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The "Global War Party" (Georgian: გლობალური ომის პარტია, globaluri omis p’art’ia) is a conspiracy theory created and advanced by the Georgian political party Georgian Dream. It is an alleged mysterious international organization exerting a key influence on the European Union and the United States.[1] According to some commentators connected to the party, the Global War Party includes the American military-industrial complex, George Soros and neoconservatives.[2] Georgian Dream has accused it of prolonging the Russo-Ukrainian war and spreading it to other countries,[1] assassinating sovereignist leaders,[3] orchestrating revolutions around the world,[4] and plotting to topple Georgian Dream from power.[5]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Irakli_Kobakhidze_and_Volodymyr_Groysman_07.jpg/330px-Irakli_Kobakhidze_and_Volodymyr_Groysman_07.jpg)
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has portrayed his government as in a fight against the "Global War Party", stating "there is no alternative to the fight against the 'Global War Party', it is a very painful, difficult fight, including from a personal point of view." He added that a surrender would lead to the "Ukrainization of Georgia".[6]
The claim has been widely dismissed by the West, with the US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James C. O'Brien describing the claims as a "Reddit page coming to life".[7] Responding to the conspiracy theory, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Lithuania, Gabrielius Landsbergis has stated "The only war party is in Moscow".[8]
Members
Despite frequent mentions from the Georgian government, Georgian Dream has not specified the members of the "Global War Party".[1] The term has been described as a dog whistle to refer to actual or perceived political opponents such as the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Council, the U.S. Congress, the U.S. State Department, the Western media, the NGO sector, Swiss banks, and the Georgian opposition – in particular, the United National Movement (UNM). Kobakhidze has stated that the term was not a reference to the European Union or the United States, and that "the EU is one of the main victims" of the alleged "Global War Party".[9]
Georgian Dream MP Mariam Lashkhi has compared the "Global War Party" to the Freemasons.[10] According to the Georgian Dream-connected commentators, the "Global War Party" stands for the American military-industrial complex corporations such as BlackRock, Vanguard Industries, State Street Corporation and Fidelity Investments, which they accuse of war profiteering, pushing America and other countries into endless wars, and making financial profit from the Russo-Ukrainian War.[11] Some commentators additionally name George Soros and Western neoconservatives as members.[2][12]
Irakli Kobakhidze has stated the influence of the "Global War Party" can be felt on President Salome Zourabichvili.[13] He has further added that the United National Movement, Giorgi Vashadze, Giorgi Gakharia, Girchi - More Freedom, and Lelo for Georgia are agents of the "Global War Party".[14] Furthermore, Kobakhidze has explicitly referred to the UNM as a member of the "Local War Party".[15]
History
Shortly after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Secretary of the Ukrainian National Security Council Oleksiy Danilov called Georgia and Moldova to open a "second front" against Russia.[16] Additionally, Oleksiy Arestovych, advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stated that it was a "historic opportunity to retake Abkhazia and South Ossetia".[17]
Following this, Georgian Dream has frequently accused the West of trying to open a "second front". Irakli Kobakhidze criticized these remarks, saying that the Ukrainian officials want to pursue their own interests at Georgia's expense because opening a second front would "make the situation worse for Russia", but it would also come at the cost of "destroying Georgia" as Russia's military is significantly stronger than the Georgian military.[18] Georgian Dream MP Gia Volski called on the EU and US to "distance themselves" from statements from some Ukrainian officials to "see Georgia engage in war".[19]
Soon after, Georgian Dream's rhetoric turned conspiratorial accusing a so-called "Global War Party" of being behind such calls, with which the NGO sector and Georgian opposition are supposed to be affiliated, most specifically the largest and highly pro-Western opposition party - United National Movement.[20]
The Georgian Dream leaders accused their arch-rival United National Movement of being involved in the efforts to "drag Georgia into the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine and open a second frontline".[21] Party chair Kobakhidze claimed "coordination and convergence of interests" between the UNM and the Ukrainian government.[22] Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili claimed that Ukraine had become a "shelter" for the Georgian "criminals", the former United National Movement members convicted on numerous charges in Georgia, such as the Deputy Head of Ukrainian military intelligence Giorgi Lortkipanidze, in top public posts in Ukraine and that these functionaries had been allegedly involved in organizing unrest in Georgia.[23][24]
