Proof that the war in Georgia was a neocon project? Former IDF soldier admits training

[Satyagrahi]

Georgian forces for war in Ossetia:

Source: Secret IDF material went unguarded in Georgia

Former Israeli soldier returns disillusioned from training Georgian soldiers for company owned by Brig.-Gen. Hirsch in preparation for war with Russia; says confidential army material such as charts, officers' names was revealed to foreign troops

Nava Tzuriel
Published: 08.16.08, 15:47 / Israel News

Tomer (alias), formerly a soldier of an elite IDF unit, returned from Georgia a short while ago. He was enlisted by Defensive Shield, a company owned and operated by Brigadier General (Res.) Gal Hirsch, to help train Georgian soldiers for battle, but returned disappointed in the manner in which the company handles secret army material.

Hirsch's company was responsible for training an elite search and rescue unit, and training was handled by the companies of two other reserve officers, all of which hired ex-soldiers like Tomer. This resulted in hundreds of former IDF soldiers working as trainers in Georgia over the past few months.

-snip-

Tomer said the main reason for the infidelity was mercenary. "The training companies wanted to finish the projects as quickly as possible in order to create more projects and make more money," he said. "We knew the training had to be completed quickly because the soldiers would soon have to get into real military activity."

He added that the Georgian officers told their soldiers they would be going to help NATO forces in Iraq, while the real objective was Ossetia and Abkhazia.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3583278,00.html

Unbelievable. It is clear that Georgia planned the assault on Ossetia for months in advance. And I wonder if there are ties between the neocons and a company like Defensive Shield?

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

1. Of course they planned it months in advance.

Probably years in advance. Just as Russia planned what it's doing now years in advance.

[nashville_brook]

2. since when does a General get to have his own private, for-profit army?

[Satyagrahi]

3. Since Netanyahu and his neoliberal privatizations?

I don't know, I'm just guessing.

[formercia]

4. Is this where US military aid to Israel is going?

Are they acting as cutouts for Bush Gang?


There needs to be a review of aid to Israel. If they can do this, they don't need aid from the US.

[goforit]

5. Well, this has cheney's fingerprints all over it. Another sloppy failure for profit.

[WHAT]

8. smells like perle to me...

trireme=defensive shield

I just feel like there's a connection...

[BeHereNow]

10. And you would be correct- he is part of it.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Richard_N._Perle
Do not fail to closely scrutinize his "affiliations" on the page.
Azerbaijan CoC, among others.
BHN

[Satyagrahi]

6. Wow:

Superpower swoop
Misha Glenny

Published 14 August 2008

-snip-

But under the influence of an energetic neo-con lobby in Washington, and with considerable support from Israeli weapons manufacturers and military trainers, Saakashvili and the hawks around him came to believe the farcical proposition that Georgia's armed forces could take on the military might of their northern neighbour in a conventional fight and win.

The Georgian minister for reintegration of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Temur Yakobashvili, revealed the depth of the illusion the day after the conflict broke out when he thanked Israel for its assistance in training Georgian troops. "Israel should be proud of its military, which trained Georgian soldiers," Yakobashvili said, with reference to Defensive Shield, the private company run by Gal Hirsch, a former general in the Israel Defence Forces.

-snip-

Warned off

The Russians, of course, knew all about Defensive Shield and the tens of millions of dollars worth of Israeli military equipment that Georgia had been purchasing. Just over a week before the conflict erupted, Putin put in a call to the Israeli president, Shimon Peres. His message, according to a western intelligence source, was simple: "Pull out your trainers and weapons or we will escalate our co-operation with Syria and Iran." Peres does not suffer the same illusions as Georgian ministers and the Israeli set-up left Tbilisi within two days.

-snip-

For the Bush administration (or for its hawks at least), the Georgian mistake presents an opportunity - let us recast Russia as a threat to global stability and a potential enemy. Predictably, the toughest response to the Russian invasion came from Cheney. The outbreak of the crisis coincided with President Bush horseplaying with beach volleyball players in Beijing and the vice-president was in operational control at the time.

More:
http://www.newstatesman.com/europe/2008/08/georgia-russia-ukraine-cheney

Israel Linked To Georgia Security
By: David Bedein, The Bulletin
08/11/2008

Over the years, the security companies run by senior IDF officers, including Maj. Gen. Israel Ziv and Brig. Gen. Gal Hirsch, have been training the Georgian army's infantry battalions. These battalions use Israeli night vision equipment, arms, communications and intelligence equipment and over their heads constantly hover Israeli drones and aircraft upgraded by Israel. Ronnie Milo, the former mayor of Tel Aviv, is also behind the deals with Georgia.

