"Hidden in plan sight" is the only way to describe oppression in Georgia. The imprisonment of political opponents, mysterious murders, torture and mistreatment have been the mainstay of politics in Georgia for a long time now. Yet, all the Western press, as if on a cue, is curiously oblivious to this not so hidden oppression. But being an outsider, there are still aspects of Georgian politics that are too complex to understand. The war in August 2008 can explain the support for a flawed, and externally controlled leader. Such a traumatic event makes population rally around the leader and the government. But what is not easily explainable is the appearance of complacency of general population in the face of hardship, and the belief that NATO will solve all of their problems. I am starting to believe that the populace is not so eager to get the protection from Russia, but from their own leadership. There may be a genuine hope that once under NATO, the brutality of the politics in Georgia would be curbed. There may be a great deal of longing for normalcy, and the only way to take the venality out of politics appears to be the constraints that a superstructure, like NATO, could bring. I am afraid that these are false hopes. One has only to look at Kosovo to get the idea how the alliance deals with the local problems. Since the end of the NATO bombing in 1999, the province had been under nominal UN umbrella, but the security was managed by NATO's KFOR units. Ten years have passed, and Kosovo became an outpost, something from the nighmarish Star Wars movies. NATO has constructed a sprawling military base, Camp Bondsteel, and has allowed all forms of criminal enterprise to rule the province. All the current rules have been and still are involved in multitude of most hideous criminal activities, from human trafficking to organ harvesting. The minorities there are shoved in "enclaves", a polite name for barbed-wire protected ghettos. Over one hundred of ancient Serbian churches, monasteries and other antiquities have been burned, bombed and looted in plain sight of NATO forces. Serbian population is meticulously removed by intimidation or murder. That is what NATO does in Kosovo. Now, NATO has insured that the "independent" Kosovo takes all the blame for the crime, non-existent economy and other ills, while it uses the territory as it wishes. I am afraid that the population of Georgia simply does not understand what awaits it. Georgia cannot hope to become another prosperous NATO country, but more likely another NATOstan, like Kosovo. The calculus for NATO is simple. By turning over the governance to the criminal power structures, NATO will not assume any responsibility for the economy. Criminal power structure is also easily controllable, as the quid-pro-quo is understood: NATO gets to use the territory without conditions, while criminal enterprise will not worry about bad press or prosecution. Should any of them step out of line, they will be singled out as "corrupt", marginalized or disposed off. Under such governance, there is simply no chance for an honest politician to win. The life in an imperial outpost is brutal and uncaring. There is no need for educated populace, as educated are usually troublesome people that demand good economy and opportunities. There is no need for good health care, water, sewer or trash collection. All these services are usually done on the cheap, for as long as the areas used by the military are clear of obstacles and in reasonable good shape. I am sure that most people in Georgia imagine their lives to be better under NATO. I would suggest that Kosovo option is more likely scenario.