This monument is dedicated to the memory of 300,000 Georgians who died in WW II. It was a beautiful and sentimental monument - today it's just a pile of smashed concrete and twisted steel. Saakashvili is determined to destroy all memories of Georgian people's relations with their Russian neighbors. That the date chosen for the monument's total destruction is Saakashvili's birthday attests to the insanity of that man. One of Saakashvili's close advisors is Mart Laar, the former president of Estonia. He is an anti-Russian hysteric who serves as a personal "Rasputin" to Saakashvili. This fascist lunatic may have inflamed Saakashvili's anti-Russian passions to a point of even destroying their own monuments dedicated the the brave Georgian men and women who sacrificed their lives in WW II. Saakashvili is a curse on the Georgian people.

The U.S and EU elite are paying for destruction of monuments -which was a physical memorial to the lives lost for the struggle for Georgia against the forces of fascism in WWII. I doubt there be any negative repercussions from the European leaders for this shocking vandalism of history. Russia's leaders should read the deeper meaning of the destruction of this historical monument.What is clear is that the United States and EU political elite have great deal in common with the forces of the Talibans for both support the destruction of historical architectural landmarks in Iraq Afghanistan and no in Georgia.

The destruction or moving of WWII monuments is a disgrace, wherever it occurs. These people honoured by these monuments died defeating the evil Nazi foe, they gave their lives, their future, their very existence. They and their families lives were detroyed and terminated. They cannot move no more, they cannot be destroyed any more, for they have given every last part of their flesh and blood. But we as humans can remember their great suffering, their gift of their lives for us. To destroy or move their monument is to spit into their faces, it is to throw their gift of a Nazi free europe in a fire of evil flames. Instead we should be making these monuments more pronounced, working them into our lives and concience more. What better than a buiding with such a monument as a focus. These soules gave everything, we need always remember them and turn our back on the evil ones, who want us to forget, so that their 'gift' of hatred and destruction can be left with us. I salute the fallen ones and respect their memory and cherrish their great gift, and I reject the ones who seek confrontation with their hatred filled rhetoric. The ones who seek to return us to the dark days of mass conflict in Europe.

There is something going on in Europe that is worth understanding and analyzing. There is a growing sentiment of questioning the WWII experience. I am not concerned about the die hard confused Estonian, who still wants to believe that Hiter wanted to save the world from Soviet Union. But the problem is bigger, much bigger then that. Europeans have started to see WWII as the destruction of Europe, and are no longer that much focused on what Hitler did, as much as what US/UK did to Europe since. The enduring pressure on Europe to be the handmaiden of US/UK agenda has become popularized among the ordinary people. They see England as merely a Trojan horse to destroy Europe. The whole experience is seen less and less in the terms of this gigantic struggle for survival --- which for the people of Russia that war was. But it has been seen more as the continuation of WWI, when the leading industrial state, Germany, was punished for starting WWI, which it actually did not do. However, the perception persists that by trying to keep the Germany down, England, France and the emerging US, imposed a new order on Europe. In that light, all such projects, such as Yugoslavia, were perceived as the means of IMPOSING on Europe a new map. Everything, including Depression and the rise of Hitler, is increasingly seen as the result of trying to keep Europe down. Today's flirting with Nazism, abandoning ideals of fight against nazism, can all be attributed to the waning sentiments of that war. Saakasvilli is merely in step with "Europe". The new Europe that views the WWII with mixed feelings --- at best. Something for Russia to keep in mind as Europe keeps sinking economically.

Bianca, I think you are trying to collapse two distinct narratives. First, Europeans knew in 1944 WWII ended Europe as a modern civilization. Second, majority of Europeans already know that the destruction of Europe after WWII has led to the Rise of the United States as a global hegemonic power. Third, I do agree with you that there is growing acute awareness in Europe of U. domination of Europe. However, this awareness cannot be achieved by rearticulating of WWII events to somehow lessen the fascistic objective of the Third Reich. The Third Reich has lot of support among key memebrs of U.K/US corporations and elite members. It is pertinent to keep in mind that the United States and the UK did not fully commit to opening a Second Front against the Third Reich until 1944 when the Soviets defeated the Third Reich in Kursk at point which opening Second Front against the Third Reich has to be done for Soviet could have done the whole thing withouth any help from the Western powers. Most educated European know this already.

