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Article: Russia takes a bite out of state sovereignty.(OPINION)
- Article from:
- The Christian Science Monitor
- Article date:
- September 15, 2008
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 The Christian Science Publishing Society. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Mackubin Thomas Owens
Newport, R.I. -- The roots of the current Russo-Georgian crisis are complex. Geopolitically, the Russian invasion of Georgia represents Moscow's attempt to reassert its dominance in the Caucasus and Central Asia while sending a message that Russia is now strong enough to counter Western incursions into its sphere of influence.
But in so doing, the Russians are also exploiting a dangerous and frequent source of conflict in the international arena: the clash between sovereignty and self-determination.
In this case, it's the sovereignty of Georgia, an independent state recognized by the international community, that's ...