GEORGIA, GEORGIA! NO PEACE I FIND.(Carmichael/Gorrell)

Many a reader will be aware that our title is taken from the song, 'Georgia on my mind', referring to the one in the USA. It is, however, the Georgia in the Caucasus that is currently the centre of attention. I don't suppose for one moment that we shall ever know what the true cause was for the brief conflict. We do understand, nevertheless, that Russia needs little or no provocation to flex it's military muscle. As a people they are far too suspicious, this being an indoctrination from the top. They call themselves a democracy but their existence is controlled by a similar band of 'control freaks', who operate in a fashion akin to the Kremlin of old; making themselves extremely rich, while flying under a flag of convenience.


Strange how, in such a short time, so many oligarchs appeared. Those that became non-conformists, the ones that had a different political perspective and were not prepared to give the 'top brass' a financial 'kick back', wisely went abroad. Those that stayed at home were soon on some trumped up charge, finishing up behind bars.


We are also witnessing a purge against foreign companies, BP in particular. Presumably once the initial hard graft is done, the aforementioned oligarchs want to pick a fight to justify their positions in the eyes of their Goverment. BP could have got of to a sloppy start under their former chief, omitting to dot all the i's and cross the t's.


The disappointing aspect of all this is that the Russians have all these natural resources which are giving them wealth but insist on holding other nations to ransom. Showing not a scrap of intent to trade under reasonable terms.


We in the west can't overly criticise their military aggression in Georgia. This smacks of the pot calling the kettle black. Had we been smart we would have solved the Iraq problem in 1991.







JUST AN OLD SWEET SONG KEEPS GEORGIA ON MY MIND.