CC BY
26INFORMATION WAR IN THE CAUCASUS, OR HOW BLACK WAS MADE WHITE
Sergey Grinyaev Georgi Voskresenksy
The August of 2008 will remain in Modern History as the outbreak of a full-scale information war between Russia and the Countries of the West. The casus belli for the information conflict was the real-time aggression of Georgia’s Armed Forces against South Osetia.
Within the last few years Russia has seen an extensive armory of information forces, as quite amply demonstrated by the Chechen situation.
Meanwhile, the current events have a very determinate distinction: with regard to Chechnya Russia used to be criticized by the West, though mildly enough, while the separatist forces might have had specially trained instructors on conducting the information and psychological warfare, although with rather limited resources available to them. However, even though limited, those were quite efficient, so that the Russian experts on information warfare had a tough time countering those efforts and getting an upper hand in the information field.
Meanwhile, the information warfare in the course of constitutional reestablishment in Chechnya was only a second-generation warfare for the Russian experts, since the techniques of information warfare were matching the military art of that time.
The growing information activities aimed against Russia was particularly underscored by Alexander Burutin, a deputy Chief of General Staff of Russia’s Armed Forces at a meeting of “Infoforum”, the National Forum on Information Security, in January 20081.
With the Georgian-South-Osetian conflict the situation is substantially different: Russia was perhaps faced for the first time with a full-scale information assault by the Countries of the West unified under NATO, a military political unit led by US. The pretext for the information assault was supplied by the real
1 http://www.noravank.am/ru/?page=analitics&nid=1312
13
S.Grinyaev, G.Voskresensky
<21-st CENTURY», №2 (4), 2008
hot conflict between Georgia and South Osetia.
The crucial factor providing the ultimate clue to the current situation is that the anti-Russian information offensive is being done within the concept of the so-called information war of the third generation conducted on the effect-based principle. As vividly noted by V. Putin, the Russian Premier, the Western experts manage very smartly to make black and white change places.
This is exactly the essence of the third-generation information actions: the informational supremacy shall be seized by those who has the capability to calculate the effects of the higher orders. In this situation the origins become unimportant, leaving only the real fact of the mutual clash, with the media trying to tell the villain from the victim.
1. Russia encycled
The table shows data on elections in different countries in 2007 – 2008.
Analysis of those data alone shows that in both Russia and its closest surroundings the leadership has undergone a very substantial change.
It would have been naive to think that those processes have been going on unorganized, at no impact from US with their almost uncontrolled practice of printing and circulating dollars worldwide. Therefore, the year 2009 must trigger a new development of the world political and economic system, with a new staff of observers in different countries providing services to the world financial elite.
In the current year of 2008 Washington started an open campaign on displacing Russia out of the Caucasus and from the region of Central Asia. Against the background of the aggressive US strategy in the Caucasus the recent Russian policy seemed to be weak and incoherent. The Kremlin thought that playing with the subject of recognizing Abhazia and South Osetia would effectively block Georgia’s entry into NATO.
However, on June 9, 2008, Matew Braiza, Representative of US State Department, attested that Georgia met all requirements for joining the MAP (NATO’s Membership Action). It thus became clear that the Abhazia and Osetia conflicts would not affect Tbilissi’s admission to the North-Atlantic Alliance. Georgia will join NATO under an unconditional support by the White House.
With regard to this situation Russia should have been going over to a more conherent policy in the Caucasus anyway. Therefore, it would have been naive to hope that Russia would this time, too, stay confined to the peace-keeping rhetoric in UN. The underestimation of this factor, as noted by experts, may be the basic miscalculation by M. Saakashvili.