In June 2022, the European Parliament passed several resolutions against the Georgian government and refused to grant Georgia candidate status. Kobakhidze criticized these actions and said that they were influenced by the "Global War Party".[25]
Meanwhile, in 2022 a total of nine MPs left the Georgian Dream parliamentary faction to establish People's Power party. The MPs maintained their support for the government, and thus provided for the parliamentary majority, but left Georgian Dream in order to freely speak "the truth about the West" and its officials. The MPs expressed strong anti-western sentiments and spread conspiracy theories such as that in exchange for EU candidate status, the West ordered Georgia to partially give up its sovereignty and go to war with Russia.[26]
Kobakhidze has accused the "Global War Party" of seizing $2 billion belonging to the Georgian oligarch, founder, and informal leader of Georgian Dream Bidzina Ivanishvili, calling it de facto sanctions. This has been cited as a reason why Ivanishvili has refused meetings with the representatives of the country's traditional allies. While it is unclear what he is referring to, Credit Suisse has been ordered to pay $926 million to Ivanishvili for failing to safeguard his assets.[9][27]
At a Georgian Dream rally in Tbilisi on 29 April 2024 Ivanishvili spoke as the headliner. Ivanishvili said that the "Global War Party" had a crucial role in the decision not to admit Georgia and Ukraine in NATO, therefore, putting them in the vulnerable position with regards to Russia, later to earn profits from the subsequent military conflicts.[11] Therefore, Ivanishvili blamed the "Global War Party" for pitting Georgia and Ukraine against Russia and orchestrating the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, 2014 Russo-Ukrainian conflict, and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ivanishvili said that Georgia and Ukraine are cannon fodder for the "Global War Party". He stressed that the main reason the Georgian Dream government was in a conflict with the "Global War Party" was that he did not let them open a "second front" in the country. He pointed to a resolution critical of Georgian Dream that was passed by the European Parliament and said it was proof that "the European Parliament had become yet another one of ["Global War Party's"] tools".[28]
On 23 May 2024, Kobakhidze expanded the "Global War Party" conspiracy theory and accused it of being responsible for the attempted assassination of Robert Fico.[3] He also accused the Hungarian EU commissioner Olivér Várhelyi of threatening his life.[29] He later elaborated:
However, even in the face of prolonged blackmail, the threat voiced during a telephone conversation with one of the European Commissioners was shocking. During our conversation, the European Commissioner listed a number of measures that Western politicians might take if the veto on the transparency law is overcome. While listing these measures, he mentioned, "You've seen what happened to Fico and you should be very careful".
He in favor of starting an investigation relating to the alleged death threat.[30] The State Security Service of Georgia has dismissed the existence of the "Global War Party" as an entity, but has stated that it will investigate any actor who wishes to destabilize the country.[31]
Kobakhidze went on to emphasize the importance of deoligarchization of both the European Union and the United States of America, a process he describes would entail freeing them from the "Global War Party's" influence.[6]
On 14 July 2024, Kobakhidze subsequently accused the "Global War Party" of being responsible for the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.[32]
References
- ^ a b c "Georgian PM's remarks on "Global War Party" and Venice Commission's "helpless facial expression"". JAMnews. 23 May 2024.
- ^ a b "გია აბაშიძე: „გლობალური ომის პარტიის" სუბიექტებს წარმოადგენენ დასავლეთის სამხედრო ინდუსტრიის გიგანტები, ულტრამემარცხენე სოროსის იმპერია, ნეოკონსერვატორები, რომელთა ინტერესებშია სხვა ქვეყნებზე ბატონობა და სიმდიდრის მოპოვება" (in Georgian). Imedinews. 8 July 2024.
- ^ a b "კობახიძე: სლოვაკეთის პრემიერზე თავდასხმის უკან გლობალური ომის პარტია დგას". Tabula. 23 May 2024.
- ^ "How Georgia Sided With Its Enemy". Foreign Policy. 7 May 2024.
- ^ "Reactions to SSSG Claims of Planned "Destabilization and Civil Unrest"". Civil.ge. 18 September 2023.
- ^ a b "There is no alternative to the fight against the "global war party", it is a very painful, difficult fight, including from a personal point of view - Kobakhidze". Rustavi 2. 23 May 2024.
- ^ "ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EUROPEAN AND EURASIAN AFFAIRS JAMES O'BRIEN REMARKS TO MEDIA IN TBILISI". U.S. Embassy Tbilisi. 14 May 2024.
- ^ "Landsbergis on the "Global War Party" Narrative: The Only War Party is in Moscow". Georgian News. 16 May 2024.
- ^ a b Lela Kunchulia (18 May 2024). "Georgian Dream Takes On The 'Global War Party'". Radio Free Europe.
