Leading article: Thank you for the music

Friday 20 February 2009 01:00 GMT
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The Prussian general and military theorist Carl Von Clausewitz famously described war as a continuation of politics by other means. This year's Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow is shaping up to be a continuation of war by the means of nonsensical pop music.

Georgia, which played host to some tanks from its large neighbour Russia last summer, is proposing to enter a song in the competition in May which, if you listen carefully, is less than flattering about Vladimir Putin.

Politics in Eurovisionland is nothing new, of course. Tactical voting has been going on since the camp competition began. But the Georgians would seem to have missed a trick here. If they really wanted to get up Mr Putin's nose, they should have entered an Abba tribute band. The macho Russian leader is said to be an unlikely fan of the Swedish combo.

Russia sent in the troops; Georgia should send in the super troupers.

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