14
21st CENTURY», №2 (4), 2008
S.Grinyaev, G. Voskresensky
Country Election Pattern Month, Year
Serbia Parliamentary January 2007
Turkmenistan Parliamentary February 2007
Estonia Parliamentary March 2007
Finland Parliamentary March 2007
Nigeria Presidential, Parliamentary April 2007
France Presidential May 2007
Armenia Parliamentary May 2007
Ukraine Parliamentary Sept. 2007
Turkey Parliamentary July 2007
Japan Parliamentary July 2007
Kazakhstan Parliamentary August 2007
Greece Parliamentary Sept. 2007
Japan Prime-minister Sept. 2007
Pakistan Presidential October 2007
Poland Parliamentary October 2007
Argentina Presidential October 2007
Chroatia Parliamentary November 2007
Russia Parliamentary December 2007
Kirgizstan Parliamentary December 2007
South Corea Parliamentary December 2007
Uzbekistan Presidential December 2007
World Bank Head of Bank June 2007
IMF Head of IMF Sept. 2007
Georgia Presidential January 2008
Cuba State Council January 2008
Serbia Presidential January 2008
Pakistan Parliamentary January 2008
Armenia Presidential February 2008
Russia Presidential March 2008
Spain Parliamentary March 2008
Iran Parliamentary March, April 2008
Malasia Parliamentary March 2008
Taiwan Presidential March 2008
China Country Leadership March 2008
Montenegro Presidential April 2008
Italy Parliamentary April 2008
Paraguy Presidential April 2008
Serbia Presidential May 2008
Georgia Parliamentary May 2008
Lebanon Presidential May 2008
Macedonia Parliamentary June 2008
Mongolia Parliamentary June 2008
Belarus Parliamentary Sept. 2008
Angola Parliamentary Sept. 2008
Azerbaijan Presidential October 2008
USA Presidential November 2008
Turkmenistan Parliamentary December 2008
15
S.Grinyaev, G.Voskresensky
<21-st CENTURY», №2 (4), 2008
It can meanwhile be suggested that the miscalculation does indeed belong to M. Saakashvili who acted only at a certain level of the structure of effects within the strategic informational operation organized and conducted by US in pursuit of their own interests. In the meantime, the US having prompted that Russia would not respond prodded Georgia to aggression.
2. Who was behind the preparation of information operations in the Caucasus?
Analysis and estimation of the world media for the past few weeks has detected a number of information actions by Western experts within the informational operations on preparation, execution and termination of the active conflict. It is to be noted that the hot part of the conflict was only a pretext, a primer for the further course of events.
Thus, the past months have clearly shown that Georgia is making the world public opinion think of Russia as a potential aggressor: discussing the fall of the “Russian” missile involving international experts1, the row over a downed Georgian military drone2, seizing the Russian military equipment allegedly banned from usage in the zone of conflict or by the peace-keepers, etc.
The Russian side gave a slip at that time, it concentrated upon countering this specific fact: denying the Russian AF hosting of the missile, etc, i.e., efforts were made to concentrate on countering the first-order effects, while the Georgian actions were aimed at the effects of higher orders, the shaping of Russia’s aggressive image in the world media, which was later used with great efficiency. Having centered on the tactical aspect, Russia lost in strategy, with the results delayed so that no more memory was left of the missile or the drone.
Since the first hours of the conflict the office of the TV Company “Trialeti” in Gori city established a Media Center providing round-the-clock service to Georgian and overseas journalists.
A number of Georgian electronic media, particularly “Georgia Online”, the telecompany “Rustavi-2”, the Georgian information agency “InterpressNews”, the Georgian radio “Imedi” were thrown in for active broadcasting, including live coverage from hot spots.
There was a professionally conducted Georgian information action involving the Russian pilots ejected over Georgia, as well as the Russian armored column assaulted by Georgia’s special forces units and the attempt of taking prisoner
http://www.newsru.com/world/07aug2007/gruz.html
http://www.lenta.ru/news/2008/05/28/un/
16
<21-st CENTURY», №2 (4), 2008
S.Grinyaev, G.Voskresensky
the Commander of the 58th Army, North Caucasus Military District.
The theory teaches that some major operators of effect-based actions may be high-ranking officials and even heads of states. The latest dealings were a direct confirmation of that rule. The conduct by M. Saakashvili was in full agreement with the Pentagon-developed concept of information war. There are however here certain specific features suggesting the development of even higher-order effects.
