More Analysis on Georgia from Lincoln A. Mitchell
Over the past week, Lincoln A. Mitchell has shared his expertise on Georgia's recent political history with The Newshour with Jim Lehrer, NPR's All Things Considered, WAMU's The Diane Rehm Show, CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight, At Issue with Ben Merens on Wisconsin Public Radio, MarketWatch, and Vao News.
Mitchell's latest mainstream media message on the conflict between Russia and Georgia appeared yesterday's New York Daily News. In a special article for the paper, he outlines the implications of the recent violence:
The invasion of Georgia is not just a struggle over South Ossetia. It's a one-sided war, with Russia using Georgia to achieve a number of politically important goals.
First, the invasion will weaken, if not altogether destroy, the current Georgian state and its government.
Second, it will send a very clear message to Western powers, particularly the United States, that Russia is back as the major force in this part of the world.
Third, other small countries neighboring Russia can observe the potential cost of standing up to Russia and the inability of the West to offer much more than verbal support.
Lincoln A. Mitchell is the Arnold A. Saltzman assistant professor in the practice of international politics at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and author of the upcoming book Uncertain Democracy: U.S. Foreign Policy and Georgia's Rose Revolution.
