**US Reserves Judgment on Georgian Government**
American Army reserve colonel Bob Hamilton has harsh words for Georgia’s government. He says they should not be recognized as a legitimate authority by Western governments.
Hamilton told Voice of America that any official communication with the Georgian government is unacceptable. “The only thing we should wish for Kobakhidze is a safe flight to Moscow when his government collapses and is replaced by a government that represents the will of the Georgian people,” he said.
He believes that the West’s support for Georgia was based on its efforts to build democracy and civil society in the region. However, if this process ends, Georgia will become less of a priority for Western governments.
**NATO’s Mistake**
Hamilton criticized NATO’s Secretary General for wishing Prime Minister Kobakhidze a Happy New Year. He thinks this was an unacceptable move that legitimized the Georgian government. “Any official communication with this government legitimizes it – a government that I believe most Western governments agree is illegitimate,” he said.
**US Sanctions**
Hamilton welcomed the US Treasury Department’s sanctioning of Bidzina Ivanishvili, saying it was overdue. He believes that sanctioning Ivanishvili recognizes him as the person who controls the country.
He hopes that the US will extend sanctions to Ivanishvili’s family and close associates, making it harder for him and his loved ones to do business with Russia.
**Conclusion**
Hamilton thinks that Western governments need to take a stronger stance against Georgia’s authoritarian government. He believes that this would be more effective than just sanctions, which are just a “penalty” for the country’s actions.