Georgia Roundup

Posted on 10/6/2006 by Chirol

Russia continues to put the screws to Georgia as part of its greater fear of a third wave of NATO expansion. Feeling left out of regional security, Moscow continues to stir up trouble proving it is the key to peace in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. However, to others, it’s only proving what was already known, Russia is the problem not the solution.

At the Council on Foreign Relations, a good interview is up with former ambasssador Stephen Sestanovich. With revolutions in Georgia and then the Ukraine, Russia has become exceedingly paranoid and its behavior reflects just this. Why does Moscow have an axe to grind with Tbilsi? According to former president Shevardnadze, Georgia is “the tastiest morsel of the former Soviet Union and the Russians want it back. ” I can believe it.

John Robb thinks the Russians are playing with fire by continuing to pick fights with Georgia. As he says David is in a much better position than Goliath on this.

Jamestown things that Putin is after regime change in Tbilsi and that he just might get it.

Most recently, Russia is supposedly tightening immigration rules, secret code for kicking out Georgians. But citizens aren’t the only targets, businesses are too. In addition, the recent sea, road, air and postal blockade will continue until further notice.

Blogrel thinks the spy-scandal will eclipse the current local elections in Georgia and notes that one ethnic Armenian town has gotten shafted in terms of representation.

Nathan has some wisdom from back in August still relevant regarding Russia’s foreign policy goals vis-a-vis Georgia and that Russia’s answer to change is to sow instability.

About Chirol

Sir Ignatius Valentine Chirol (1852 - 1929) was a journalist, prolific author, world historian, and British diplomat. He began his career as a foreign correspondent and later became editor of the London Times. After two decades as a journalist he joined Her Majesty's Foreign Ministry as a diplomat and was subsequently knighted for his distinguished service as a foreign affairs advisor. Additionally, he wrote a dozen books on foreign affairs including The Far Eastern Question (1896), Serbia and the Serbs (1914), The End of the Ottoman Empire (1920) and The Egyptian Problem (1921). He is generally credited with popularizing "Middle East" in reference to the Arabian Peninsula with his book The Middle Eastern Question (1903). "Chirol" is a US citizen and graduate student studying Defense and Strategic Studies and government contractor. As with the historical Chirol, he has traveled to over two dozen countries and lived abroad for many years. Chirol speaks English and German fluently with basic knowledge of manyl of others.
This entry was posted in In the News, Kaukasos and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.

7 Responses to Georgia Roundup

  1. Debris says:
    10/6/2006 at 10:45 am

    I was in Abkhazia last August

    Find a piece and pictures of mine here:

    http://polosbastards.com/pb/abkhazia-the-bridge-on-the-river-inguri/

  2. Sean says:
    10/6/2006 at 2:09 pm

    ‘Can he stand up to the bear?’

    Not in that shirt ;-)

  3. Dan tdaxp says:
    10/6/2006 at 9:38 pm

    My God. I agree with John Robb.

    It’s the end of the world.

  4. Phil Barr says:
    10/7/2006 at 1:27 am

    “Russia continues to put the screws to Georgia as part of its greater fear of a third wave of NATO expansion. Feeling left out of regional security…”
    Yeah, fear of NATO expansion right – NATO is losing the war in Afghanistan and with it will lose its credibility as a fighting force and and the lease on continued existence.
    http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/HI30Df01.html

    Further dilution of NATO by means of addition of thread bare “armies” such as Georgia’s will further damage its ability to fight if any.
    Georgia significance is limited to being a geographic space where the Baku-Tbilisi-Sheyhan oil pipeline runs. Naturally Russia wants to control that energy route is well. Here’s an excellent series of 5 articles explaining Russia’s rise as an energy superpower and the West’s unenviable situation because of that
    http://atimes01.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/HI29Ag01.html

  5. Phil Barr says:
    10/7/2006 at 1:31 am

    CORRECTION -above links are valid but you need to remove whatever characters pop up on the command line
    after last part .html

  6. Pingback: ComingAnarchy.com » Blog Archive » Becoming a Micropower

  7. Pingback: ComingAnarchy.com » Blog Archive » Georgia: Little Engine that Can?