One of those features is the fact that M. Saakashvili recorded his public appearances with the EC flag in the background thus planting into the massive audience an idea of Georgia being supported by Europe. And this trick partially succeeded, Europe was drawn into the manipulative meshes stretched out by the Washington professionals.
That certainly was not an accident. At the current status of the International and US economy, US are very concerned with the strengthened Euro with regard to the dollar. To revert to history, it was the launch of Euro that coincided with the Ugoslav conflict. Most of the casualties left by the mortgage crisis of 2007 were none other than the European banks. Today, US are again trying to resolve their own problems at the expense of their European allies.
A cleavage with Moscow will affect Europe far more than US. Fall and winter are round the corner, while Europe is in need of Russian gas which can go up in price again, given this political situation. Besides, there is little joy in US about the recently established dialogue between Moscow and Berlin, joined lately by Italy and France1.
Year-to-date has shown us a certain picture of intensifying high-level talks among the leading European countries, probably aimed at developing a specific European outlook of a new world order.
As shown by indirect indications, the leader in discussing the new layout of world order was Germany. It was this country’s position that determined the situation in Europe after the leading European countries denied support to US aggression against Iraq. The leading role of Germany in configuring the new world order can also be traced in the actions by the German politicians, in particular in countering the US-controlled global financial pyramids or hedge-funds that have within the last years become efficient instrument of running the world economy and causing the economic crises. The need to control those financial structures was discussed in particular at the G8 meeting in Germany in 2007. However, according to the information received, US rejected a number of measures suggested by Germany. This rejection resulted in determined operations by
1 http://www.noravank.am/ru/?page=analitics&nid=1244
17
S.Grinyaev, G.Voskresensky
<21-st CENTURY», №2 (4), 2008
the German services on establishing control over the Dutch financial system, with Germany taking hold of crucial financial data, including those on the companies running the hedge-funding businesses.
In all, the division of Europe into old and new, as instructed by D. Rams-feld, was not done in vain, so that the resulting understanding proved to be of a temporary character. The accumulated contradictions between the two geopolitical doctrines of Atlantists and Eurasians resulted in attempts at forming their own vision of the contemporary world.
This turn of events was naturally against the US interests. Countersteps would well be expected, which took not long to appear and to unfold full-scale in Georgia.
What Europe needs now is to exert a maximum of diplomatic and political efforts to preserve the previous arrangements with Russia. In justice to Europe, both A. Merkel and N. Sarkosi, despite being in very disadvantageous positions, are trying to retain at least a fraction of the previous arrangements by moderate estimations of the Caucasus situation. They seem to understand well that if US manage to once more embroil them with Russia, they will be buried under the financial crisis triggered by the American Dollar.
Estimating further the role and layout of M. Saakashvili videos distributed by the world media at the time of the conflict, one should but take a note of a footage by the BBC showing the Georgian President in an extremely nervous state on the brink of paranoya, biting his necktie. This type of footage is a must, since otherwise M. Saakashvili would have to be eliminated. Which of course cannot be ruled out, although a possible incrimination of incapacity should look more humane.
Also to be noted is a large-scale support of the Georgian attempts on information warfare on the part of the leading world media (CNN, BBC, Reuters, Bloomberg, etc.)
Specifically, “The Voice of America” had doubled the air time in the conflict area1.
The Voice of America”is to double broadcasting to Georgia, as announced in an official message by ITAR-TASS received Friday from the US Bureau of International Information charged to provide the administrative and technical support to the Radio Station. “The Voice of America” is to double broadcasting in Georgia in connection with the Georgia-Russia conflict in South Osetia”, as noted by the message. It reports that “the 30-minute daily coverage are from now on
1 http://www.gazeta.ru/news/lenta/2008/08/09/n_1254101.shtml
18
<21-st CENTURY», №2 (4), 2008
S.Grinyaev, G.Voskresensky
replaced by one-hour-long programs, including news, information, interview, analyses and emergency responses from the Former Soviet Republics”. “We have to make sure that the people of Georgia are fully informed on what is going on in their country”, said Steve Redisch, VOA Executive Editor. // “Gazeta.ru”
Other active characters were, of course, President G. Bush and Secretary of State C. Rice.
