Libya, Georgia

Last Month’s Article reported that the nation of Libya and its often-criticized leader, Muammar Gaddafi, have emerged from the political cold and are now being embraced by western nations. This month’s article will continue to report on developments in Libya and also on the situation in Georgia. With the changes in the political fabric of these nations, we are reawakened to the nearness of our Master’s return.

Libya

Since coming in from the diplomatic cold, Gaddafi has become a very hot commodity. In early February, Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister, became the first NATO member nation to visit Libya since the late 1980’s. It was then announced by Downing Street that British Prime Minister Tony Blair will visit as soon as convenient and the United States has said it has officials working on opening an embassy in the Libyan capital of Tripoli.

As reported by Reuters on February 10, 2004, Berlusconi said: “I’m carrying with me proposals from Gaddafi for U.S. President Bush related to improving ties between the United States and Libya.”

For the first time since 1969, a Libyan diplomat set foot on British soil. In early February, Libyan Foreign Minister Chalgam met with

Tony Blair. At the meeting, Blair indicated that Libya was making “good progress” on its promise to abandon banned weapons.

As reported in Stratfor-on-line, January 27, 2004, the Libyan government is fulfilling its pledge of eliminating its nuclear program. The article reported that: “A U.S. C­17 cargo plane landed in Knoxville, Tennesee, on January 27, carrying Libyan nuclear components ­termed by one U.S. official as ‘some extraordinary stuff’ — that will be destroyed as part of the process of dismantling Libya’s weapons of mass destruction program. A second shipment will follow in early February. Some materials will be destroyed in Libya.”

Libya has indeed come in from the cold and it may not be hard to fathom why. The country contains a prize of some 30-billion barrels of proven oil reserves, the tapping of which will provide her citizens a higher standard of living. Whatever the motive, however, we see this as the Lord bringing His plan and purpose to the climax of the end of this age.

Georgia

Lying directly to the south of Russia and part of the former Soviet empire is the nation of Georgia. Since the break-up of the USSR, Georgia has been led by former Soviet bureau member Edward Shevardnadze. In late January, Shevardnadze was ousted from his presidency and replaced by Mikhail Saakashville. Saakashville, a 36-year old American-educated lawyer, left little doubt which way his government was going to lean. During his inauguration, Saakashville had the Georgian troops march by wearing American uniforms. In attendance at the inauguration was U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell.

As reported in the January 31, 2004, Economist: “For the past 18 months the Georgian soldiers have been trained by instructors from the United States.” And the Americans are determined to stay in the region. Although their training program expires in May, the military links will remain. More importantly, Powell laid out the ground work for the future of Georgia when he told them that “the door to NATO remains open.”

The first stop of Georgian troops after the inauguration of the new President was Iraq, as 200 troops were sent in support of the American-led effort in that country.

This remarkable development of growing American and British influence to the south of Russia surely resonates with those passages speaking of the king of the south and the merchants of Tarshish and her young lions. The ebb and flow of current events again has us anticipating great developments in the very near future.