Sarah, I fully agree with you. But this is what bugs me. It seems that the Nazi narrative rooted in the old generation's sense of loss, is now deliberately rehashed and inplanted into the new generations as an expression of Europeanness. But behind this new flirting with Nazi narrative, and the attempts to reshape it as the EUROPEAN narrative, lie the same old US/UK interests. Let's see the pattern. In Croatia in late 80s, the most virulent brand of nazism implanted itself into an already existing, but benign form of Croatian nationalism within Yugoslavia. Nazi organizations that migrated to Argentina following the WWII, were tapped in, brought back and took over the mission to dismantle Yugoslavia. Every form of Nazi (Ustashas in Croatian) attrocity was commited in Croatia against minority Serb population, with the complete media darkness in the West. Until today, Croatia the newest NATO member is raveling in indoctrinating youth with Nazi symbology, and myth. It is all coddled and approved, along with a rock singer, Thompson, the idol of Nazi youth ever present at concerts and football games. Tens of thousands cheer with NAZI salute. Move on then to support of Bosnian Hanjar Nazi Brigade nostalgia, Kosovo Albanians Nazi sympathizers, Ukrainian West being propped up with their Nazi memories, Estonian and Baltics bitterness being supported to the max. Demolishing monuments is another form of saying the same. What is the objective? To get Germans themselves feel free to hate, and undermine the German politics that aims to incrase energy, commercial and political ties with Russia. What better way of undermining this. Get the youth to flirt with the nazi sentiments, forcing politicians to crawl into the safety of public opinion. It is the "new" Europe that is being infected, and there has got to be a reason. Stupid Saakashvili called his vandalism "European". Yes, perhaps. It is the US/UK Europe that he is having in mind.

Just to add the clarification. I am indeed collapsing two narratives, as I have tried to understand the seemgly contradictory phenomena. One is the real, obvious and keenly felt sense of loss that Europe has experienced. Europe has not had much time since the Cold War to gain its own sense of direction. However, US/UK actions in Europe had a distict flavor of supporting only those nations or national groups that had the keen sense of anger and loss stemming out of WWII. Support of Baltics in their nearly pathological hate of anything Russian, tolerance of Nazi nostalgia and an obivous investment in youth to carry on those sentiments. It is the support of misguided youth that troubles me the most. Western Ukraine, Croatia, Bosnian Hanjars, Kosovo Albanian Nazis. Such phenomena is less pronouced but exists in Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Czech Republic and Poland. While governments mouth off the politically correct language, the reality on the ground shows the truth. In Croatia, the former Minister of Education attended with his kids a concert where the youth came dressed in Nazi garbs, with Ustasha insignia, and in tens of thousands raised their hands in "For homeland ready". No protests from the Jewish community at all this that is going on in Croatia, Ukraine, Baltics? Of course not; this is part of the plan to take over the current mostly intellectual pro-European sentiment --- toothless and amorphous. It will not withstand more virulent type of "European spirit", nutured and created from the outside. It is a Sarah Palin approach to getting the new, brainless version of "American spirit", once the intellectual flirting of Obama runs its course. I just hope they all run out of money before their experiments bear fruit.

December 17, 2009, 23:23, Sarah wrote > Bianca, > I think you are trying to collapse two distinct narratives. First, Europeans knew in 1944 WWII ended Europe as a modern civilization. Second, majority of Europeans already know that the destruction of Europe after WWII has led to the Rise of the United States as a global hegemonic power. > Third, I do agree with you that there is growing acute awareness in Europe of U. domination of Europe. However, this awareness cannot be achieved by rearticulating of WWII events to somehow lessen the fascistic objective of the Third Reich. The Third Reich has lot of support among key memebrs of U.K/US corporations and elite members. It is pertinent to keep in mind that the United States and the UK did not fully commit to opening a Second Front against the Third Reich until 1944 when the Soviets defeated the Third Reich in Kursk at point which opening Second Front against the Third Reich has to be done for Soviet could have done the whole thing withouth any help from the Western powers. Most educated European know this already. Sarah, I am curious, did the USA actually do anything to help defeat Nazism? By your accounts, your argument of the "lack of contribution" from the USA is INSULTING! Global Hegemonic Power?????? Do you want the USA to "apologize" for being what it is? You must be inhaling some really "rareified" air up there.

