What they fought for

The scandal surrounding Russian military bases is close to ending. The new Russian proposals, which apparently indicate a readiness to withdraw the bases during 2008, suit the Georgian authorities. Only one question remains: why Moscow sabotaged the negotiations for so long, insisting that it would take at least eleven years to transfer the bases. It turns out that if the Kremlin is capable of making reasonable decisions, it is only when it is presented with an ultimatum.