-snip-

At the end of 2007, Brig. Gen. Hirsch, one of the owners of the Defensive Shield company, arrived in Georgia in order to train infantry troops. Dozens of instructors arrived there in order to train infantry troops as part of the cooperation deal that was signed with the company that Brig. Gen. Hirsch owns.

-snip-

(The Georgian defense minister) Mr. Kezerashvili devoted a great deal of effort in preparing Georgia for a possible future conflict with Russia, and he was helped by Israeli security experts.

-snip-

Mr. Yakobashvili is a Hebrew-speaking Jew. "Now we have a battle with great Russia," he said, "and our hope is to receive assistance from the White House, because alone Georgia won't be able to endure. It's important that everywhere in the world people understand that what is happening in Georgia now is going to affect world order. This isn't only Georgia's business but the business of the entire region."

More:
http://www.thebulletin.us/site/index.cfm?newsid=19903046&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=576361&rfi=8

2 Israeli firms say they left Georgia before fighting
By Amos Harel

Two Israeli security companies, Defensive Shield and Global CST, announced yesterday that they had completed their projects in Georgia before fighting between that country and Russia broke out on Friday. The two are among several Israeli companies advising Georgia on security matters, training its army and occasionally supplying it with weapons.

Defensive Shield, owned by Brig. Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch, said all its employees, including its subcontractors, are no longer in Georgia. It said it completed the work it had been contracted to do, and that all its contracts with Georgia had been approved by Israel's Defense Ministry. Security systems services company Global CST, managed by Maj. Gen. (res.) Israel Ziv, said it finished its work in Georgia at the end of July.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1010224.html

[malaise]

7. Truth will out

This stinks of Cheney

[AntiFascist]

12. K&R...

"For the Bush administration (or for its hawks at least), the Georgian mistake presents an opportunity - let us recast Russia as a threat to global stability and a potential enemy. Predictably, the toughest response to the Russian invasion came from Cheney. The outbreak of the crisis coincided with President Bush horseplaying with beach volleyball players in Beijing and the vice-president was in operational control at the time."


and the MSM follows suit. How many times are we reminded that Putin is a former KGB agent?

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

9. What a shock

PNAC/Neocons/Likudniks. All the same fascist imperialists circle jerking on this one to be sure. Why can't we round these fascist enemies of humanity up and exile them somewhere, like the English did with Napoleon? And you will recall that the English perpetually patrolled off Elba in case N tried to escape.

[G_j]

11. July: US troops train Georgians amid tension

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/07/21/international/i104353D78.DTL

US troops train Georgians amid tension

By DOUGLAS BIRCH and MISHA DZHINDZHIKHASHVILI, Associated Press Writers
Monday, July 21, 2008

(07-21) 10:43 PDT TBILISI, Georgia (AP) --

President Mikhail Saakashvili praised a joint military training program involving more than 1,000 U.S. Marines and soldiers at a former Soviet base Monday, amid heightened tensions with Moscow.

The effort, involving 600 Georgian troops, shows that Georgia has "the best trained and equipped army" in the strategic Caucasus mountain region, Saakashvili said in comments broadcast on Georgian television.

While the exercise was planned months ago, it followed sporadic clashes between Georgians and separatists in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, breakaway regions closely tied to Russia. And it comes amid friction over Georgia's bid for NATO membership, viewed by Moscow as hostile.

Georgia has about 2,000 troops in Iraq — making it the third largest contributor to coalition forces after the U.S. and Britain — but plans to end the Iraq operation by the end of this year.So far, five Georgian soldiers have died in the conflict.

Marine Capt. James Haunty, 30, of Columbus, Ohio, commander of Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, said Friday that he was keeping an eye on the simmering conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

"I'm not concerned about anything serious happening as long as there are U.S. troops here in Georgia," Haunty said, shortly before 50-caliber machine gun bullets began peppering a hillside at the Vaziani training complex, about 6 miles (10 kilometers) east of the capital. "But we still will monitor the situation."

