Not a Big Truck

Russia has recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states.  I wonder if this is in anyway payback for or at least justified by the American recognition of Kosovo. There are certainly differences that may justify one recognition and not the other (I am not familiar with Georgian internal politics).  But, as always, there are risks to interfering with the internal affairs of sovereign states.  It is difficult to make a credible argument against Russia when, from their perspective, we have supported illegitimate seccession efforts in other states.

Of course, there are times when such intervention in sovereign states seems entirely appropriate if not morally necessary. There are negative consequences for such intervention, however, even when such intervention is morally justified.

Well, it seems that the conflict in Georgia is reaching some temporary resolution.  The Russians and the Georgians have agreed to a set of principles moving forward that basically resets things to where they were before Georgian troops attempted to assert their will in the disputed territories.

This situation, however, could quite easily get ugly again in the near future. According to CNN, Medvedev said that “sovereignty is based on the will of the people” and “territorial integrity can be demonstrated by the actual facts on the ground.” With territory inside of Georgia heavily populated by containing Russians, this is akin to saying that Russian regions within Georgia should have the right to secede and then be annexed by Russia.

The United States would oppose this, but does it have the moral standing to protest? The United States since the time of Wilson has supported notions of self-government and has often pursued policies that spur on nationalist fervor.  I do not mean to say that the US has supported self-determination based upon nationality in every case–it’s record has been inconsistent–but it has done so often enough that it seemingly lacks the credibility to prevent Russian regions of Georgia from breaking away.

After all, it was not too long ago that the US supported and recognized Kosovo’s effort to officially secede from Serbia, a Russian ally.  Furthermore, many in the US believe that Tibet ought to be free from Chinese rule. The US also seemingly supports a two-state solution to the problems in Palestine, based on nationality.

I know the US can and will oppose efforts by Russians in Georgia from breaking-away, but does the US have the credibility on the issue to prevent it?

If only there was a more precise set of criteria in place for us to determine which nationalities under which circumstances of the “right” to establish their own country. Basks in Spain? Kurds in northern Iraq? French Canadians? Determining what is a “nation” is so imprecise, then trying to determine what nationalities deserve or have earned their own state is even more complicated.

Unfortunately, we will have opportunities to revisit these issues in the all too near future…most likely in Georgia.