Posted on 08/10/2008 5:49:20 PM PDT by library user
** EXCERPT **
For the past few days, since fighting broke out in the Caucasus, 24-year-old L. from central Israel has been trying to phone the group of Georgian combat soldiers he had been training in Georgia up to a few months ago.
L. and a group of young Israel Defense Forces reservists have been watching reports of the fighting in Georgia worriedly, concerned over the fate of the soldiers they had trained for four months.
"We have their phone numbers, but we haven't been able to reach them. These are people we know and we are all hoping for their success," L. said.
** snip **
L., who trained a Georgian reconnaissance unit, says the troops were high quality. "It's not the standard we know in Israel, but when we left them they were at a good level. They took the training very seriously. There is a wider age range than in Israel, from 18 to 35, but they function very well. Over the past few days I've been following the news and I think they grasped a little of how to use strategy, like we taught them. It looks like we did a good job." L. refuses to discuss the weapons they trained the Georgians with, but he says the program was approved by Israel's Defense Ministry and included no classified information. "We taught them counterterror and house-to-house fighting, but that was very basic."
** snip **
L. is furious over the Foreign Ministry directive to freeze Israeli weapons sales to Georgia. "When we found ourselves in a similar situation, we expected the world to act differently," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at haaretz.com ...
Thank you so much for this post. I cannot get through by phone to Tbilisi but I did get an email earlier.
“L. is furious over the Foreign Ministry directive to freeze Israeli weapons sales to Georgia. “When we found ourselves in a similar situation, we expected the world to act differently,” he said.”
How is this possible?
I know the internet is down there..I was hoping to get someone in Georgia to Freep. doesn’t look like that is possible. Keep us informed.
There is a story that the Israelis have frozen weapons supplies to Georgia. This is not confirmed - indeed it has been officially denied in Georgia - however it is being put out in the Israeli media, and the Israeli govt has refrained from comment.
If this is true, (a big if) the rationale is that it would be a deal between Russia and Israel. In return for Russia cancelling weapons deals to Iran, then Israel could cancel weapons deals to Georgia.
“In return for Russia cancelling weapons deals to Iran, then Israel could cancel weapons deals to Georgia.”
Makes sense. You can always trust “Putie” (sarcasm).
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