- ^ "Freemasons and 'global war party' conspiring against Georgia, ruling party claims". Politico. 19 May 2024.
- ^ a b "მივაგენით, ვინ არის "გლობალური ომის პარტია" და რატომ ერჩის ივანიშვილს - შეთქმულების ამ თეორიის სათავეებთან" (in Georgian). Radio Liberty. 22 May 2024.
- ^ "ეკა სეფაშვილი: გლობალური ომის პარტია ყოვლად აღმაშფოთებელ, გაუგონარ და ერთი შეხედვით ძნელად დასაჯერებელ ხერხს მიმართავს". Resonance Daily. 25 July 2024.
- ^ ირაკლი კობახიძე — გლობალური ომის პარტიის გავლენაა პოზიცია, რომელსაც სალომე ზურაბიშვილი აფიქსირებს, თუმცა, პერიოდულად ჩანს, რომ საკუთარი პრინციპებიც აქვს და უკადრებელს მაინც არ იკადრებს
- ^ 15 June 2023. ""ნაცმოძრაობა", "ლელო", გახარია, "გირჩი", ვაშაძე - ესენი ყველანი არიან "გლობალური ომის პარტიის" საცოდავი აგენტები - ირაკლი კობახიძე". Ambebi.ge.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "GRASS Disinfo Brief" (PDF). GRASS.
- ^ "Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine: If Transnistria and Georgia engage in returning their territories, it will definitely help us". Interpressnews. 27 March 2022.
- ^ "Calls for Georgia to open a "second front" against Russia fall flat". Eurasianet. 10 May 2022. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ "Gov't Interest is to not 'Destroy' Georgia by Sanctioning Russia, Irakli Kobakhidze Says". Messanger Online. 10 February 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ "Parliament vice speaker: US, EU must distance themselves from Ukraine gov't calls for Georgia to "engage in war"". Agenda. 21 September 2019.
- ^ "Georgian Dream Takes On The 'Global War Party'". Radio Free Europe RFE/RL. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ "Georgia Pledges Peaceful De-occupation". Civil Georgia. 28 March 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
- ^ "Ruling party head alleges "certain representatives" of Ukrainian Gov't want to "turn Georgia into second front" of war with Russia". Agenda.ge. 8 September 2022. Archived from the original on 27 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ "Ukraine has become "shelter" for Georgian "criminals" in high posts - Papuashvili". Front News Georgia. September 18, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
- ^ "Parliament Speaker alleges Deputy Head of Ukrainian military intelligence "exposed again" in "organising unrest" in Georgia". Agenda. September 18, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
- ^ "Irakli Kobakhidze: There is a "Global War Party", whose representatives are odious MEPs – their only goal is to provoke the processes in Georgia that are happening in Ukraine". Interpressnews. 8 November 2022. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ Machaidze, Rusudan (2 March 2023). ""People's Power": anti-Western movement in the service of the ruling party of Georgia". JAM news.
- ^ "PM: Ivanishvili "Refused to Meet" with Assistant Secretary O'Brien, Cites Blackmail and Threats". Civil.ge. 13 May 2024.
- ^ "Bidzina Ivanishvili Backs Anti-Western Policies, Threatens Repressions". Civil.ge. 29 April 2024.
- ^ Gavin, Gabriel (23 May 2024). "EU commissioner denies he threatened Georgia's prime minister". Politico.
- ^ "კობახიძე: თუ რომელიმე ქვეყანას დააინტერესებს ინფორმაცია მუქარაზე, რომელშიც ფიცოს გვარი გაჟღერდა, მზად ვარ, გამოძიებას მივცე ინფორმაცია". Publika. 5 June 2024.
- ^ "სუს-ის ხელმძღვანელი - „გლობალური ომის პარტიას" გეოგრაფია არ გააჩნია - აუცილებლად იქნება გამოძიებული ყველა იმ აქტორის როლი, რომელიც დაინტერესებულია დამშვიდებული, დაწყნარებული, სწორ რელსებზე შემდგარი ქვეყნის არევით". Interpress News. 12 June 2024.
- ^ "ირაკლი კობახიძე - გლობალური ომის პარტია მეთოდებს არ ცვლის, XXI საუკუნეში ლიბერალური ფაშიზმი, რადიკალიზმი, პოლარიზაცია, სიძულვილი და პოლიტიკოსებზე სისხლიანი თავდასხმები ჩვეულებრივ მოვლენად აქციეს". Inter Press News. 14 July 2024.