.
Posted on 05/27/2024 6:08:25 AM PDT by Zhang Fei
Who is Your Enemy? One of the most fundamental differences between the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and the proposed Georgian foreign agents law is the historical context in which the two laws originated, and who they were directed against. The US Congress adopted FARA in 1938 specifically to target lobbying and consulting firms acting on behalf of the Nazi German government. Concern about Soviet Communist agents also motivated the law. Of course, by 1938, the United States under Franklin D. Roosevelt was already well aware that Nazi Germany presented a direct military and security threat to the country.
In contrast, advocates for Georgia’s foreign agents law – the Georgian Dream party leadership – have mentioned only United States and EU funding for Georgian NGOs as the source of foreign agents in Georgia. Georgian Dream politicians howl about “a second front,” and US and EU funding of “revolution.” In short, the Georgian Dream has put the United States and the EU in the same category as the United States put Nazi Germany in 1938. This, despite the fact that the US and EU have given Georgia billions of dollars and Euro in foreign assistance for over 30 years, the Georgian Dream government claims it seeks to join the EU, and it calls the United States its partner. And yet, with this law (as well as its daily rhetoric) Georgian Dream treats the US and the EU as enemy powers. The GD in advocating its foreign agents law never mentions the role of Russia – the country that a vast majority of Georgians define as Georgia’s main enemy – in trying to influence Georgian politics and subvert its democracy.
FARA’s origin as an anti-Nazi, anti-Bolshevik law is not just history. The US Justice Department has brought prosecutions under FARA only against individuals and organizations associated with money laundering, fraud, sanctions evasion, illegal campaign contributions, bribery, terrorism, and hostile foreign powers. Georgian Dream, instead, has targeted Georgian non-profit organizations which work lawfully and receive financial contributions from the US and member states of the European Union to carry out health, welfare, civil rights, educational, and other such activities in Georgia to benefit its population. None of the US or EU-funded organizations targeted by the Georgian Dream are associated with lawbreaking. All individuals and organizations targeted by the US Justice Department in FARA prosecutions are associated with serious criminal offenses.
Not our business
None of the US or EU-funded organizations targeted by the Georgian Dream are associated with lawbreaking. All individuals and organizations targeted by the US Justice Department in FARA prosecutions are associated with serious criminal offenses.
Lol… when our CIA “non governed groups” do it it’s benevolent and selfless and only for the good. Lol 😂 I love good comedy writing.
“ In short, the Georgian Dream has put the United States and the EU in the same category as the United States put Nazi Germany in 1938.”
Extremely unfair. We are not nearly as well dressed.
Btw one question. The law only requires that all our funding be in the daylight. Now why would we object to that? If our motives are so decent, e should be proud of who and what we fund there.
The writer;
“ Ted Jonas, a dual US-Georgian citizen, has lived in Georgia for nearly 30 years. An international lawyer and environmental activist, he was part of the original team that opened the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs office in Tbilisi in 1994”
So CIA connected…. Funded by US money?
I hope that The Russia puts down the color revolution in Georgia with extreme prejudice.
One aspect of the US law versus the Georgian law that he conveniently omits is that the US law is backed up by the threat of jail time (5 years, plus $250,000 for violating), but the Georgian law only has a small fine for not reporting, with the fine being $9500, a value easily payable by Western entities.
Seems pretty easy for the entities to comply with the law, unless they HIDING SOMETHING. Something like (and I’m making this up) calling themselves the “Georgian’s for Democracy Party”, but end up getting 95% of their funding from the EU. Seems that the people who may want to vote for that party should know who they likely answer to. Same for non-political entities - some NGO goes into your school for a week of geography instruction and all the kids there instantly come out as gay and anti-Russian - wouldn’t be good to know it was a UK-funded NGO, so as to prevent this from happening (again, just hypotheticals).
Georgia has none of those laws, which is why it’s such a mess. With the new law, the people there will know if they’re getting played.
There is reason that the NGOs are called the “Humanitarian Mafia”.
“So CIA connected…. Funded by US money?”
VERY TRUE - and likely has been handing out money like crazy to finance all of the ‘protests’ there.
Any comment on this, Zhang Fei?
Soros connected most likely....
Unless they are getting played by the Russians. For some reason Georgian Dream doesn’t have an equal interest in exposing Russian operations to the same daylight.
If I were a Georgian citizen I would want the law to apply to all foreign organizations.
Update: US and EU furious! Georgian Parliament approves the new law overcoming the President’s veto on the law on foreign agents. The law has passed! Paid CIA and MI6 agents must report who they work for!! pic.twitter.com/u8MdU4qLZV— US Civil Defense News (@CaptCoronado) May 27, 2024
“If I were a Georgian citizen I would want the law to apply to all foreign organizations.”
I think that is the case, and so the president there is more than welcome to apply it to Russia, as she already hates Russia anyway...so don’t worry regarding that.
As to Russian interference in Georgia, I agree with you, if it’s there, it should be disclosed...but I have no insight either way, because the law needs to be passed first.
I’m watching RT for updates. I had just read that it passed a committee, but the full vote is tomorrow.
...we’ll see, but it’s looking good as Georgia may well be prevented the “Ukrainian Outcome”.
...targeted Georgian non-profit organizations which work lawfully and receive financial contributions from the US and member states of the European Union to carry out health, welfare, civil rights, educational, and other such activities in Georgia to benefit its population....”
These Georgian NGO’s are promoting climate activism, homosexual lifestyles of all types and the general American leftist agenda - as usual. The American FARA law provides for imprisonment, the Georgian law just fines. The Georgian NGO’s are financed by the US and EU - ‘nuff said!!
Like Maria Butina whose sin was trying to get a version of the Second Amendment into Russia. What a dangerous foreign agent./sarc
.
[The writer;
“ Ted Jonas, a dual US-Georgian citizen, has lived in Georgia for nearly 30 years. An international lawyer and environmental activist, he was part of the original team that opened the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs office in Tbilisi in 1994”
So CIA connected…. Funded by US money?]
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.