Time to Move a Little Faster!
Op-ed
Things are changing fast in the world. Suffice to say that a couple of months ago, Russia and America were ready to eat each other alive, but today, they are almost eager to embrace the spirit of peaceful coexistence and mutual cooperation (if this is possible between the two long-feuding giants). At the very least, they are both up to reciprocating the summits in the near future.
What is Georgia doing at this great moment of the Russian-American thaw? Georgia is sitting like a fluffy little darling of a puppy, squeezed between two mastiffs, wagging its downy tail fast and turning its head from side to side, trying to give out occasional barks in sotto voce to attract the attention of the edgy vicious beasts. Was the picture clear enough for a momentary perception? If it was, let us proceed!
If America and Russia overcome their differences and settle down as partners to promote a more optimal world order than this, Georgia will be looking at a blurry prospect of survival, not having a clue what the patrons of the world might suggest as a solution to its territorial problems and geopolitical orientation. The worst political corollary for Georgia will likely be the persistence of the status quo, as mindboggling and heartbreaking as it has been in the last umpteen moons.
If things are changed in the world but nothing changes for Georgia, we might cease to develop, which may very well yield into our questioning our existence as such. That said, we could development independently, without the overt meddling of outside dominant forces, but this path would be extremely unsavory: forget about territorial integrity and enjoy what we have?! Even the thought of this prospect is devastating for a nation that has never lost hope of recovering its lost lands.
Meanwhile, the current national scenery overflows with political contradictions and existential discrepancies: America is faithfully helping Georgia into the western military alliance and Russia is threatening to kill that joy so harshly that Georgia might never recover from the presumable consequences; the West is boasting its total independence from Russian threats and menaces when it comes to widening NATO membership, but the reality is that they cannot help reckoning with Russian interests and attitudes; Georgia is living in hope that the West is so near at hand that it might find itself in the Alliance in the twinkle of an eye, only a mirage at this very moment because the Russian Cerberus is sitting right in front of the gates of NATO, ready to tear Georgia apart of it dares to make an entrance.
The dream of being part of the western family of nations is what makes Georgia tick right now, and if we are laid devoid of this dream, we might find ourselves at a terrible political loss. Going back to the Russian bosom is an option as dark as Hades, because it entails falling back to soviet ways and means, and losing that which we have dedicated 30 years of our lives to.
Living in unending expectation, knowing that nothing is moving forward, is also frustrating. So the Russian-American political tapering off might be the sign of some movement forward for Georgia and a breaking of the detestable status quo which has been sitting on our neck like a heavy painful yoke for so many years that it has depleted the creative energy needed to improve our lifestyle.
Of course, we are working to feed ourselves and our kids, not idling away all our time, but this is just a scanty drop in a bucket. This nation has much bigger potential to take care of itself, but that potential is not being used to its full extent because it is blocked by the interminable status quo. And the blame should be put firmly on the shoulders of those who are propping up that status quo so severely imposed on us. We see the grass growing quick under our feet, but we are not able to do anything about it.
It is time to move a little faster so that we are not completely sucked into the political marsh that is narrowing around us to strangulate our chances of survival. Conventional wisdom has it that a sleeping fox catches no chickens – nothing ventured nothing gained!
By Nugzar B. Ruhadze