The Legacy of Beijing, 2008

The Olympiad of any given year has a way of leaving behind a completely unanticipated political legacy that transcends the ostensible purpose of the Games -- namely, the spirit of pure and unadulterated sports competition among fellow citizens of the planet.

Sometimes, the unanticipated political legacy is a positive one. In 1936, for example, Adolph Hitler's plans for demonstrating Aryan athletic supremacy were eviscerated by the heroic performance of Jesse Owens. Perhaps the most enduring legacy of the Berlin games was the repudiation of European claims of racial superiority -- and the aligning of America's identity with that of its citizens of African ancestry.

More often, however, the surprise political legacy is a negative one. In 1972, the Munich Games were intended to replace memories of 1936 by featuring an enlightened post-war Germany as the world's host. Instead, images of AK-47 waiving Black September terrorists, inept German security forces and eleven murdered Israeli athletes will forever define the XX Olympiad. This legacy would serve as precursor to an age of expanded Middle Eastern terrorism.

Not unlike Munich, the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta were expected to convey a certain sense of reconciliation by introducing the world to "the new south" in the first ever Olympics to be held in a formerly segregated southern U.S. city. Again, however, violence determined the Games' legacy, as the Centennial Park bombing reiterated the Olympics' vulnerability to the most senseless of violence and served notice of the possibility of future terrorism on America's own shores.

And now, as the XXIX Olympiad draws to a close, its legacy again threatens to have nothing to do with the games and everything to do with the violence accompanying them. While these Olympics were touted as New China's "coming out" party, their most profound significance may instead be for the role they played as a distraction for Russia's military invasion of its neighbor Georgia. Although political pundits may have logically predicted that if the Games were to be marred by violence, it was most likely to be Chinese violence on pro-democracy or Tibetan protestors, they would have been wrong. Instead, the Olympics have surprised us again -- it is the unforeseen Russian violence, timed to coincide with the Games, which may prove Beijing's legacy.

In part as a result of the world's preoccupation with the Olympics, Russia has received relatively easy treatment from international media and seemingly, the public at-large. At least in this country, people seem more interested in Jamaica's domination over the track and field events than Russia's domination over Abkhazia. The UN has been a non-factor.

And while the Russian Government has described the invasion of Georgia by its "peacekeepers" as a result of Georgia's ill-advised effort to re-occupy its internationally recognized province of South Ossetia, all indications point to a premeditated Russian attack - as evidence at least in part by pre-invasion cyber-attacks that dismantled Georgia's technology infrastructure by notorious Russian hackers. Coupled with the coordinated blitz from Abkhazia and South Ossetian irregulars, it is beyond reasonable doubt that Russia's attack was not pre-planned and intentionally executed during the Olympics.

The most worrisome aspect of the Beijing Games' legacy may thus be the lesson that aggressive regimes of the future will take from it -- Namely: attack your adversary while the world is glued to the Opening Ceremonies... and do as much damage as you can and get out in two weeks.

Read more HuffPost coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games

Comments

[BottomLine2008]

Are you talking about Georgia?

They attacked South Ossetia, remember?

There was nothing American or NATO could do about Russia.

[MattyRich]

Not to mention the crushing of any protest and the very thin layer of greening that China put over its horrendous pollution. The world was informed at every step of factory closings, driver rationing, etc. that was meant to present the best possible face for the world to see. And lest we forget the letters sent to bar owners to not serve Black patrons. Usually a country has to wait a few decades after they've cleaned up their act to host the Olympics, but when you own the world's debt, you get a little more clout.

[JimR]

The Georgians created the crisis by attacking South Ossetia. Why no criticism of them?

[MagisterLudi]

Hey, if Saakashvilli sez it true, it must be. After all,who would NOT trust American trained corporate lawyer who drinks 10 Red Bulls a day and attacks his neighbors in the middle of negotiations?
Chew your tie on that.

[mikep]

The evidence seems pretty clear that it was the Georgians who made the initial attack, and with the full knowledge and encouragement of the Americans. Not only did they deliberately break the Olympic truce, they actually used the Olympics to provide a distraction.

This is really an abominable thing that the Americans have done, breaking the Olympic truce like that. It must not be forgotten. And we must make sure that the US doesn't get the Olympics again, at least not for a very, very, very long time.

[DAE]

Just the opposite. The Georgians used the Olympics as a cover to attack South Ossetia and give their western backers an excuse to reignite a second Cold War.

[skwan91607]

Even Americans can provide more weapons and build it to very strong Georgia is unthinkable to start the attack on Russian interest. Georgia may not know the consequence but where were the American advisers at that time? China does not have the capacity to make sure there is no war between nations while hosting an Olympic. China or Olympic games must not be blamed for such nonsense.