Places that don't Exist: The Caucuses

While at university several years ago a little-known BBC4 documentary series became popular amoung my (Politics and International Relations) course mates. First broadcast in early 2003, journalist Ben Anderson posing as aninquisitive 'tourist' presented a strangely knowledgable travel programme from the six countries President Bush had recently described as an 'Axis of Evil'. This excellent series applied a long-standing television-format to some of the least known countries of the world and provided a highly entertaining, much-needed backdrop to our daily studies. The cult success of the series allowed it's producers to take the idea and run with it.

As a result, in May 2005, following on from Holidays in the Axis of Evil, journalist, potential boy-band member, and thoroughly nice-bloke Simon Reeve picked up where Ben Anderson left off. Titled 'Places that don't Exist', Reeve travelled to the world's breakaway states and unrecognised nations. One of best shows in this series covered the Caucuses and the regions several states that were trapped in international limbo. You can check out an interview with Reeve here, download the video here, or watch a full version of the Caucuses episode below.

The reason this show has so much value is the snap-shot it provides of life in Georgia, South Ossetia, and Abkhazia before the Russia-Georgia conflict. Throughout the episode, Reeve warns of the real possibility of the stalemate in the region flaring into a full-scale military conflict. When watching, I remember being sceptical of Reeve's claims, but why wouldn't I be? Russia entering into post-Cold War military conflicts? Really?

How rapidly the game has changed.

Sarah Palin in a 'very dangerous world'

Despite my previous objection to commenting on Sarah Palin, the US Republican Vice Presidential candidate has entered the US national security debate in a big way, making her fair game. The excellent Danger Room picks up on the story and highlights this quote, stating her view that NATO should expand to include Georgia.

GIBSON: And under the NATO treaty, wouldn't we then have to go to war if Russia went into Georgia?

PALIN: Perhaps so. I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you're going to be expected to be called upon and help ... We have got to make sure that that is the group that can be counted upon to defend one another in a very dangerous world today.

Hawkish to say the least. I can't believe these comments are unadvised, which makes me worry further about the trajectery of the McCain political team. Speaking of which, I thought John McCain was the foreign policy and defence expert?

Almost within the same news cycle, Sarah Palin drew a direct comparison between Iraq and 9/11, a connection which has already been widely discredited and finally disproven by the press, opposition and adminsitration alike.

Gov. Sarah Palin linked the war in Iraq with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, telling an Iraq-bound brigade of soldiers that included her son that they would "defend the innocent from the enemies who planned and carried out and rejoiced in the death of thousands of Americans."

She continued...

"I believe that America has to exercise all options in order to stop the terrorists who are hellbent on destroying America and our allies," she said after several questions on the topic. "We have got to have all options out there on the table."

You can find the full article generated from this interview including a section of the original interview here.

Not more of the same, but worse.

Burried under the rouble

The FT brings forward evidence of the financial cost Russia has paid for it's war with Georgia.

"The rouble has dropped by 4 per cent against its euro/dollar basket since before the Georgia conflict [7th August 2008]. More broadly, the conflict has ensured that, probably for years, investors will continue to demand a higher risk premium for Russia. It has thrown into doubt President Dmitry Medvedev’s liberal credentials and commitment to his investor-friendly reform agenda. That could lead to suboptimal growth, and delay or derail Russia’s sorely needed economic modernisation."

(Hat-tip to Charles Crawford A.K.A Blogoir)