Invasion of Georgia seen as power play

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A Georgian soldier rests by the road between Gori and the Georgian capital, Tbilisi.


Invasion of Georgia seen as power play
By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, August 15, 2008

ARLINGTON, Va. — Defense Secretary Robert Gates called the Russian invasion of Georgia a "punitive mission" meant to warn other Eastern European nations against getting too close to the West.

"My view is that the Russians, and I would say principally Prime Minister (Vladimir) Putin, is interested in reasserting Russia’s — not only Russia’s great power or superpower status, but in reasserting Russia’s traditional spheres of influence," Gates said Thursday.

Gates said the U.S. government is re-evaluating its security relationship with Russia, and said he doesn’t foresee a U.S. military response to the conflict.

"If Russia does not step back from its aggressive posture and actions in Georgia, the U.S.-Russia relationship could be adversely affected for years to come," he said.

Not only has the U.S. canceled its participation in a multinational naval exercise that was due to begin Friday, Gates said, it also has canceled Vigilant Eagle, an exercise between Canada, the U.S., and Russia, that was due to begin Aug. 20.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=56764