1. Our economic downward spiral
2. America’s first black president, Barack Obama, is elected
3. Mumbai under siege
4. Pakistan blast at the Marriott Hotel
5. Pirates ruling the seas off of Africa
6. Georgia vs. Russia conflict
7. The “Made in China” scare
8. Fidel Castro’s reign came to an end
9. The rescue of Ingrid Betancourt in Colombia
10. Natural disasters: the cyclone in Burma and the earthquake in Sichuan, China

I’m always drawn to the Top 10 News Stories because they capture the raw reality of things that were felt around the globe. It’s incredible to look back on that list now and think, “Wow. That all happened just this year.” Things that shattered our ideals, revolutionized our politics, and painted a different landscape for what is to come.

If you have some time, take a few minutes to reflect. Ask yourself, what will I remember most about 2008? What stands out in your mind as the event that most affected you?

Image credit: IowaPolitics.com

An online Newsweek article gave me some insight via a three-page interview with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. Keep in mind that Georgia has been independent of Russia since 1990, but that hasn’t meant peace between Russian and Georgian military, or even the end of internal fighting between separatists and Georgian troops.

What I learned from him is this:

· Russian troops have been gathering in North Ossetia (in Russia, but on the border with Georgia) for the past four months saying “exercises” were underway. Yet the Russians publicly said military action against Georgia was coming.

· There were some confrontations in South Ossetia (part of Georgia), but nothing out of the ordinary.

· Then an even bigger confrontation happened, the attacking of villages, but still, nothing too alarming.

· It wasn’t until Saakashvili felt something was very wrong that he tried calling the Russians, NATO and some European presidents, to no avail.

· The Russian foreign minister, after claiming the separatists were the ones who started opening fire, said they were trying to contain the situation.

· Georgia said it would do something to quell the conflict and asked Russia to do the same. Saakashvili announced a unilateral ceasefire.

· But while Russia made it appear as though they are trying to end the conflict, tanks and armored personnel carriers went full-steam ahead.

· To defend themselves and stop the assault, Georgia engaged back with artillery fire.

· War.

Yes, a rough timeline (and Saakashvili’s side of the story), but it gives you an idea. Often I wish world disasters and wars could be simply laid out in point-form so that I would understand the who’s and the why’s of them.

Are you following the ongoing war between Georgia and Russia? Do you invest time to understand different world conflicts?

To read the entire Newsweek article, go to: http://www.newsweek.com/id/152254

Photo credit: pntphoto