Georgia:Russia has invaded and we are under attack

I invite the members to read this short article in order to better understand who is person behind this war.

 

 

November 19, 2007

Tsotne Bakuria - Four years ago, an ebullient Mikhail Saakashvili was swept into power as president of the Republic of Georgia powered by the PR dream, "The Rose Revolution." Today, he is hunkered down with a few advisers, after declaring a state of emergency, shutting down a major television station, cutting off the Internet and cell phones, tear gassing, beating women in the streets and arresting hundreds of protesters calling for his resignation. Defiant and discredited, Mr. Saakashvili vows to remain in office, whatever the cost.

How Mr. Saakashvili got to this point is a story of greed, corruption, paranoia and abuse of power. No one seriously believes he can hang on much longer — as 100,000 demonstrators filling the square in front of the Parliament building in the capital of Tbilisi chant, "Leave ... leave."

The young politician has deeply disappointed his former supporters, many of them jailed for "hooliganism" and other crimes against his iron-fisted regime.

It helps to understand the history of Georgia; a tiny country, strategically bordering Turkey, Russia and Iran. Mr. Saakashvili's predecessor, Eduard Sheveranadze, was a white-haired diplomat who won the respect of the West when the Berlin Wall fell and communism was replaced by the notion of a democratic country.

I was there the day "Shevy" fled the Parliament building, resigning from office rather than risk violence. No matter what else can be said of the man, he did not want the blood of innocent Georgians on his hands.

But what was promised never materialized. Mr. Saakashvili began by trashing the Constitution (under the guise of ferreting out corruption in government) and seemed to convey the notion that democracy was just another form of dictatorship. Still, the Bush administration ignored or refused to believe the stories coming out of Georgia; the torture of prison inmates, the human-rights abuses, the sad impoverishment of the country's majority. Blackouts, oil shortage, pensions unpaid, opposition crushed. One of my former teachers, Irakli Batiashvili, was arrested and jailed for no reason last year and has since lost 65 pounds and rots in a basement cell 4 feet long by 5 feet high, with no sunlight.

Recently, at the height of the public demonstration calling for Mr. Saakashvili's resignation, I watched the news reports from Georgia. I was never so proud of my countrymen. Their strong voices must be heard.

Americans, the opposition leaders pointed out, must support the Georgian people, not this mad man. They are demanding that election be held in a constitutional time frame. They are asking simply that the people be allowed to decide. They are asking for democracy — a choice.

Mr. Saakashvili's regime is now trying to prolong his current government by putting off elections until the end of 2008. This is unconstitutional. It's as if President Bush last year decided he quite liked the current Republican majority, and declared elections were unnecessary. It is unthinkable in American terms: Rep. Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, tortured and jailed. Brian Williams sitting at the anchor desk, armed military cutting off the cameras. Ted Kennedy arrested for treason. Not to mention John Stewart or Cindy Sheehan.

Georgian jails are packed full with prisoners. At the same time, the president has been quoted as saying "there is no crime" in the country. One of the biggest crooks is Mr. Saakashvili's uncle, a nefarious character who lives in New York. He was arrested several years ago on charges of taking $200,000 worth of bribes. He publicly declared President Bush was "his best friend," a statement I'm sure raised eyebrows in the CIA and State Department. Mr. Saakashvili officially pardoned his uncle, who for the time being at least remains untouchable.

American taxpayers deposit $300 million into the Georgian budget every year. Instead of schools or hospitals, the money was used to build Mr. Saakashvili a presidential palace and recruit his Republican Guard, a private army.

The president dismissed the 100,000 demonstrators, calling them "garbage." It is hard to imagine that this man loves his country, or his people. If he did, he would make the concessions they ask and hold timely elections.

He has refused to open a dialogue with his opponents, described as a "loose coalition" and still controls Rustavi 2, the state-owned television station. In the opposite corner, is Imedi TV, owned by a Georgian billionaire now financing Mr. Saakashvili's opposition and Rupert Murdoch's media conglomerate, News Corp. (Mr. Saakashvili labeled Mr. Murdoch a "Russian agent.") They broadcast day and night, as the number of demonstrators swelled and the image of thousands of headlights streaming into the capital were replayed. Mr. Saakashvili pulled the plug.

What are the solutions? The United States, the only foreign country that supports this regime, must realize Mr. Saakashvili is more than willing to shed blood to hold onto his tenuous power. Long-term foreign policy in the Caucasus could be severely damaged if Mr. Saakashvili is allowed to remain in office. He has thumbed his nose at his own people, and at the American people, so sure of their blind support and trust. It was a very emotional week. I'm sure the demonstrators are exhausted from standing in the pouring rain, hoping their words could be heard.

What started small has become a national chorus: The president must resign.

Tsotne Bakuria is a former member of Parliament in Georgia, now living in Los Angeles. He is a member of "American-Georgian Democratic Society."

So, what they can do is rely on the other. Of course the main source to rely here would be CNN.

 

CNN is obviously broadcasting the Georgian view.

 

So, I invite the members again to take a look at some alternative explanations if they have time.

 

 

It's interesting the words which were said about the Georgian regime almost a year ago (please check the article I posted above) now this prediction is happenning:

 

 

 

 

 

In my opinion West as well as Russia are being hypocryts and do what is profitable for them. Kosovo and Osetia are two similar examples and in each case behaviour of West and Russia is completely opposite. And the fact Russia didn't recognize Osetia's sovrenity is meaningless cause in fact they help them to achieve this.

Now Georgian president realized this war leads to Georgia's destruction and called Medviedev for peace talks. Now we will see if Russia wants to behave in civilized way and stop the war or are they going to destroy Georgia.

 

Turkey is neutral(a little bit pro-Georgian maybe) and doesnt want any hostility in region(doesnt want anyone to hit her pipeline or railway)

     I believe they had forces on the frontline with Karabagh since the "ceasefire" in 1994. They fire at the Armenian side every few days, and to my knowledge the Armenians have stopped bothering to fire back. But you are right, Azerbaijan became emboldened by Georgia's show of force. They have been saying for years now that they are going to resolve the Karabagh situation by military means. But more importantly, Azerbaijan has also claimed that it has the right to take parts of the Armenian Republic outside of Karabagh, including the capital Yerevan (yes, they actually said they have the right to take Yerevan, and then they expect Armenians to make territorial concessions in regards to Karabagh). This is a real threat considering Azerbaijan's military budget exceeds Armenia's total budget. As you can see, the Caucasus is pretty polarised.

 

 

As for Georgia, they are going to have their hands full if the Abkhazians aggressively pursue this conflict. I believe they already kicked Georgian soldiers out of the Kodori gorge, which was the only area in Abkhazia which had Georgian soldiers. I think a second front with the Abkhazians is too much for Georgia. Abkhazia is much more powerful than Ossetia, it has a much better economy and its population is armed to the teeth.

 

I don't think the Russian image will suffer that much, if at all? I can already see it being played out here in this forum! 

 

The spin is causing me a headache!

 

 

 

Oh, come on! Situation with democracy in Russia is discussed permanently in western press  and on the state levels. Check what McCain says. Even here in this forum Putin's regime was called dictatorship many times. In contrast Georgia today was called best democracy in postsoviet area by an American congressman if I am not mistaken, which is obviously not true. Georgian presidential elections were pretty much like that happened in Russia past 4-5 years but who cares?