By Tony Iltis
August 27, 2008 -- Since the European Union-brokered ceasefire brought the shooting war between Georgia and Russia to an end on August 12, there has been a war of words between Russia and the West. One point of contention is the withdrawal of Russian troops from
Georgia-proper (that is, Georgia excluding the de facto independent
territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia), in particular the towns of
Gori, Zugdidi and Senaki and the port of Poti.
The war began with Georgia’s August 7 attack on the territory of
South Ossetia. Russia responded with a military assault that first
drove Georgian troops out of South Ossetia, then continued to advance
within Georgia-proper.
Russia agreed to withdraw when it signed the ceasefire and has
since indicated that it is doing so — but slowly, and not before
systematically destroying Georgia’s military capacity.
A bigger difference, based on competing interpretations of what is
and isn’t Georgian territory, is Russia’s stated intention to maintain
a beefed-up peacekeeping presence in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.