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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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EU Report: Georgia Started War

But Russia broke international law, militia committed genocide

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(Newser) – Georgia was responsible for triggering last summer’s war with Russia, a European Union investigation has concluded. But Russia was far from blameless, laying the foundation for the war and breaking international law by invading. The report, which was reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, also accuses Russian-backed South Ossetian militias of ethnic cleansing against Georgian civilians, both during the war and afterward.

Though Russia had sent troops into South Ossetia before the conflict began, it hadn’t launched the full-scale invasion Georgia claimed to be responding to when it shelled the South Ossetian capital—a move the report concludes also broke international law. Russia was justified in moving troops into South Ossetia, the report said, but not into Abkhazia or the rest of Georgia.

A boy holds an Abkhazian flag during celebrations marking the the first anniversary of Russia's recognition of Abkhazia's independence in downtown Sukhumi, Aug. 26, 2009.
A boy holds an Abkhazian flag during celebrations marking the the first anniversary of Russia's recognition of Abkhazia's independence in downtown Sukhumi, Aug. 26, 2009.   (AP Photo/Yuri Ivaschenko)
In this Sunday Aug. 10, 2008 file photo, a column of Russian tanks rolls near the town of Dzhava in the separatist Georgian province of South Ossetia.
In this Sunday Aug. 10, 2008 file photo, a column of Russian tanks rolls near the town of Dzhava in the separatist Georgian province of South Ossetia.   (AP Photo/Musa Sadulayev, File)
The EU monitors mission head Hansjoerg Haber speaks at a news conference in Moscow Tuesday. Monitors have stepped up their patrols in Georgia, in anticipation of the EU's report on the conflict.
The EU monitors mission head Hansjoerg Haber speaks at a news conference in Moscow Tuesday. Monitors have stepped up their patrols in Georgia, in anticipation of the EU's report on the conflict.   (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
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7 comments
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Aelius28
Sep 30, 09 8:42 AM CDT
I'm initially quite skeptical. In the post-Cold War era where "Communist" is still considered an insult in one of the highest orders, and Russia is pretty much pictured immediately whenever Communism is mentioned, forgive me if I don't swallow what the EU has to say about it. Reply
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+2
thephat
Sep 30, 09 8:50 AM CDT
If someone moved troops into the us without our permission, we would consider it a full scale attack. Reply
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+5
IN RESPONSE:
Aelius28
Sep 30, 09 8:55 AM CDT
Yeah, but then we don't have a reputation as a Communist nation, which is why I find the EU's conclusion curious.
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IN RESPONSE:
RockyPneumonia
Sep 30, 09 10:42 AM CDT
The difference is that we don't have any territories that our possession of which is in dispute; Georgia's right to South Ossetia is arguable.
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divetrader
Sep 30, 09 9:24 AM CDT
When a countries military moves into another without permission, it is pretty much an invasion. Reply
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