A careful analysis of utterances by those characters enables a conclusion to be made that both the Georgian conflict with whatever number of casualties involved, or actually the fate of M. Saakashvili himself, are matters of small interest to them. The conflict provided the information cover to resolve even geographically remote issues like signing an agreement on deploying the elements of AMDS (Anti Missile Defence System) in Poland, and criticizing the Russian initiative on upgrading the Baltic Fleet with nuclear weapons.
Where are the possible associations with Georgia? Only one: the manipulators think that the currently developed image of Russia as a potential aggressor should be maintained, and the defense against it should be organized by all possible means.
Curiously, when signing the Agreement on AMDS with Poland, no question was raised on a possible missile attack by Iran, the external political context being very favorable.
Neither there is any doubt that the US Administration, making use of its informational supremacy, will try to expand the development of the Caspian situation in their own interests. Specifically, there is practically no mentioning the fact of the presence, nonetheless the buildup of the American contingent, having allegedly an assignment of providing security to the Baku-Tbilisi-Jayhan pipeline.
Further on, what happened within the last days, clearly showed that the scrypt writers are geared up for a complete demolition of the remains of the International Security. That may be a possible explanation of what was going on, e.g. at the meetings of the Security Council.
There can be only one way out here: the conductors of this sabath are very far from favoring the idea of retaining the mechanism of International security like the right of veto by Russia. Therefore measures are taken to discreditise UN with a subsequent move to reform the International system of security meeting the new requirements and unburdened of a survival of the Cold War like the veto which is still restraining the hot heads of the American hawks.
The UN and the concept of this organization suffered denigration and abuse
19
S.Grinyaev, G.Voskresensky
<21-st CENTURY», №2 (4), 2008
when the Western media never mentioned the fact that stationed in the zone of conflict were the peace-keeping forces under the legitimate UN mandate. Suppression of this fact in the media will further discreditise the UN and its capacity to secure stability anywhere on Earth.
However, they made a good show of NATO as another peace-keeper. Targeted by M. Saakashvili yelling for help was NATO, rather than UN. And, justice should be done, many members of this organization mostly dependent on US, put out a well-coordinated aggressive criticism against Russia. But then, coming forward were only the weakest, those having no their own opinion or their own position. The countries, however, holding an independent position in International politics, used milder expressions.
3. Friend or Foe?
What about the Russian media, what was it doing at the peak of the conflict? Analysis of the Russian media (mostly electronic) has shown that throughout the Georgian-South-Osetian conflict a Russian media group has emerged targeted against the official position of the country’s leadership.
Among those: «Газета.ру» (www.gazeta.ru) , «Лента.ру» (www.lenta.ru), «Газета» (www.gzt.ru), «News.ru, www.newsru.com).
In all, since August 9, the news coverage of those agencies showed adherence to the Western pro-Georgian directivity. It was all reminiscent of the Russian information field unfolding during the first Chechen War, when most Russian media produced information smearing the Russian Army in the Caucasus.
In particular, following the disclaimer by the RF Ministry of Defense on bombing the Georgian villages, “Gazeta.ru” printed the following information with a reference to its own correspondent:
20 innocent civilians lost their lives in an air strike in Georgia. The
“Gazeta.ru” correspondent in Georgia reported that an air strike by Russian aircraft against a residential area in Gori killed 20, with a number of wounded. It was also reported that an air strike was made against the cotton-processing plant, a military base, and a double strike against a tank battalion in the Gori area1.
Added to this media since August 10 was the radio station “Echo Moskvi”
The Georgian Ministry of the Interior reported air strikes by the Russian RF on Batumi, Poti and Zugdidi. Russian military aircraft bombed several Georgian cities last night. It was reported to “Echo Moskvi” by Shota Utiashvili, offi-
1 http://www.gazeta.ru/news/lastnews/2008/08/09/n_1254285.shtml
20
<21-st CENTURY», №2 (4), 2008
S.Grinyaev, G.Voskresensky
cial representative of Georgia’s Interior. In his words, the bombs hit suburban targets in Tbilisi, Batumi, Poti and Zugdidi. Casualties and damage have yet to be finally assessed.
