Non-military lessons of the Georgian conflict
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The Reform Party
Looking back at the events in Georgia and thinking about Estonia, the writer finds one clear common denominator – the state’s weakness in responding to a critical situation, which actually stems from the fact that no one believes in the likelihood of anything similar happening.
The Riigikogu has also got its work cut out for it if the situation is to be improved. Insofar as analysis of the Georgian events is still ongoing, the author leaves the military analysis to the experts in that field, constraining his piece to the linkage between internal security and na-tional defence, the influence of information in contemporary conflicts and the ability of the state to react adequately to challenges. Among other things, he draws attention to the need to make the work of parliament more active in the framework of the European Union and NATO. The clumsiness of the international response to the Georgian conflict gives no reason for optimism that there is a different, more rapid process in store for some other conflict. It must still be shaped. The reason is simple – the likelihood of such events had been ruled out in today’s Europe.