Russia's invasion, occupation, and partition of Georgia in August 2008 initially sent shock waves throughout Europe and NATO and appeared to signal a new confrontational phase in Moscow s relations with the West. This volume places the conflict in the context of Russia's broader objectives, its internal weaknesses, the limitations of EU and NATO policies, and America s security priorities. First, the Georgian conflict underscored Moscow's determination to reclaim an extensive zone of dominance corresponding with the former Soviet territories. Second, it displayed a shrewd calculation by the Kremlin about the fractured and ineffective Western response, and Moscow continues to test the Obama administration's rapprochement in pursuing its expansionist ambitions. Third, the 2008 conflict had a lasting impact on the Central-East European and post-Soviet states most exposed to pressures from Moscow. While the former demanded more tangible security guarantees from NATO, the latter either sought accommodation with Russia or intensified their protective strategies. Additionally, beneath the veneer of success, the conduct of the war, the economic recession, escalating separatist sentiments, and faltering attempts by Moscow to make the country more globally competitive revealed Russia's long-term weaknesses in the midst of its attempted neo-imperial restoration. The study concludes with succinct recommendations on how the transatlantic alliance can more effectively handle Russian ambitions and prepare itself to deter or manage future crises

Learn Georgian with this complete course, now with free audio download! Spoken by over 3.5 million people worldwide, Georgian is an official language of the country Georgia, located in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. It is an Kartvelian language that is written in its own script, the Georgian script. Ideal for those new to Georgian, learning at home or in the classroom, Beginner's Georgian with Online Audio includes: An introductory section on Georgian language, culture and history Thirteen carefully-paced units, each one opening with a dialogue about an everyday topic followed by grammar lessons, exercises and vocabulary Answer key to the exercises Georgian-English and English-Georgian glossaries Online MP3 audio files for free download featuring pronunciation by native speakers

Georgian: A Learner's Grammar is a completely revised and updated guide to the fascinating and most widely spoken language of the Caucasus.

Georgian: A Comprehensive Grammar constitutes a complete reference work addressing all major elements of modern Georgian grammar and usage. It provides a systematic and accessible description of the language’s phonology, orthography, morphology, and syntax. The focus is on contemporary spoken and written usage, with attention devoted throughout to differences in register and genre. Points are illustrated with examples drawn from a range of authentic written and recorded sources, such as press, radio, and television. The grammar is designed for a wide readership, including students of Georgian, particularly at the intermediate and advanced levels, as well as scholars of Georgian and theoretical linguistics.

The Caucasus for its size can boast more languages than any other region on earth. Of the 40 or so native tongues Georgian is the most widely spoken (by up to 5 million, of whom 3 million are ethnic Georgians). With its own unique script, Georgian has been written since the 4th century and has a rich literature of all genres. Outside Georgia, however, it has remained virtually unknown and unstudied, its grammatical intricacies being discussed by a small but ever growing succession of foreign specialists. The present work represents the first Reference Grammar of this challenging language to appear in English and is the summation of 20 years of intensive study by its author.