The U.S. soldiers, Marines and airmen arrived in Tbilisi in mid-July to teach combat skills to Georgian soldiers, as well as 30 troops from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine. The program, called Exercise Immediate Response 2008, includes simulated attacks from roadside bombs and other challenges troops might expect in Iraq, Haunty said.

..more..

[leveymg]

13. Planning for this war was organized and international in scope. Just like Iraq.

Same M.O. and fingerprints.

[bluesmail]

14. All anybody needs to understand is the game of Chess.

There's software that predicts what will happen, hmm two months/years before anything actually happens. :scared:

[DCKit]

15. Problem is, the NeoCons/PNACers are working with bad data - their own opinions and fantasies.

Besides, the Russians have access to computers and - God help U.S. - still value education and science.

Garbage In, Garbage Out, as the old saying goes. It's past time to take out the trash.

[judasdisney]

20. Chess? But that's French/elitist/"old" politics/not DLC enough/not "hope" enough

[gatorboy]

16. An earlier story:

http://www.thebulletin.us/site/index.cfm?newsid=19903046&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=576361&rfi=8

Jerusalem - The two largest suppliers to Georgia are the United States and France. Israel may not be Georgia's main arms supplier, but the scope of defense deals between the two countries stands at $200 million.

However, security ties between Israel and Georgia have received a great deal of media attention, in part because of the capture, on film, of a Russian jet downing an Israeli-made drone in Georgian service, and the role that retired senior Israeli officers have played as advisers to the Georgian security forces.

The Soldiers Are Georgian, The Arms Israeli

The Georgian army may be incapable of bearing up against an army the size of Russia's, but it certainly presents a challenge. Over the years, the security companies run by senior IDF officers, including Maj. Gen. Israel Ziv and Brig. Gen. Gal Hirsch, have been training the Georgian army's infantry battalions. These battalions use Israeli night vision equipment, arms, communications and intelligence equipment and over their heads constantly hover Israeli drones and aircraft upgraded by Israel.

[WhiteTara]

17. Randy Scheunemann

say it with me...Randy Scheunemann. The lobbyist and advisor to Five Plane McCain.

[TexasObserver]

18. this war was created by McCain's advisors, who advise Georgia

[judasdisney]

19. the memory hole: Putin ENDORSED BUSH in 2004

Jesus Christ. Don't people remember? OF COURSE these Neocon fucks stick together.

[Satyagrahi]

21. Matthew Bryza - Zeyno Baran - Hudson Institute - Perle, Wurmser - Cheney

Is the key U.S. diplomat in Georgia a neocon?

Former Georgian minister Georgy Khaindrava told the SPIEGEL (no translation yet) that Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza encouraged Saakashvili's 'adventurism'.

The Wall Street Journal had a similar report:

U.S. Diplomat, Close to Saakashvili, Plays Key Role in Conflict

By JAY SOLOMON in Washington and MARC CHAMPION in Tbilisi, Georgia
August 16, 2008; Page A5

When Russian tanks rolled out of South Ossetia and into Georgia proper Monday, triggering fears of a full-scale invasion, a man began furiously shoving U.S. diplomat Matthew J. Bryza around the lobby of the Marriott Tbilisi, the capital's fanciest hotel.

"It's your fault too," shouted Georgy Khaindrava, a former Georgian minister for conflict resolution. "If you hadn't propped up Misha Magariya , we wouldn't have tanks here now," he said, referring to Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121885135947146439.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Bryza denied the accusation:

President Saakashvili spoke on the phone to Secretary of State Rice to brief her, according to the State Department's point man on Georgia, Matthew J. Bryza. Other U.S. and Georgian officials were talking too. Mr. Bryza says all had the same message, one they had been delivering for months: "Avoid an unwinnable confrontation with Russia."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121884450978145997.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

However, it is a fact that Matthew Bryza has neocon ties.

He is married to Zeyno Baran.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeyno_Baran

Zeyno Baran works at the Hudson Institute, alongside Richard Perle and Meyrav Wurmser, the spouse of David Wurmser, former advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_Institute

[Karenina]

22. . .

[bemildred]

23. Boy, how unseemly. And in public, too. nt

[peacetalksforall]

24. I think Hudson Institute has been getting a free ride. From this minute

on I will say Hudson Institute and AIPAC. The way certain people in Israel and PNAC work together.

Should be repeated.

