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Why U.S. Arrival in Georgia Has Moscow Hopping Mad
Wednesday, February 27, 2002
By Tony Karon
TIME

Georgian Interior Ministry trooper guards a check-point in the Pankisi Gorge.
Photo Credit: Shakh Aivazov -- The Associated Press.

Washington and Moscow have long competed over ex-Soviet Georgia as a geopolitical prize. The war on terrorism may help America win the game.

As a reward for backing the U.S. war on terrorism, Moscow expected American support for its own war in Chechnya -- and to be treated as a geopolitical partner. That's why it will feel kicked in the teeth by the deployment of U.S. military advisers and helicopters to the former Soviet republic of Georgia on Wednesday -- and unconfirmed reports that hundreds more may be on the way to support anti-terrorism efforts. "We think it could further aggravate the situation in the region, which is difficult as it is," Russian foreign minister Igor Ivanov said Wednesday. "That is our position and Washington is well aware of it."

For starters, the governments of Russia and Georgia have very different ideas on who the bad guys are. Moscow has long demanded the right to attack all Chechen fighters based inside Georgian territory, in particular a group of Chechen rebels sheltering in the Pankisi Gorge. Georgia, eager to break free of two centuries of Russian influence, has labeled the rebels "Chechen freedom fighters" -- and has refused Russia permission to launch operations in the Pankisi.

Now they've invited the U.S. to come into Pankisi instead, to train Georgian forces for an ongoing anti-terrorism mission. The U.S. and Georgia say their target will be about a dozen Arab extremists based in the area, believed to be long-time volunteers with a militant Chechen faction (rather than stragglers from Afghanistan). But they won't be launching an all-out campaign against Chechen fighters in the Pankisi.
(More: TIME.com News Source)
2002 © Time, Inc.

Dan