1,000 U.S. Marines Began Joint Military Exercise In Georgia On July 15th!

[Better Believe It]

Ceremony opens Immediate Response 2008
By Lance Cpl. Edward H. Currie, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines
U.S Marine Corps
July 15, 2008

VAZIANI TRAINING BASE, Georgia — Immediate Response 2008, a joint training exercise between U.S. service members and the Georgian Ministry of Defense, opened with a ceremony July 15.

The ceremony had key speakers, a joint-service multi-national color guard, a blessing of the Georgian troops and representatives from every unit in attendance.

Some of the speakers for the event included Brig. Gen. William B. Garrett III, U.S. Army Airborne Commander, South European Task Force, Lt. Col. Hosay Page Shavalle, deputy chief of defense, Georgian Armed Forces and Lt. Col. Craig Triscari, Task Force Lion chief of staff.

The ceremony began with the posting of the colors by a joint color guard which consisted of two Marines, three U.S. soldiers and two members of the Georgian Armed Forces holding the flags at the same height to symbolize the countries working together.

“This exercise’s purpose is to increase cooperation and partnership and has been planned for many years,” said Garrett, “We are honored to be here, and the Georgians have an excellent reputation.”

A Georgian Greek Orthodox priest was in attendance at the ceremony to bless the Georgian troops with holy water before their venture into the field.

Company L, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, U.S. Army’s Southern European Task Force, elements of the National Guard and the Georgian Ministry of Defense are participating in the exercise.

http://www.marines.mil/units/marforres/Pages/CeremonyopensImmediateResponse2008.aspx


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Reuters
July 15, 2008

VAZIANI, Georgia - One thousand U.S. troops began a military training exercise in Georgia on Tuesday against a backdrop of growing friction between Georgia and neighboring Russia.

The two-week exercise was taking place at the Vaziani military base near the capital Tbilisi, which was a Russian air force base until Russian forces withdrew at the start of this decade under a European arms reduction agreement.
Georgia and the Pentagon cooperate closely. Georgia has a 2,000-strong contingent supporting the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, and Washington provides training and equipment to the Georgian military.

Georgia last week recalled its ambassador in Moscow in protest at Russia sending fighter jets into Georgian airspace. Tbilisi urged the West to condemn Russia's actions.

Russia said the flights were to prevent Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili from launching a military operation against the separatist South Ossetia region.

http://cache.search.yahoo.net/search/cache?ei=UTF-8&p=u.s.+war+games+georgia&fr=moz2&u=www.cnbc.com/id/25684774/&w=u.s.+war+wars+games+georgia+ga&d=BfEXvhg5RNJN&icp=1&.intl=us

[htuttle]

1. "Immediate Response 2008"

Golly, I wonder where Saakashvili got the idea that we had his back....

:eyes:

[doc03]

2. Surprise! Surprise! Won't hear anything about that

on the MSM. I heard a report on the first day that the Russians had killed a couple black skinned fighters thought to be American mercenaries(aka Blackwater)when they moved in to South Ossetia haven't a single word since about that.

[Better Believe It]

3. And Check Out This Video Posted On The Video Board

12 Year Old Girl Tells the Truth about Georgia

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x169521

[doc03]

4. And on Fox Noise of all places ,how did that one slip out?

[doc03]

5. I heard another report that CNN showed footage of

what they claimed were Russian troops firing on Gori but it was actually Georgian troops firing on S. Ossetia.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. "If they want peace, nations should avoid the pin-pricks that precede cannon shots."

Napoleon Bonaparte

[Better Believe It]

7. The Bush Government Knew That Georgia Was Going To Invade South Ossetia

I can't imagine that U.S. spy agencies like the NSA did not monitor Georgia military/government communications just prior to their invasion of South Ossetia.

They knew what was being planned.

And the Bush government approved the invasion or it would not have happened.

[Karenina]

8. Russia knew it too!

They have been clear and direct for YEARS about what they would consider a threat to their interests and how they would respond.

[ensho]

9. more evidence against the neo cons

nt