Hudson Institute:....................White House:

Richared Perle.......................Meber and Spokesperson for PNAC
Zeyno Baran...........married to.... Matthew Bryza- U.S. Diplomat to Georgia
Meyrav Wurmser........married to.... David Wurmser- former advisor to Cheney

Not many people in this country know the purpose for these foundations. Instead, they are fooled by them. The foundations groom their members to appear and be introduced as an 'expert' on corporate tv - and in op-eds. It's a conspiracy of media pro-PNAC and against us living within the larger conspiracy against us and for them - certain U.S. citizens, certain Israel citizens, certain people in European governments.

[roesch]

25. thanks for these postings

Thanks for posting these news items, most of which I missed! There have been reports on the MSM that Georgia may have provoked this invasion, but so far I don't recall any one giving this back story of training and support. Of course this gave the Russian army a chance to practice on a small scale lessons learned from Iraq-- massive force and new technology- Meanwhile our president announces the navy is on the way before clearing it with Turkey, who the next day announces, while not giving permission, that the US must now share power. I must say this morning's column by Dowd in the NYT sums up how this administration has taken our country to new lows-- we are Europe to China for sure.

[fascisthunter]

27. These Neo-Cons Shouldn't Be Allowed to Hide Behind any Flag

they do not represent Israel or America.... thank you

:patriot:

[BeHereNow]

30. GREAT catch!!!

The tentacles of scum are everywhere, are they not?
If only Americans knew the depth of corruption.

BHN

[fascisthunter]

26. Kick... this puts things into perspective

much better than our mainstream media, that's for sure. Good job putting this stuff together so that others can understand where some of us are coming from, rather than accusing us of siding with Russia.

[TexasObserver]

28. the Georgian president doesn't sound like he could run a Dunkin's Donut shop

He comes across as a complete idiot, a tool who is controlled by the GOP.

[Satyagrahi]

29. Scheunemann - Bryza link!

Behind The Scenes, Scheunemann Shilled For Georgia
By Andrew Tilghman - August 15, 2008, 10:25AM

-snip-

As a paid foreign agent, Scheunemann and his lobbying firm, Orion Strategies, filed disclosure reports with the Department of Justice, which offer some insight into the process of exercising influence in Washington.

Scheunemann spent a lot of time working the phones, talking to key Bush Administration officials about Georgia's efforts to join NATO. He often spoke to Ambassador John Tefft who heads the U.S. embassy in Georgia, as well as Dan Fried and Matt Bryza at the State Department, Dan Fata at the Defense Department and David Merkel from the National Security Council.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/08/behind_the_scenes_scheunemann.php

Is Matthew Bryza lying about events in Georgia?

A Two-Sided Descent Into Full-Scale War

By Peter Finn
Washington Post Foreign Service
Sunday, August 17, 2008; A01

-snip-

"At 6, I gave the order to prepare everything, to go out from the bases," (the Georgian defense minister) said in an interview Aug. 14 at a Georgian position along the Tbilisi-Gori highway. Kezerashvili described the movement of armor, which included tanks, 122mm howitzers and 203mm self-propelled artillery, as a show of force designed to deter the Ossetians from continuing to barrage the Georgian troops' positions inside South Ossetia.

Western officials in and around South Ossetia also recorded the troop and armor movement, according to a Western diplomat who described in detail on-the-ground reports by monitors from the OSCE. The monitors recorded the movement of BM-21s in the late afternoon.
"On Thursday -- Thursday afternoon -- they noticed equipment and troops on the road, rolling to Karaleti," a Georgian village near Gori, the diplomat said. Kezerashvili said the BM-21s moved Thursday night.

-snip-

In a series of phone calls, Saakashvili contacted Western and NATO leaders and diplomats. "I started to call frantically," he said in an interview with foreign journalists.

Bryza, the U.S. envoy, said: "Our response was, 'Don't get drawn into a trap. Don't confront the Russian military.' " Bryza said he was not told that Georgian armor was already moving toward the South Ossetian line and continued to do so even after Saakashvili declared a cease-fire.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/16/AR2008081600502_pf.html

Are we to believe that a key U.S. diplomat was totally left out of the loop, even by his own advisers? As Stratfor points out, "the United States has hundreds of advisers in Georgia and could not possibly have been ignorant of Georgian intentions."

Intelligence Guidance: Dust Clearing In Georgia
http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/intelligence_guidance_dust_clearing_georgia