Russia - Georgian border split Ossetian people to two part - half lived in Russian`s autonomy republic Nord Ossetia , half - in Georgians Autonomy repubic South Ossetia . In the time , while both land was be part of Soviet Union is be no problem for people,  but when Soviet Union was demolished the kin`s found himself lived in two different and not frendly country`s.
And when first Georgian president refused to confirm South Ossetia autonomy - he decide to separate from Georgia . I think he just do not want any customs between him and his kin`s in Nord Ossetia

This situation is often for east- and south Evropa , vhere  peoples hundred years lived in great multietnic Empires and today nobody can say where is land of one nation and where is land of another

best wish`s

Sometimes i think this world need some evil alien`s to invade - nation`s better friendship is friendship against somebody

Cool Breeze

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Throughout ages, great powers have tried to increase their sphere of influence. This is simply human nature. It feels great to be great and more powerful than one's neighbours. Thousands of years before the USA even existed, the great powers of those days waged wars on weaker peoples and annexed lands to become bigger still. In the old days there weren't necessarily even any reasons to try to "justify" these aggressive policies because democracy and the mass media hadn't been born and ignorance and slavery were rampant. In an insular world bad news travelled slowly, if at all. And even if the oppressed heard about the bad news, what could they do? Nothing.

In theory the USA is a great and just country. Its Constitution guarantees equal rights and opportunities to all. You just have to be American not to see the enormous discrepancies there are between the theory and the practice. Slaves were free in the USA? The blacks had equal rights? It is right to support dictators as leaders if they further US business interests? The USA has the right to kill democratically elected foreign heads of state and to replace them with ruthless dictators?

The USA has done a lot of good things in the world as well, let's not forget that, but basically its actions resemble those of most other superpowers that have gone before it. This is how future superpowers will conduct themselves as well unless science comes up with a less egoistic man.
”

Sheesh... I would never try to argue that the United States hasn't made its share of foreign policy mistakes or unjustified military actions, but comparing it to the majority of historic empires seems willfully ignorant.  You mention that in the "old days" states did not even attempt to justify their aggressive expansion, and you're right.  What do you think is the reason states now feel the need to do so?  There's no question that a comprehensive answer would identify a complex web of gradual causes, but clearly the primary reason is the emergence of the United States as a global military power.  This emergence fully and finally occurred with an attempt by the United States (and many other countries) to put and end to two very real and very deadly empires: Nazi Germany and Japan.  After the war the United States was the driving force behind the creation of the United Nations, whose primary mandate was, of course, the prevention of future wars of aggressive expansion.  Furthermore, with political, military, and economic aid the United States ensured that Western Europe would remain or become (depending the country) democratic.  One need only compare the fate of Western and Eastern Europe following the war to observe the underlying intentions of the United States.  Were empire-building among them, the state of Europe would be very different to this day.

As for your other assertion that there are "enormous discrepancies" between the ideal of American freedoms and the realities, and that Americans appear to be only ones unaware of them, I find it borderline insulting.  Of course Americans are aware of slavery, segregation, women's suffrage, and many other examples of our failure to live up to our founding principles.  They're brought up constantly.  Americans realize that ideals are there not be fully acheived (they never can be) but simply to be striven for.  The United States never can nor will be a utopian society , but we recognize that along with being honest about our past failures we are often given examples of how they can be overcome.