| Author |
How Israel Trained and Equipped Georgia's Army |
Fatal Rocko Willis
Fleet Admiral
Fatal Squadron
Joined: March 01, 2003
Posts: 1336
From: Kentucky
|  Posted: 2008-08-19 21:59
And for all those discussing the Russia-Georgia Footbal Game.. get a load of this....
The Russian military blasted Israel today for supplying weapons and training to its adversaries in Georgia. "Israel armed the Georgian army," Russian Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn told a Moscow press conference. Jerusalem provided Tblisi with "eight types of military vehicles, explosives, landmines and special explosives for the clearing minefields. "
"In 2007, Israeli experts trained Georgian commandos," he added. Georgia's Deputy Defense Minister Batu Kutelia previously said that "Georgian corporals and sergeants train with Germans, alpine units and the navy work with French instructors, and special operations and urban warfare troops are taught by Israelis."
Tensions between Georgia and Russia ratcheted up the spring, after Russia and her allies in the breakaway region of Abkhazia shot down a number of Georgian spy drones. Those unmanned Hermes 450 reconnaissance planes were made by Israel's Elbit Systems.
The two countries have been doing military hardware deals for almost seven years, "following an initiative by Georgian citizens who immigrated to Israel and became businesspeople," Ynetnews notes. "The fact that Georgia's defense minister, Davit Kezerashvili, is a former Israeli who is fluent in Hebrew contributed to this cooperation."
Former Israel internal security minister Roni Milo was one of the people who pushed those deals along. He "conducted business in Georgia for Elbit Systems," according to Ynetnews. "And with his help Israel's defense industries managed to sell to Georgia [drones], automatic turrets for armored vehicles, antiaircraft systems, communication systems, shells and rockets."
In addition, "Israel has reportedly helped upgrade Soviet-designed Su-25 ground attack jets assembled in Georgia. And former Israeli generals serve as advisers to the Georgian military," according to the Jewish Week. All told, "Israel arms sales to Georgia over the last decade have been estimated at some $300 million to $500 million."
But, by late 2007, Israeli analysts saw war and the horizon for Russia and Georgia, Ha'Aretz observes. "The defense and foreign ministries started ordering military exports to Georgia be cut last year, thwarting a major deal for Israeli-made Merkava tanks... Senior Israeli generals apparently felt a showdown was imminent, and preferred not to get directly involved."
Especially because Jerusalem "views cooperation from Moscow — which has been supplying Iran with arms and help in its nuclear efforts — as crucial to halting Iran’s drive" for atomic weaponry, the Jewish Week adds.
During the first few days of the war, the Russians seemed placated. “We are appreciative of Israel’s position of not selling offensive weapons to a conflict area,” Russian diplomat Anatoly Yurkov said. Today, the rhetoric changed.
[ This Message was edited by: Rocko Willis (Recruiting) on 2008-08-19 22:00 ]
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The Master Debator
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Joined: July 03, 2008
Posts: 114
| Posted: 2008-08-19 22:21
bravo, gotta love israel 
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