December 18, 2009, 18:15, Bianca wrote > Sarah, I fully agree with you. But this is what bugs me. It seems that the Nazi narrative rooted in the old generation's sense of loss, is now deliberately rehashed and inplanted into the new generations as an expression of Europeanness. But behind this new flirting with Nazi narrative, and the attempts to reshape it as the EUROPEAN narrative, lie the same old US/UK interests. Let's see the pattern. Until today, Croatia the newest NATO member is raveling in indoctrinating youth with Nazi symbology, and myth. It is all coddled and approved, along with a rock singer, Thompson, the idol of Nazi youth ever present at concerts and football games. Tens of thousands cheer with NAZI salute. Move on then to support of Bosnian Hanjar Nazi Brigade nostalgia, Kosovo Albanians Nazi sympathizers, Ukrainian West being propped up with their Nazi memories, Estonian and Baltics bitterness being supported to the max. Demolishing monuments is another form of saying the same. What is the objective? To get Germans themselves feel free to hate, and undermine the German politics that aims to incrase energy, commercial and political ties with Russia. What better way of undermining this. Get the youth to flirt with the nazi sentiments, forcing politicians to crawl into the safety of public opinion. It is the "new" Europe that is being infected, and there has got to be a reason. Stupid Saakashvili called his vandalism "European". Yes, perhaps. It is the US/UK Europe that he is having in mind. Bianca, Have you ever heard of the "Skin Heads" in Moscow? In Russia proper? Why do you HATE so much?

Bianka, Sarah, Count Cash and Kihnu - great comments. I agree with all of you. It is very disturbing what is happening in small Eastern European countries. US and UK should remember that when you play with a dangeorus fire, such as Nazism, you get burned. And the small countries that fancy themselves as important players, should also remember that when the going gets tough, US and UK will chose to protect and secure their own interests, and not the interests of these E.European countries who let themselves be manipulated in exchange hoping for protection, but in fact are just disposable fodder as far as US is concerned. I am glad that the Russians finally learned their lesson that they should not be charitable indiscriminately to everyone around, hoping that their kindness, and sometimes self-sacrifice, would be remembered forever. Humans, apparently, have very short memory.

The destruction of the Kutaisi monument is an other confirmation to the people of S. Ossetia and Abkhasia as to what awaits their culture if Georgia was ever to grab these territories. There is no doubt in my mind that the Saakashvili's government would tear down all monuments and edifices dedicated to the history and culture of the Ossetian and Abkhasian people. Saakashvili will try to erase any reference to the distinct ethnic identities of the local populations of these territories - just like the Nazis tried to erase the identity of Poland from the map of Europe. Ironic that Saakashvili endeavors to get his country into NATO, while his moral and political values are absolutely contrary to those held by that organization. Saakashvili will never regret the destruction of this monument because his arrogance prevents him from regretting any decision he has made. However, the Georgian people will get another glimpse into the mind of this madman. The Georgian people have to rid themselves of this American imposed madman before he does any more damage to Georgia.

Bianca, keep in mind that American colonial imperative of Manifest Destiny is not that much different held by the Third Reich. Second, what the countries you’ve listed here, Croatia, Bosnian Hanjars, Kosovo Albanian Nazis, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Czech Republic and Poland, have in common is that they are key to the prolonging of the U.S hold on Europe. The leaders of the Old Europe could see this cannot make bold decisions because the United States still occupies their countries. As for Sarah Palin, I doubt she understands what is European modernity/Enlightenment. I doubt that Sarah Palin has read Hegel, Kant. Sarah Palin represents very American frontier settler state mentality of Christian Fundamentalism, intolerance and fear. I remember when she made very stupid remark something to the effect how the French were wasting money by funding research program in fruit flies genetics. Student of biology know the significant role research in fruit flies played to our knowledge and understanding of genetic science. Yet, Sarah Palin has a real chance to come the President of the United States. George W, Bush was not smarter than Sarah Palin and he became the President of the United States twice. In reality, since the end of WII European science and scientific know-how has propelled the U.S empire to world dominance. Neocons reference to the Clash of Civilisations masks the fact that the United States is a frontier country which has been living in a bubble for the last two hundred years. Europeans had to learn the hard lessons of wars of destruction but today’s youth have no experience of these wars and can become easy prey to fascist ideologies- which often come to them as commercialised violence in Hollywood war movies. Now, think about the U.S response to the smashing of historical Monuments to the men and women who fought and died in WII fighting against fascism.

The Georgian media is reporting that a mother and her 8 year old daughter died when Saakashvili's boys blew up the Kutaisi monument. The reports say the victims died as result of concrete blocks raining down on their home. Four other person were seriously wounded. I suppose Saakashvili was screaming to the demolition start and his stooges simply pile explosives around the monument and just lit the fuse without a care in the world about the consequences. Sort of like Saakashvili's attack to S. Ossetia.

It is a crime to humanity to tear down a world warII memorial. This is not right.

