Actually, the population of South Ossetia voted overwhelmingly to join Russia a couple of years ago.
It's very simple. You live in a border region. On one side is a small, poor country with a highly nationalist government (of a different nation from you). Plus, 15 years ago you fought a really nasty civil war with them, AND they just shelled your capital city, killing 1400 people (if the S. Ossetian government can be believed). That is 5% of your entire population. On the other side is a big, powerful country where people earn 4 times as much money. Which way do you go? This is a no-brainer.
--- On Sat, 8/9/08, Eric <rayrena at realtime.net> wrote:
(b) the
> decision of the
> Ossetians' and Abkhazians' self-chosen
> representatives and not the
> aspirations of the provinces' "people."