China, Russia, and the Olympics: Future & Past Collide
A Georgian woman holding her baby cries over her damaged home in Gori, Georgia, just outside the breakaway province of South Ossetia Aug. 10, 2008. (David Mdzinarishvili/Reuters)
Who in the world could have ever imagined that during the Beijing Olympics, China would become the SECOND-most watched and controversial nation on the globe? Russia’s invasion of Georgia has turned from a border incursion a few days ago into what appears to be an all-out war, and a very savage one, at that. There have been many civilian deaths. Russian troops and tanks are splitting the former Soviet Republic in two, and Monday a Georgian embassy official in Moscow said it appears Russia’s goal is nothing less than the “complete liquidation” of the Georgian government.
If you’ve been keeping up with the conflict, you know there’s a small portion of Georgia known as South Ossetia, where separatists have operated as an independent nation, ethnically and politically closer to Russia than the West-leaning government of Georgia. Both sides claim the other started this week’s hostilities. Whichever is true, initial skirmishes between Georgian forces and separatists brought Russia into the conflict, and the tanks began rolling. (For a superb summation of the causes of the conflict, as well as how natives of Georgia here in New York are reacting, check out this story from Friday night by CW11 reporter Chris Glorioso after the jump.)
The tanks began rolling. During the Cold War, that phrase was used to describe Russia’s ruthless way of dealing with democracy movements in Hungary in 1956, Czechoslovakia in 1968, and the Soviet-ordered declaration of martial law in Poland in 1981.
And then there was Afghanistan in 1979. Which brings us right back to the Olympics, and the dissonant sound we’re hearing as political past, present, and future collide. When Russia invaded Afghanistan, the Carter Administration ordered a boycott of the 1980 Olympics, held in Moscow. The Soviet Union, in turned, led 14-nations in a boycott of the 1984 Olympics, held in Los Angeles.
Now we come to China, which after decades of secrecy and repression by its own government, is having its own Olympics, its “coming out” party for the world to witness its economic might, and right to be labeled a superpower.
And what dominates the news instead of China and the Games? An old-fashioned, strong arm, Soviet-style invasion by Russia into a neighboring country that didn’t bend to its demands. (Russia is defending its actions by saying it was preventing a genocide by Georgia of the minority separatists in South Ossetia, but with each mile deeper Russian tanks go into Georgia, that argument loses validity… if it ever had any at all.)
We’ve watched in recent years as Russian President Vladimir Putin has pushed his way, and his country’s way, back into the forefront of strategic policy in Asia and Europe. With China stealing the Asian limelight for years now away from Russia, and that limelight shining brightest of all this month, I would think it’s possible the Georgian invasion was timed to coincide with the Olympics. Yes, China is ascendant, as even its detractors must acknowledge. But, Russia seems to be saying, so are we. And we’ll crush who we must crush to make the world, once again, understand that.
