Sharpe, 2009. Print.Google Scholar
Doing Business 2011: Making a Difference for Entrepreneurs: Georgia. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.doingbusiness.org/~/media/fpdkm/doing%20business/documents/profiles/country/db11/geo.pdf, accessed on April 24, 2011>..>Google Scholar
Dzhindzhikashvili, Misha. “Shevardnadze Vows Gorge Crackdown.” Associated Press, 16 Sept. 2002. Web. 24 Apr. 2004. <http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-67454017.html>..>Google Scholar
Fedorov, Yury E. “The Sleep of Reason: The War on Georgia & Russia's Foreign Policy.” Research Paper 5/2008. Prague: Association for International Affairs. Print.Google Scholar
Freedom House. 2012 Freedom in the World. Web. 18 July 2012. <http://www.freedomhouse.org/report-types/freedom-world>..>Google Scholar
“Georgian Calls for International Police ‘Provocative’ — Karasin.” Ria Novosti, 27 Jan. 2010. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://en.rian.ru/world/20100127/157695862.html>..>Google Scholar
Gordadze, Thornike. “Georgian-Russian Relations in the 1990s.” The Guns of August 2008: Russia's War in Georgia. Ed. Cornell, Svante E. and Starr, Frederick. London: M.E. Sharpe, 2009. Print.Google Scholar
Government of Georgia. State Strategy on Occupied Territories: Engagement through Cooperation. Jan. 2010, Tbilisi 2010, Print. 49–60.Google Scholar
Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Conflict in Georgia: Report. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.ceiig.ch/Report.html>..>Google Scholar
International Aid to Georgia. Eurasia Partnership Foundation, May 2009 [in Georgian]. Web. 24 Apr. 2010. <www.epfound.ge/files/epf_brochure_geo_13_apr_09_final2.doc_edited.pdf>..>Google Scholar
International Republican Institute. Georgian National Survey. March 2009. Web. 24 Apr. 2010. <http://www.iri.org/sites/default/files/2009%20April%201%20Survey%20of%20Georgian%20Public%20Opinion,%20February%2021-March%203,%202009.pdf>..>Google Scholar
International Republican Institute. Georgian National Study: March 4–13, 2010. Web. <http://www.iri.org/sites/default/files/2010%20May%203%20Survey%20of%20Georgian%20Public%20Opinion,%20March%204-13,%202010.pdf>..>Google Scholar
“Interview Given by Dmitry Medvedev to Television Channels Channel One, Rossiya, NTV.” President of Russia: Official Web Portal. 31 Aug. 2008. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.president.kremlin.ru/eng/text/speeches/2008/08/31/1850_type82912type82916_206003.shtml>..>Google Scholar
Lo, Bobo. “Medvedev and the New European Security Architecture.” Policy Brief. London: Center for European Reform, July 2009. Print.Google Scholar
“Medvedev: yesli by ne voija s Gruzijej, v NATO priniali by neskolko stran, vopreki pozitsii Rossii” [Medvedev: Had It Not Been for the War with Georgia, NATO Would Contrary to the Russian Position Admit Several Countries]. Gazeta.ru, 21 Nov. 2011. Web. 19 Jan. 2012. <http://www.gazeta.ru/news/lenta/2011/11/21/n_2104434.shtml>..>Google Scholar
Messerlin, Patrick, Emerson, Michael, Janderi, Gia, and le Vernoy, Alexandre. An Appraisal of the EU's Trade Policy towards its Eastern Neighbors: The Case of Georgia. Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies, 2011. Print.Google Scholar
Müllerson, Rein. “The World after the Russia-Georgia War.” OpenDemocracy, 15 Sep. 2008. Web. 17 Jan. 2012. <http://www.opendemocracy.net/article/the-world-after-the-russia-georgia-war>..>Google Scholar
National Democratic Institute. Public Attitudes in Georgia. March 2011. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.ndi.org/files/Georgia-Survey-Results-0411.pdf>..>Google Scholar
National Statistics Office of Georgia. “Foreign Direct Investments.” 2012. Web. 24 Apr. 2010. <http://www.geostat.ge/index.php?action=page&p_id=140&lang=eng>..>Google Scholar
Nemtsova, Anna. “Mikheil Saakashvili: Where Are My Western Friends?” Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2009. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.newsweek.com/2009/04/10/mikheil-saakashvili-where-are-my-western-friends.html>..>Google Scholar
Nodia, Ghia. “Georgia: ‘Dimensions of Insecurity'.” Statehood and Security: Georgia after the Rose Revolution. Ed. Coppieters, Bruno and Legvold, Robert. Cambridge: MIT, 2005, 39–82. Print.Google Scholar
Nodia, Ghia. “The Georgian Perception of the West.” Commonwealth and Independence in Post-Soviet Eurasia. Ed. Coppieters, Bruno, Zverev, Alexei, and Trenin, Dmitri. London: Frank Cass, 1998. 12–43. Print.Google Scholar
Nodia, Ghia. “The Russia-Georgia War: Mission Unaccomplished.” OpenDemocracy, 17 Aug. 2009. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.opendemocracy.net/article/the-russia-georgia-war-mission-unaccomplished>..>Google Scholar
