Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili's credibility in the West has been further eroded after a faked newscast sparked panic by announcing a Russian invasion, analysts and diplomats said.
The program on Imedi television, which has close links with Saakashvili, was a thinly veiled attempt to discredit the country's opposition that backfired, analysts said. It has prompted widespread condemnation - including from Georgia's chief ally the United States - as well as from European diplomats and ceasefire monitors.
If Georgian President Saakashvili had something to do with the recent "War of the Worlds" type news show that falsely broadcast "news" of a Russian invasion, I would not blame the voters there for dumping him at the first opportunity.
Remember, we support Georgian independence, democracy, and the current leader in that order. And the last is a distant third. At what point does Saakashvili harm the first two?
