Word: war
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...involved troops from 15 countries, are connected to NATO’s Partnership for Peace. Russia, as a member of the Partnership for Peace, was invited to join in the exercises, but could hardly be expected to participate in military maneuvers in a country it is effectively still at war with. Although these exercises are focused on peacekeeping skills, they have gained importance, particularly for Russia, far above their stated aims. Russia sees the maneuvers, although they had been planned before the Georgia conflict erupted, as a NATO threat against Russia and, in particular, its military presence in the breakaway...
...exercises, which are being held not even a year after the conflict on Georgian territory, justifies, to some extent, Russia’s suspicion that these exercises are a show of NATO solidarity with Georgia against Russia. Since Russia is the only power Georgia has gone to war with recently, Moscow might fairly assume that NATO exercises taking place on Georgian soil are designed to train soldiers for another possible conflict with Russia. If NATO does not intend for Russia to draw this conclusion, then it would be prudent for NATO to cease the exercises and conduct them...
...event,” and it appears clear that, at least in Saakashvili’s mind, the purpose of these maneuvers is to demonstrate NATO’s solidarity with Georgia and its willingness to defend Georgia against Russia, if need be. Given the suggestions that the August war was at least partly the fault of Saakashvili’s recklessness, however, it seems likely that any suggestion that NATO will come to his aid will only make him bolder, particularly in the face of domestic calls for the return of the breakaway provinces...
...regions and last September formed a basis for cooperation with the NATO-Georgia Commission. However, supporting Georgia, particularly in a struggle with Russia for territories the rest of the world considers to be relatively minor, would not only be a political disaster for NATO members, but might risk direct war between NATO and Russia. With NATO decreasing its support for the ongoing war in Afghanistan, it is hardly realistic to expect that the alliance will support a small country’s politically dubious conflicts...
...Calling off the exercises after they have already begun might appear to be a show of weakness by NATO, but such an action would be infinitely better than provoking Russia into another war. Even if the exercises cannot be called off at this point, however, they are indicative of a larger problem in NATO’s approach to relations with Russia. While NATO members should not give in to Russia’s every demand, deliberately angering Russia, as former President Bush did last April by supporting Georgia and Ukraine’s unrealistic bids for NATO membership...