>From: uvj at vsnl.com
>Reply-To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
>To: lbo <lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org>
>Subject: [lbo-talk] U.S. eyes Russian turf
>Date: Thu, 01 Jan 2004 23:39:16 +0500
>
>The Hindu
>
>Wednesday, Dec 31, 2003
>
>U.S. eyes Russian turf
>
>By Vladimir Radyuhin
>
>Russia has sent a strong signal to the U.S. that it will fight attempts to
>erode its position in the former Soviet states.
>
>RUSSIA AND the United States are heading for a new spiral of rivalry as
>Washington moves to install pro-Western leaders in the former Soviet
>Republics and set up more military bases along Russian borders.
>
>On Sunday, Georgia looks set to become the first former Soviet Republic
>where the U.S. has orchestrated the rise to power of a new leader. Mikhail
>Saakashvili, a U.S.-trained lawyer, is expected to win a snap presidential
>poll on January 4. It was called after Georgia's veteran leader, Eduard
>Shevardnadze, was forced to resign in the face of massive protests over
>suspected rigging in a parliamentary poll.
---
I don't think it matters WHO is in charge in Georgia. Actually Shevy was a very pro-US. Georgia has very little room to maneuver, what with Russia being able to cause it to disintegrate if if the mood so strikes it (large portions of Georgia want to secede to Russia).
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