Two years after Georgia war, Saakashvili defiantly hangs on focus 08/06/2010

Two years after Georgia war, Saakashvili defiantly hangs on

focus 08/06/2010 TBILISI — Two years after Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin famously vowed to “make him hang by the balls” during the Georgia-Russia war, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili remains defiantly in power and is gradually rebuilding ties with the West. The brief but brutal war, which broke out on the night of Aug. 7, 2008, left many wondering if the flamboyant Saakashvili could stay in power and keep his tiny ex-Soviet republic from political and economic collapse. Experts said Saakashvili is a long way from repairing all the damage done to his reputation and continues to be seen by many in the West as an emotional and unpredictable leader. But after weathering large-scale opposition protests at home and constant Russian antagonism, Saakashvili has begun to slowly rebuild his image and get his country’s pro-Western aspirations back on track, analysts said. “After the war there was a general sense that he made a huge blunder that was very likely to cost him his job,” said Svante Cornell, the research director of the Stockholm-based Central Asia Caucasus Institute.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100806com7.html

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