The Republican Party in the former Soviet Georgia?

[Pale_Rider]

Nearly blew coffee all over the keyboard. Why is the Republican Party sponsoring an agency to foster democracy ("good-government projects") in other parts of the world?




http://www.thehill.com/open_secrets/120303.aspx
Georgia on McCain’s mind after resignation

Last week’s “white rose revolution” in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia had lots of nuts-and-bolts help from the Republican Party.

The International Republican Institute (IRI), the GOP’s civil-society training branch, headed by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), has been working in Georgia for eight years.

The aim was never to oust former Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze, said Stephen Nix of IRI. But given the extent of political corruption in the country, IRI’s many good-government projects had roughly the same effect.

“Events show we’ve been pretty successful,” said Nix.

Here's the IRI website ... http://www.iri.org/

The International Republican Institute supports the growth of political and economic freedom, good governance and human rights around the world by educating people, parties and governments on the values and practices of democracy.

... yikes ... they are recruiting workers for Venezuela to organize youths! Smells like right-wing indoctrination for the world.

http://www.iri.org/countries.asp?id=1510190109

[ShaneGR]

1. I don't think this is a partisan issue

Plenty of Dems, including me, were very interested in Democratic reforms in Georgia. This isn't a Dem or Republican issue, as shown by George Soros's eurasia organisation.

Basically, Georgia is run by mafia, and up until now there attempts at elections have been shady at best.

[Pale_Rider]

2. It shouldn't be they approach all political parties ...

... in the process. However, if they only work with those political parties that would be closely aligned with the Republican party, then I might be highly skeptical.

[TheUnknownPoster]

3. What if the Democratic party

set up something to try and foster progressive, liberal, democratic values overseas and establish links with parties and organizations in other countries that shared those values? That would be good, right?

So why does it surprise you that the Republicans would try and do the same thing for their party?

[Pale_Rider]

4. Sorry, but I rather prefer bipartisian international assistance ....

... for democratic transitions. Anyway, doing a bit more researching on NED, the IRI and their involvement in the Venezuelan coup I ran across these interesting tibits:

US AGENCY, IRI, BOASTS "WE WERE THE BRIDGE" IN VENEZUELA COUP
http://emperors-clothes.com/analysis/iri-ven.htm

Our Gang in Venezuela?
http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml%3Fi=20020805&s=corn

As Turmoil Deepens in Venezuela, Questions Regarding NED Activities Remain Unanswered
http://www.americaspolicy.org/articles/2002/0212venezuela_body.html

It would appear to me that the IRI was a contributing factor in the Venezuelan coup.

[Pale_Rider]

5. Hmmm, IRI in Haiti ...

... apparently supported the military coup that overthrew Aristide. Hmmm ... more tibits.

http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti-archive/msg00103.html
And why didn't IRI pull out of Haiti during the coup? Because its
"courageous democrats" were happy and working with the
"pluralistic, tolerant" military dictatorship. No wonder the
Haitian people so disdain Zarin and his crew.

http://www.mumia.org/wwwboard/messages/1557.html
The IRI has taken a leading role in trying to re-establish a political party system. And in doing so, it has run afoul of supporters of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who still dominates politics and appears poised to return to power in 2000 elections. Aristide's camp contends that the IRI is funding right-wing politicians who supported the 1991 army coup that ousted him.

http://www.williambowles.info/ini/ini-026.html
The US is backing a coalition of tiny, right-wing parties, the Democratic Convergence, which has links to US right-wing organisations and big business interests in the Haitian economy and which has according to reports, millions of dollars of funding from, you guessed it, the National Endowment for Democracy.

"In January 2001, Ira Kurzban, the Aristide administration's general counsel in the U.S., claimed that the IRI facilitated the allocation of $3 million of NED funds to the Convergence. Shortly thereafter, in a February 2 article, The Washington Post substantiated the IRI's connection to the origins of the Convergence. In effect, the IRI has arranged for the Convergence to have a de facto veto power over Aristide's constitutional mandate."