Fading Rose

During a visit to Tbilisi two years ago, American president George Bush proclaimed that Georgia has "taken tough steps to reform... economy and to crack down on corruption", "building a democratic society where the rights of minorities are respected, where a free press flourishes, a vigorous opposition is welcome and unity is achieved through peace."


Today, as thousands rally in Tbilisi against President Saakashvili, calling for his resignation on charges of corruption and authoritarianism, we see heavily armed police forces descend on the protesters, closing down the opposition-leaning Imedi TV channel, arresting opposition leaders, and all TV news (except for the public broadcaster) to be suspended.

Some sources say that even the sanctity of churches are being violated, with tear gas canisters launched into them.

So much for the Rose Revolution.

And when the aforementioned methods don't seem to be working, President Saakashvili does what every US-backed Eastern European leader does in any time of crisis: blame the Russians. I quote, "Evil forces are at work from a country that has great experience in this" - if there has ever been any external forces at work in Georgia, it has been American:

The model US-funded 2003 "Rose Revolution" in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia... Like in 1989 Romania, the 2003 "democratic revolution" in Georgia was just a palace coup.

Though he was brought into office by the mob in the street, Saakashvili has since gotten some old-time religion and decided that this riff-raff demanding early elections must be beaten to a pulp.

However, this latest people power may well be yet another coup by the Inner Party masked as a "people's uprising." It can get dizzying to follow the machinations of US foreign policy.

- the LRC blog

One wonders what Mr Bush thinks of the tide turning against his poster boy in the Caucasus, Mr Saakashvili.