Since August 11 the Gazeta.ru news block started feeding massive commentaries by anti-Russian overseas media on the South-Osetia conflict.
On that day “Rossviazkomnadzor”, the entity effecting communication oversight, had to reprimand some media on violating the RF law when covering the events in South Osetia.
Even following the notification on terminating the active operations (August 13) those agencies continued their negative coverage of the events, which of course added no optimism to an already tough situation of the Russian leadership.
The radio station “Echo Moskvi”: fighting continues around the City of Gori Fighting is going on around Gori, as reported by the “Echo Moskvi” correspondent. In his words, the Georgian fighters “are puzzled over the announced truce, since tanks and artillery are at work, and the whole area is under sniper fire”. The correspondent also reported that, as known from the eyewitness ac-couns, a TV reporter from the Netherlands was killed during the fighting in Gori. The correspondent added: “I have seen several dead civilians with my own eyes”.
Cheerless as it may seem, there is an ongoing buildup of anti-russian sentiment in the media mentioned. Entwined into the negative context is a set of symbols associating the Russian soldiers with looters and war criminals.
The site www.gzt.ru showed the footage «Трофейное искусство российского генералитета»1 and «Российские каптенармусы организуют рынки»1 2 with the following details: “...Russian soldiers opened a market in Abhasia, selling clothes and electronics looted at military assault on Georgia’s western regions.”. The latter article was smartly removed from the site, perhaps by virtue of its marginal character. Besides, new reports appeard on the allegedly mandatory collection of relief supplies for South Osetia. In particular, “News.ru”, Aug. 25, showed the following material3: “Russians are coerced into giving voluntary donations to the suffering population of South Osetia”. Russians are coerced into giving voluntary donations to the suffering population of South Osetia. As reported by the media and the Internet postings, collection of relief for the suffer-
1 http://www.gzt.ru/politics/2008/08/20/223002.html
2 http://gzt.ru/politics/2008/08/25/165355.html
3 http://www.newsru.com/russia/25aug2008/prinud.html
21
S.Grinyaev, G.Voskresensky
<21-st CENTURY», №2 (4), 2008
ing population of South Osetia in a number of Russian regions carries features of administrative enforcement. Some people refusing to make donations are threatened with cutting off bonus payments or one-day wages, as reported by the publication “Novi Region”. Many have fears that the collected humanitarian aid would be looted and would not reach South Osetia.
In the most troubled days quite distinct parallels were drawn between the events in Osetia and in Prague in 19681, the matter here being not in a simple chronology of dating.
There came about more and more translations from the Georgian, e.g.: “Postings grow like mushrooms”1 2 and “The Five-day war that Changed the Face of Europe. Russia moves the world back to the times when the International disputes were resolved using weapons” 3.
Meanwhile, most of the mentioned media avoided placing their own antiRussian materials, as a rule the anti-Russian stuff was presented within some translation from a Western agency.
In all, the situation in the Caucasus has distinctly shown that despite the years of building up power in the country in the vertical direction, in case of an emergency situation the Russian information field makes up much leaway to carry out informational actions and operations targeted against the interests of Russia.
4. Response of the Russian Armed Forces.
Errors and Miscalculations.
As to the response to the informational assault by the countries of the West, analysis revealed several flaws committed while organizing this counteraction.
Watching the escalation of the conflict in the region, not a single Russian agency entrusted with those issues, had taken any steps for preprogramming. The excessive response, being the trump card currently used by the West, could have been neutralized earlier, had the peace-keeping mandate previously contained the rules of engagement coordinated with the world community.
