The American Spectator

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Europe's New Soft Underbelly

By James Poulos on 7.11.06 @ 7:34AM

The allied plan for overthrowing Fascism in Europe involved striking at what Churchill called the Continent's "soft underbelly," which then was to be found, courtesy of Mussolini, in the central Mediterranean. Now that vulnerable flank is more squarely situated in the Black Sea. Since summer of last year I have suggested here at AmSpec that (a) the EU ought to expand to include Turkey, but at a finely regimented snail's pace, and (b) Georgia, land of the Rose Revolution, is critical to the success of the last united Western grand strategy -- the advance of the frontier of the rule of law and ordered liberty from its southeasterly flank in Europe.

These issues are now back in the news as we struggle to fashion a proper Georgia policy. Last Thursday, feted Georgian prez and no stranger to America Mikhail Saakashvili spoke at AEI, and you can find and watch his speech (scroll down) at C-SPAN. My takes on Russia, Georgia, and the necessities of the West, plus links to a fuller discussion, are found here.

topics:
Law, Russia, Fascism