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Are US arms supplies over?

By Messenger Staff
Monday, June 1
The Georgian media is speculating about the leaked information that the USA has allegedly stopped supplying arms to Georgia. This news was spread by World Net Daily. If this is true it signifies that the Obama administration has been influenced by Russia. It is known that Russia has demanded that all countries stop selling arms and ammunition to Georgia on the grounds that it is an ‘aggressor’ and a threat to its neighbours (?!). Of course it is the arrogant Russian policy to try and put all the blame for its own crimes onto Georgian shoulders, and if any country goes along with this it is in the wrong. To accept the Russian allegations means to encourage Moscow’s imperialistic ambitions and leave Georgia in frustration and disappointment.

Russia occupies about 1/5 of Georgian territory and is building military bases in the occupied territories at record speed, introducing the most sophisticated armaments and troops into the region. To weaken resistance to this illegal action it has already placed an embargo on the sale of Russian-produced arms to Georgia and persuaded the UN to adopt a full arms embargo. The USA has since become the sole source of armaments for Georgia, so if the World Net Daily reports are true this is very distressing for Georgia.

Military analysts suggest that the arms and equipment supplied to Georgia by the USA are of a defensive character. They are no threat to Russia in particular or any other of Georgia’s neighbours. If the US arms supply to Georgia has been frozen this means Russia can control and influence the USA’s foreign policy. Obama’s campaigned for the Presidency on the slogan “Yes We Can”, not “Yes We Can If Russia Says So”.

Georgian officials so far have made no comment on this issue. Some Georgian analysts doubt that the information is trustworthy as they feel that America would not give up its strategic interests so naively. The USA permanently and insistently lobbies for Georgia’s accession to NATO, and the recently conducted NATO military exercises in Georgia also indirectly demonstrate US support for Georgia. However there are some other factors which could create a possible temporary suspension of arms supplies. During last August’s Russian invasion some Georgian arms of US origin were seized by the Russians as war trophies. Georgia has not yet elaborated an efficient strategic defence plan and the current internal crisis has left the Georgian defence system very vulnerable. It is understandable that n these circumstances a country may think twice about supplying arms to Georgia, even if it is still politically committed to the country’s welfare.

One way or another, if the World Net Daily report is true it puts Georgia in a very vulnerable position. Furthermore it suggests to the population that the country has been abandoned to its enemies. It implies that Russia is now the dominant force not only in this region but around the world, and that other countries who used to support Georgia have acquiesced in making this happen.