Putin Intelligencer 2008 August 13

War in Georgia
America has begun to airlift Georgian troops, returning them home where they have been recalled. Putin said this move would hamper efforts to solve the Russo-Georgian conflict over South Ossetia (Putin assails US). Speaking on state television, the Russian Prime Minister, and former President, claimed that Russian actions in Georgia were a logical extension of the peace-keeping mission in South Ossetia and accused western nations of cynicism and having a cold war mentality (Russian PM criticizes US, Putin criticizes US).

Some have reported that Russia is calling for the democratically-elected president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, to step down (Abromowitz & Lynch). Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed this claim, but in the same speech accused Saakashvili of war crimes (Champion, Osborn & McKinnon).

Georgia is situated between Russia and the Black Sea. It has an oil pipeline and is the only serious competition to Russian control of oil in the Caspian Sea region.

Resources
Abramowitz, M., & Lynch, C. (2008 August 11). Bush, Cheney increasingly critical of Russia over aggression in Georgia. Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/10/AR2008081002311.html, accessed 2008 August 12.

Champion, M., Osborn, A., & McKinnon, J.D. (2008 August 11). Russia widens attack on Georgia. Wall Street Journal, p. A1. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121834170757727521.html?mod=hps_us_whats_news, accessed 2008 August 12.

Putin assails US over conflict with Georgia. (2008 August 11). Associate Press. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hV2N6fVKS5slf10A13Dj_uIdaZ4QD92G1R5O0, accessed 2008 August 12.

Putin criticizes US over South Ossetia. (2008 August 11). Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSLB34651, accessed 2008 August 12.

Russian PM criticizes US, West. (2008 August 11). TVNZ. http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/1996622, accessed 2008 August 12.