Ideological Aspects of Georgian-U.S.-Russian Relations

This memo deals with the place of ideology in post-Soviet affairs with regard to U.S.-Russian relations. More specifically, it explores possible reasons behind the particularly fierce rivalry between the United States and Russia over Georgia. A tentative answer to what accounts for this rivalry is a clash of ideologies which has resurfaced in U.S.-Russian relations over the last few years. It seems that, separate from strategic and economic considerations, ideological factors play a more prominent role now than in the 1990s. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Bucharest last April provided additional evidence to support such an argument. […]

More (PDF)