Georgia on my mind

The last week has seemed to me like a strange dream. Seven days ago I would've been pushed to pinpoint Georgia on the map. Seven days later and it looks like Russia is pushing to remove bits of it from the map.

The conflict over the breakaway region ofSouth Ossetia is indeed a frightening one. As with these post-Soviet countries, the situation is not quite as simple as the 'big guy vs little guy' scenario that it first appears to be. Ethnic niggles that became more apparent when Georgia broke away from the former Soviet Union spilled over into 'vengeance' attacks and many homes have been burnt and lives lost.

While the US have been strong in their condemnation of Russia there seems, at present anyway, little stomach to do anything than bandy strong words. In the short term there may be some punitive sanctions, but the long term Russia has little to fear because America needs countries like Russia in its so-called War on Terror.

For me, the most frightening thing is that a large and militarily able country like Russia can roll into a small country like Georgia, and nothing be done. It's almost like those horrible Primary School fights that occasionally broke out. Two kids would batter hell out of each other while a sizeable crowd gathered around them, not to pull them apart, but to encourage them on.

The idea of International Law is something of a joke, and not a particularly funny one at that. It seems to be complied with by stronger countries when it suits. It is used to justify attacks on certain regimes but can be blatantly ignored when it becomes a hindrance. The Law is an illusion, International Law doubly so.