"From the gut (and the heart)" Editorials by Paul Olivier Help for Georgia. One of the former USSR republics and independent from Russia since 1991, has come in the limelight's. It's Head of State, former foreign minister of the USSR, Edward Shevardnadze has asked and gotten military help from the USA in its struggle with terrorist from Chetsnia. A contingency of US forces have been send to train its military. The Russians have expressed their displeasure with the extension of the influence of the US into their former "province", however the benefit might not just be the boxing in of Al Qaeda as these have interfaced with the Chetsnian rebels, but in the long run a better economical positioned neighbor can only be good for Russia. Shevardnadze might aim for economical benefits for his country as Musharraf got for Pakistan. Georgia's economy has greatly suffered from armed conflicts with a separatist movement in it's North West. If the side effect of the War on Terrorism is the economical and political stability of Georgia, it would be a nice bonus. The country could develop itself into a attractive tourist destination with its pleasant Mediterranean type climate and it's west coast beaches on the Black Sea. As a base for anti terrorism it is well situated: not to close and not to far from Iran, Iraq and Syria. The USA is closing in on "Babylon". Email Paul Your Comments Past Editorials   Date