The Russian peace-keeping corps throughout the time of its existence has had no operational press center staffed by accredited journalists. All analyses and commentaries have been supplied to the media by come-and-go-people, with no special preprogramming or effect analysis of specific commentaries. No use has been made of “battlecam”, a video element used by the Western experts, whereby
1 http://www.gzt.ru/foto/2008/08/21/190101-3685.html
2 http://www.gzt.ru/print.php?p=politics/2008/08/21/223026.html
3 http://www.utkin.gzt.ru/politics/2008/08/13/223035.html
22
<21-st CENTURY», №2 (4), 2008
S.Grinyaev, G.Voskresensky
cameras or picturephones are planted in the battle ranks for a live coverage.
No press center has been deployed at the General Staff either. Officially televised commentaries by General A. Nagovitsin, deputy Chief of General Staff, were seen as an impromptu performance, “Internfax” hardly being the best place for those commentaries. The General Staff has more suitable places for media presentations.
Since the very start of the “Zvezda” TV channel there hovered an idea to charge it with specialized analytical programming dedicated mostly to military analysis and operative professional commenting on International and domestic security issues. It has been however expressly shown that such communications remain unclaimed, yielding no proceeds, like those you could expect from placing advertisements. The result of these things can generally be seen in critical situations, at points of no return. That is how A. Nagovitsin is taking a rap for his subordinates.
In the course of the conflict its coverage in world and domestic media was not coordinated, despite a certain initiative by the RF MFA. For example information on the shot down Russian aircraft was processed by the media in the following way.
The news footage carried a message on the first downed Russian aircraft at 11:19 on August 8 with a reference to the Georgian TV Channel “Rustavi-2”1.
Georgia: Russian Aircraft are Bombing Gori. Four aircrafts coming from the Russian side, carried out bombing missions on Gory city at aroung 11:00, August 8, as reported by the Georgian TV Company “Rustavi-2”. According to the TV Channel one aircraft has been shot down by the Georgian troups // “Novosti-Gruzia”
In one hour, at 12:21, there was a disclaimer by the Russian MFA on Georgia bluffing about the downed Russian planes1 2.
Russia’s MFA qualified the report on downed Russian plane as delirium. Russia’s MFA qualified the report by the Georgian media on downed Russian plane as delirium and provocation. “That is delirium, a regular mean provocation by the Georgian authorities”, said the Representative of Russia’s MFA, Dept. of Information and Press, while commenting the “Rustavi-2” report on the Georgian troups having allegedly downed a Russian plane on a bombing mission over Gori City.
1 http://www.gazeta.ru/news/lenta/2008/08/08/n_1253736.shtml
2 http://www.gazeta.ru/news/lenta/2008/08/08/n_1253771.shtml
23
S.Grinyaev, G.Voskresensky
<21-st CENTURY», №2 (4), 2008
In another hour, at 13:43, there was an official commentary by the RF Ministry of Defense1
The Ministry of Defense denied information on downed Russian planes.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense denied information on Russian planes shot down in South Osetia. As reported in the Directorate of Press and Information of the Ministry, the report on shooting down Russian planes is a perfect publicity stunt”. // ITAR-TASS
However, already at 12:41, August 9, A. Nagovitsin officially confirmed the loss of Russian planes1 2.
The Ministry of Defense has admitted the loss of two planes in Georgia.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense has admitted the loss of two planes in the course of an operation in support of the peace keepers and the South Osetia population, as reported today by Colonel-General Anatoly Nogovitsin, deputy Chief of General Staff, Armed Forces. “Data on losses are continuously variable. I can admit one thing: we have lost two planes, he said. The general clarified that the Russian side made a decision to use force on Aug. 8 at about 11:00, when the Georgian troups captured the townships “Severny” and “Yuzhny” of the Russian peace keepers. “The decision was made exactly at that moment”, he said. //ITAR-TASS
The International practice in these issues consists in leaving the Aggressor’s report with no comment, at least until the situation with the shot down crews becomes clear. There was likewise inaccurate information given by the Ministry of Defense on the conscripts involved in the Sout-Osetia conflict. Thus, placed in the Media at 11:21, Aug.12, was the following commentary by the Ministry of Defense:
Engaged in military operations in South Osetia are only contracted military personnel. The Russian Ministry of Defense denied some media reports that the military force in South Osetia includes conscripts along with the contracted personnel. “Conscripts are excluded from military operations in South Osetia. Combat duties are carried out by contracted troops only”, as declared Tuesday by an official representative of the Russian Military Establishment. // “Interfax”
However, as early as August 20 the General Staff admitted the presence of conscripts in the detachments operating in South Osetia3.
