When marching through Georgia remember the Alamo

The best line I read last week was in Kissmybluebutt.com:

I just turned on CNN and see that Russia has invaded Georgia. For my money, they could take Alabama and Mississippi while they’re at it.

I had never even heard of South Ossetia until last week, and kind of doubt even those of us who enjoy geographic trivia could have found it on a map.  So, I cheated, and read the encyclopedia.  South Ossetia had been part of Georgia for a very long time (going back to the Tsars), but — under pressure from Russian immigrants and tired of the inefficient and corrupt Georgian government,  staged a brief uprising and declared independence in 1992.  Not recognizing the “Republic of South Ossetia”, the Georgians have regularly sent troops into the region, leading the South Ossetians to turn to their natural allies, and de facto protector, Russia.

The Russians, out of ethnic solidarity, territorial ambition… or to distract their people from other pressing issues.. sent their troops into South Ossetia.  After some shots were fired along the disputed border, the Russians went into Georgia and — while occupying parts of the country — are forcing the Georgians to negotiate.

Everyone I’m reading is trying to draw some parallels from European history, but breakaway regions full of ethnic outsiders who came from the larger power on their border, and then ask the bigger power to use border disputes to force their annexation, always calls to mind something else.  Think 1845…  if you read “Texas” for “South Ossetia”; “the corrupt and inefficient Santa Ana government” for “Georgia” and “James Knox Polk” for “Dmitry Medvedev”, you probably won’t be too far off.

I can’t see taking sides in this conflict, but South Ossetia’s “manifest destiny” probably lies with Russia.

A word of waring though.  If my Texas analogy is even slightly valid, the Russians may be in for trouble.  Georgia produced Stalin, and Texas LBJ, but nations need asskickers like those guys now and then.  But for the sake of Mother Russia stop and think of the future.  Will South Ossetia produce BUSHiveks?