Fret not, dear Georgian friends, in my own country they too have torn down all the great monuments of a once great nation. The great monuments of faith, hope and love in a great and awesome God. The monument that is made without hands. A monument that says, peace and love towards my fellow man. A monument that is made in the heart of man that produces love, joy and peace. The faith in Jesus Christ that gives a peace that surpasses all understanding. A hope in a living God that cannot shatter the dreams of a man that only wants to live at peace with his fellow man and worship the one true God. A love of God that cannot be taken away, no matter how many physical monuments they tear down. This once and great nation that was a beacon on a hill, that shined it's light into darkness and exposed the awfulness and wretched behavior of ungodly people throughout the world. We where looked to as a moral nation with men of great character. A nation that all nations could not agree with, but all nations had respect for. A nation that was born out of truth, honesty and integrity. A nation that said, If God be for us, who can be against us. My nation has replaced a monument made without hands and replaced it with monuments made with steele and mortar and concrete. A nation that sells more weapons of war than just about all the other nations combined. A nation that has exchanged the faith in the living God for a faith in the almighty dollar. For, THE LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL. By selling their souls for the love of money, they have become slaves to corruption. My Prayer to you dear Georgian friends is that you tear down your War Memorials with grace and dignity and build bigger and greater monuments in your hearts to a wise and wonderful God. The only true God, Jesus Christ. For He is, THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE.

Sierra Nevada The United States did help the WW defeat of Fascism. I have never denied that. But the United States's contribution to the defeated of the Third Reich cannot be compared to the at of the Soviet Union. But this is not the consensus in the United States. In fact, in the United States, perhaps 99% of the American citizens believe the United States defeated fascism in WWII. As for the US. as imperial sole power: when the U.S army fights and defeats an army with the comparable military capability- as that between The Soviet Union and the Germany WII, then you can brag all you want about American imperial power but the fact remains, the United States has never defeated an army of comparable military strength. Tell me if I am wrong. This is not necessarily the fault of ordinary Americans. Majority of Americans have no actually knowledge of gigantic battles which decided the fate of WII such as that which took place in Kursk, Stalingrad, Leningrad and at the gates of Moscow. Russia/the Soviet Union defeated the Third Reich whereas other nations-including the United States, made significant contributions. Now, I cannot imagine Russia standby or giving a tacit support to the destruction of monuments dedicated to American soldiers in WII. And yet both Georgian and Estonian leaders are puppets of U.S. foreign policy. Thanks to the internet, today the wider world can read about the sacrifice made by the Red Army to defeat Fascism in Europe. I understand the United States voted against U.N General Assembly resolution condemning the desecration of this monument. This is shameful. WII ended in May 1945 in the Berlin and it was the Red Army that ended it. This is the history which Hollywood films have been trying to suppress for the last 64 years. Russia is finally spending the necessary resources on the media to present its point of view in the world.

It reminds me by sheer stupidity of the situation when Taliban destroyed Budha statues. I would not be surprised if this was suggested by US advisers to Sakashvily with aim to wipe out cultural and historical links with Russia. To destroy memorial dedicated to own people who fought for nations todays peace is like destroying a sacred place. There's no doubt that those responsible will sooner or later be punished. There's already water boiling for every pig there.

According to Russia’s State media RIA NOVOSI, the Russian Federation Foreign Minister was caught off guard by the fact that the United States voted against Russia' proposal to the UN Assembly which banned the defiling and destruction of monuments dedicated to those sacrificed their lives to defending Europe from fascism in WWII. According to this report, all EU nations abstained from voting for this resolution[which means they voted against it] whilst the U.S voted against it outright. But why was Russia so naïve to anticipate this outcome? Was it not the case the EU seeks to equate the Soviet Union and the heroic deeds of the Red Army with those of the Third Reich? Russia did the smart thing by forcing the issue and putting the European and The U.S leaders on record but Russia leaders should not have been surprised. Instead, Russian leaders should read the deeper meaning of this cowardly acts as part of calculated attack on Russia by Anglo American elite. The European leaders are not free and will vote as they are told to vote and they did. Russia be careful and be on guard. http://en.rian.ru/russia/20091220/157304558.html

Three quarters of the German troops killed during WW II died on the Eastern Front. The often glorified D-Day invasion was only possible because the best German fighting units were on the Eastern Front. If Hitler had been able to defeat the USSR, a dark bloody hell would have descended upon the Slavs and Jews, far surpassing the horror that took place. Hitler's dream of a Thousand Year Reich was predicated on the elimination of the Slavs and Jews. Of course, there are some naive Balts and Georgians who regret German defeat because they believe Hitler would have allowed them a place in his delusional world of the master race - but, I believe they are wrong. The sacrifice of the peoples of the USSR saved the Western world from Hitler's nightmare. We should all be thankful to the men and women who defeated the Nazis instead of tearing down their monuments and mocking their sacrifices.