Nodia, Ghia. “The War for Georgia: Russia, the West, the Future.” OpenDemocracy, 15 Aug. 2008. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.opendemocracy.net/article/georgia-under-fire-the-power-of-russian-resentment>..>Google Scholar
Nopens, Patric. “A New Security Architecture for Europe? Russian Proposals and Western Reactions.” Security Policy Brief No. 3. Brussels: Egmont Royal Institute for International Relations. November 2009. Print.Google Scholar
“OSCE Fails to Gain Powers As Old Conflicts Smolder.” Reuters, 2 Dec. 2010. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/12/03/us-osce-summit-idUSTRE6B16ZQ20101203>..>Google Scholar
“OSCE Summit Concludes Final Session without Deal on Action Plan.” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 12 Feb. 2011. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.rferl.org/content/osce_kazakhstan_summit_action_plan/2236935.html>..>Google Scholar
“Parliament Approves Resolution on Russian Peacekeepers.” Civil Georgia, 11 Oct. 2005. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=10937&search=Parliament%20Approves%20Resolution%20on%20Peacekeepers>..>Google Scholar
“Parliament Instructs the Government to Cease Russian Peacekeeping.” Civil Georgia, 18 July 2006. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=13084&search=Resolution%20on%20Peacekeepers>..>Google Scholar
“Parliament Passes Resolution on Peacekeepers.” Civil Georgia, 15 Feb. 2006. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=11821&search=Resolution%20on%20Peacekeepers>..>Google Scholar
Peuch, Jean-Christophe. “Georgia: Situation in Pankisi Gorge Raises Tension, Speculation.” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 20 Feb. 2002. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.rferl.org/content/article/1098867.html>..>Google Scholar
“President of Russia: Speech at Meeting with German Political, Parliamentary and Civic Leaders.” Berlin, 5 June 2008. Information and Press Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://archive.kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2008/06/05/2203_type82912type82914type84779_202153.shtml>..>Google Scholar
Putin, Vladimir. “Speech at the 43rd Munich Conference on Security Policy.” 2 Oct. 2007. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.securityconference.de/archive/konferenzen/rede.php?menu_2007=&menu_konferenzen=&sprache=en&id=179>..>Google Scholar
Report of the Government of Georgia on the aggression of the Russian Federation against Georgia. Web. 18 July 2012. <http://www.civil.ge/files/files/GeorgianGovernmentReportWar.pdf>..>Google Scholar
“Russia Setting Up Military Bases in Abkhazia, South Ossetia.” EurasiaNet.org, 21 Mar. 2009. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insightb/articles/rp032209.shtml>..>Google Scholar
State Duma of the Russian Federation. “Appeal of the National Assembly, Parliament of the Republic of Abkhazia to the President and the Federal Assembly of Russian Federation to Recognize the Independence of Abkhazia and the Establishment of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Abkhazia Associate Relations.” 6 Dec. 2006. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.duma.gov.ru/international/statements/statement-47/index.php?sphrase_id=87997>..>Google Scholar
State Duma of the Russian Federation. “Statement ‘On Results of Referendums in South Ossetia on the Granting of Independence to Her and the Outcome of Presidential Elections in South Ossetia, November 12, 2006'.” 6 Dec. 2006. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.duma.gov.ru/international/statements/statement-46/index.php?sphrase_id=88001>..>Google Scholar
Thorn, Francoise. “Russia and Europe: The Dangers of a ‘Reset'.” Cicero Foundation Great Debating Paper 10.2 (February 2010). Print.Google Scholar
“Unspecified ‘Progress’ Registered at Geneva Talks.” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 20 May 2009. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.rferl.org/content/Unspecified_Progress_Registered_At_Geneva_Talks_/1736041.html>..>Google Scholar
“US: Russia Trying to Topple Georgian Government.” CNN World, 10 Aug. 2008. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://articles.cnn.com/2008-08-10/world/un.georgia_1_south-ossetia-georgian-government-georgian-forces>..>Google Scholar
Van Herpen, Marcel H. “The Proposal of Russian President Medvedev for a Pan-European Security Pact: Its Six Hidden Objectives and How the West Should Respond.” Cicero Working Paper WP 08-03. Maastricht: The Cicero Foundation. Print.Google Scholar
“Vladimir Putin threatened to hang Georgia leader ‘by the Balls'.” The Telegraph, 13 Nov. 2008. Web. 18 July 2012. <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/3454154/Vladimir-Putin-threatened-to-hang-Georgia-leader-by-the-balls.html>..>Google Scholar