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US aircraft have started to fly some of Georgia’s 2,000 troops in Iraq back home to join the fight in the breakaway province of South Ossetia, General David Petraeus, the top US commander in Iraq said today.
“The flights are ongoing to redeploy the elements of the Georgian contingent so that they can deal with the security issues in their country,” General Petraeus told The Times in an interview at his office inside Baghdad’s Green Zone.
He said measures were already in place to mitigate the impact on operations in Iraq of the sudden departure of the soldiers.
“We can accommodate that. Obviously it was not expected but it is something, the effects of which we can certainly mitigate.”
The Georgian contingent has been taking part in an operation with US and Iraqi forces to clear the south-eastern corner of Diyala province, north of Baghdad, a known al-Qaeda stronghold.
Some 150 Georgian soldiers also guard the Iraqi Parliament building as well as other key structures inside Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone.
In addition, one battalion is helping to support the Iraqi security forces in Wasit province, south of the capital, near the Iranian border.
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What have we all lost our minds and memories in a week. Russia didn't start this situation. If we put the same focus on Bush, Blair and Brown. They would be publicly accused of war crimes and threatened with trips to the Hague.
Bill Swenson, San Diego, USA
Response to Ian,
Perhaps the US should just follow the Russian example and liberate Canada and it's western oil.
Otto kobler, Santa Rosa CA , US
We Europeans are great. One of us (Ancient/Independent/Democratic) is being annexed by Russia and we some how manage to put all our energies into blaming America, as that country burns.
Are we just trying to disguise our cowardliness and uselessness.
Richard, Ireland,
Might be getting about time to go fix up and restock the old bomb shelters and put an extra couple of feet of concrete on their walls and ceiling while we're at it.
Paul Hieronymus, McKee, USA
Michal in Northampton; Even Russia recognises the sovereignty of Georgia, including South Ossetia. Autonomy is not independence., South Ossetia is NOT a country and is recognised by no-one as being such. This is an invasion of a sovereign nation, Russian imperialism in the 21st Century.
Simon, Stockport,
Thousands of people have died, and more will surely die due to the rash gamble on the part of Washington's man in Tbilisi, Mikheil Saakashvili (and the failure on the part of his CIA handlers to restrain him). Send him to Den Haag !...
Henri
M Henri Day, Stockholm,
This is insanity. Hopefully the world will now realize just how crazy the Bush/Cheney dictatorship really is. Thank you Mr. Putin, for attempting to put an end to this lethal exercise in oil-grabbing. Expose Bush/Cheney to the world for what they really are.
Robert S. Finnegan
Southeast Asia Ne
Robert S. Finnegan, Jakarta, Indonesia
In response to Andrew Martin, Nixa USA
If Georgia is trying to stay alive as you maintain, then perhaps they should have stayed out of Ossetia in the first place. Ossetia has been autonomous since 1992 - who do the Georgians think they are sending troops in to seize it? Serves them right.
Michal, Northampton, England
In response to JC of White Plains, NY:
If Russian forces attack US forces, I would expect NATO to immediately begin operations against Russia, both politically and militarily.
In response to Eugene of Heidelberg, Germany:
Georgia is trying to simply keep themselves alive until NATO provides aid.
Andrew Martin, Nixa, Missouri, United States
what happens if a US military plane carry troops into a combat zone is shot down (accidentally!) by Russians? US troops did joint exercises in Georgia last month, are they still there?
jc, white plains ny, usa
God Bless America!! Just another example of U.S. interference in another country's affairs. One of these days it is all going to come back & bite them. I suppose this will become part of the Obama/McCain platform? We screwed up/lied in Iraq so we might as well move on to Georgia.
IAN RAYBURN, Gloucester, Canada
What? 1000 soldiers to face the Red Army? Who's their leader? Leonidas?
Eugene, heidelberg, germany