Georgia Now! Will There Be An ‘Emergency’ in the USA Next?

Well…the manner in which the Bush administration is turning a blind eye towards countries declaring ‘emergency’ (in the present case Georgia), can we really rule out the possibility of the Americans themselves getting a taste of ‘emergency’ on their home turf soon? This ‘emergency’ in the US is just waiting to happen…as soon as something that can pass as ‘dramatic’ were to happen on its soil.

Meanwhile the latest reports from the Georgian capital Tbilisi sound so familiar (and compare well with the Bush administration’s approach in Pakistan). Here it goes: “The top U.S. official for the Caucasus praised Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili on Sunday for his leadership over the last 4 years, but suggested he lift a state of emergency and restore an independent media.”

Matt Bryza, US assistant secretary of state for European affairs, stated: “The President of Georgia has shown remarkable leadership…And the United States would not tell Saakashvili how to govern.”

President Saakashvili shocked his Western allies on Wednesday, ordering police to baton charge and fire tear gas at protesters calling for his resignation and then imposed a state of emergency, justifying it by accusing Russia of stirring unrest.

“NATO and European countries issued strongly worded statements condemning the police action and the emergency law — which bans independent media and meetings — but the United States has adopted a far softer tone.”

“We are not a big brother, we are a big friend,” US senior official Matt Bryza added.

“The opposition has called Saakashvili corrupt and guilty of mismanaging the economy. They also say he is using the emergency laws to give himself an unfair advantage in a January 5 presidential election he called on Thursday.” More here…

Deja vu…What???

Some tell-tale signs from the US. An agency report states: “As Congress debates new rules for government eavesdropping, a top intelligence official says it is time that people in the United States changed their definition of privacy…”