1 http://www.gazeta.ru/news/lenta/2008/08/08/n_1253816.shtml
2 http://www.gazeta.ru/news/lenta/2008/08/09/n_1254278.shtml
3 http://lenta.ru/news/2008/08/20/recruits/
24
<21-st CENTURY», №2 (4), 2008
S.Grinyaev, G.Voskresensky
The General Stdf'admitted the participation of conscripts in the Osetian war.
The General Staff of Russia’s Armed Forces has admitted that there were conscripts among the troops operating in South Osetia, as reported by “Interfax”. As claimed by General Ivan Borodinchik, Representative of the General Staff Directorate of Organization and Mobilization, involved in the military action was “an insignificant number of conscripts”. He emphasized that the Law on Mililtary Duty enables the conscripts being used in combat operations. The Media report several casualties among the conscripts in the war. Anatoly Nogovitsin, deputy Chief of General Staff, denied comments on conscript casualties in the conflict area. In all, the latest official data quote 74 deaths, 171 wounded and 19 MIA during the 5-day war. The data on the number of conscripts among those are quite variable. The High Command had previously denied the conscripts’ participation in combat operations. Vladimir Putin as President, Sergey Ivanov as Minister of Defense, as well as other officials since 2003 pledged exclusion of conscripts from hot spot duties.
Summarizing the aforesaid, some more comments have to be added.
The Georgian-South-Osetian conflict has regrettably shown that in many ways Russia had been unprepared to this type of large-scale sophisticated informational aggression by the West. Vladimir Scherbakov, a military observer, has rightly condemned the situation with special propaganda in the Russian Army, stating that there are no specialists, and those who had been there, left service long ago, applying their technology in political PR at elections or in marketing and corporate business projects. However, the very fact of political courage of the Russian leadership having taken the most responsible decision on starting action to force the Georgians into peace, is a good sign on the rejuvenation of Russia.
When it all comes down, we have been drawn into the conflict to be later taken apart in the course of a large-scale information war. There is no back way for the Russians. Moscow is behind, or rather, the country of Moscow, all that will be left of the Russian state if it is defeated in this war of words, since it is quite clear that giving in to the West will be tantamount to dismembering the Russian State in the very near future. We are hard pressed, like it was in 1941, to learn how to make war by making war. It turned out to be not so bad then, it will hopefully turn out to be OK this time.
25
S.Grinyaev, G.Voskresensky
<21-st CENTURY», №2 (4), 2008
Afterword
As regards the fate of the recent events’ principal actor, President M.Saakashvili of Georgia, for Russia his demise is insignificant, since the strategic objective of his Boss, the USA, - sustaining the dollar as the world currency - being unchanged, they will go on trying to achieve it as before.
Incidentally, if Saakashvili still does leave, it will not be because he had ordered thousands to be murdered. His supervisors having smashed Yugoslavia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Hiroshima, don’t give a damn about large-scale human losses. It is not about his incapacity to resolve the Osetian issue, it is because his blunders exposed the real string pullers of the world, those who remain in the shade, behind the presidents. For that he will never be forgiven by the world behind the scenes. It is only the question of time: before or after the election? The best outcome in this case would be mental incompetence.
It is my desire to complete this stuff on an optimistic note. Perhaps, following the South-Osetian conflict the Russian leadership will comprehensively assess their current partnerships, primarily US, clearly define their allies and adversaries, which will per se become an emblematic event. It may start to take more care of its currency reserves making use of them to better the situation in their own country and in their own armed forces. The Ministry of Defense, in the meantime, will, besides frequent switching of uniforms take care of combat ability of the Russian Army not only in the classical material sense, but also in the sense of information.
September, 2008.
26
