The members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a Asian security organization that includes Russia, refused to support Russia in their aggressive military actions in Georgia. The SCO was formed as a military partnership between Russia and China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The SCO lack of support for Russia is a setback for them on the world stage. The New York Times has the story.
Russia's Neighbors Do Not Support Georgia Actions
By Matt Rosenberg, About.com GuideSeptember 2, 2008
Explore Geography
Comments
On Russia’s neighbors and Georgia: Characterizing the pact’s lack of support for Russia’s action in Georgia as a “setback on the world stage” is to miss the point. In Georgia, Russia demonstrated exactly what it wants the world to know. Bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan and preoccupied with Iran and Pakistan, the United States is helpless to do anything about the Russian incursion–except to morally condemn it. And Europe can do nothing because of its dependence on Russian energy supplies. The Cold War has not returned–but Russia now can–and will–exert its power in the countries on its periphery.
The events in Georgia and South Ossetia could have been prevented. The U.S. knew Georgia’s President intended to take military action in South Ossetia. Anyone had to know attacking Russian peace keepers in South Ossetia would illicit a serious response from Russia. Either Georgia’s President is crazy, or he was given, by President Bush/Cheney, the idea the U.S. would back Georgia’s military actions in South Ossetia.
I think things happened just the way President Bush/Cheney wanted things to happen. It’s an election year and the Demacrats were in a position to take the White House and extend it’s majorities in Congress. The Republicans needed a little war to create a boggy man(Russia) to scare the American voters.