Conflict between Georgia and Russia about republics of South Ossetia Essay

Conflict between Georgia and Russia about republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia (2008) - Essay Example Political explanations of the conflict usually revolve around communism while ethnicity is viewed as a cause which was naturally gratified by widespread disparities and as a natural culmination of communist repression. Moreover, it could also be argued that ethnicity as an underlying cause of the conflict is justifiable or understandable considering the existence of such groups in large numbers. Heterogeneity is viewed by some as a driving force behind widespread dissatisfaction among the public that fuelled the desire to demand a separate state. The premises that gave rise to the ethnic and cultural differences can further be attributed to the Soviet political system which rather than diffusing the causes of the conflict, in fact, ended up fuelling it further. Research suggests that historically, ethnic conflicts have lasted longer and was more frequent as compared to conflicts or wars caused due to other reasons. Furthermore, it is also established through research, which ethnically motivated conflicts are rarely solved through peaceful negotiations and usually needs to be resolved through use of military power ending in victory of either side (King 1997, p.13)1. However, the explanations to the Georgian South Ossetian conflict cannot be restricted to any one particular point of view such as ethnicity or suppression during the Soviet Union. It is in fact a result of amalgamation of various complex phenomena. The 1989 Census estimated the population of South Ossetia as 66.61% Ossetians, 29.44% Georgians and the remaining 4% as a combination of Russians, Jews and Armenians. The Ossetians accounted for 74% of the population in Tskhinvali – the administrative state of South Ossetia while the rest of the population comprised of Georgians and other groups of miscellaneous ethnicities. However, the composition of the population underwent drastic change since the onset of the conflict which led to mass migration towards the Northern Ossetian regions as

The Impact of Technology on Homeland Security Annotated Bibliography

The Impact of Technology on Homeland Security - Annotated Bibliography Example acted on homeland security over the years, and it is on this basis that this paper is aimed at developing a critical annotated bibliography on the impact of technology on homeland security. The article explains that active and non-intrusive inspection technologies have been in use for over 100 years with the main focus being radiographic imaging. The article demonstrates the presence of a number of technologies that have been fronted for use owing to their unique capabilities, but sadly less used. The reasons for the lack of use include reliance on passive detection systems and concerns about safety of radiation by the public. The article’s strength is that it provides the opportunity to have an understanding Homeland security challenges in the US require out of the box solutions provided by technology despite the fact that they take a lot of time for implementation. The other strength of the article is that it provides ways through which technology can be used well to harness positive impact for Homeland Security, overcome challenges, and reviews new technology that can aid in solving challenges for Homeland security. Current technologies used for efficiency in Homeland Security include equipment for imaging, explosive, radiation, and nuclear material detection. The article has one limitation in that it does not categorically state the limitations inherent in technology in its application to homeland security. The article states the measures being undertaken by the Obama administration in ensuring agencies are more efficient and coordinated through embracing digital service delivery. The article then gives the measures being taken by the department of homeland security to meet the digital service delivery to ensure better access to data and information by the citizens, procure and manage applications, services, and smart data in a safe, efficient, and secure manner, and harness the power of big data. The articles strength is that it captures some of the