Looks like the Bush Administration has been reading my posts! Better late than never!
;-)
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21. Send Georgia whatever military equipment it requests.
22. Fly satellites over Russian positions and deliver excellent intelligence to Georgia. Inform the world we are doing it.
23. Move further faster on missile defence with Poland and Czech Republic.
24. Deploy a large naval contingent to Russia’s East Coast.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2061606/posts?page=11#11
I thought the missiles were to be in Poland but the interception radar stations were to be in Czech Republic.
If the Georgians can create a small, elite professional military that is armed with Western equipment (American, British, German, French, Israeli) and trained by Western personnel, I just about guarantee that they can give the Russians all they can handle.
The Georgians can never build up a force strong enough to completely stop the Russians, but if they can create one that will hurt the Russians badly enough that the acquisition of territory is outweighed by the destruction of their forces, it might be enough to give Moscow pause.
Here is a partial list of some of the equipment they should be given:
Tanks: Abrams, Challengers, Leopard II's, or LeClercs would work. Heck, even M-60's, Leopard I's or Centurions would be better than the T-55's and T-72's they are currently stuck with.
APC's: The ubiquitous M-113 has been around for many years and is still one of the finest personnel carriers around. While not as heavily armed or armored as a Bradley or Warrior, the 113 is a much better option than the open-top trucks the Georgian troops were traveling in, which left them vulnerable to shrapnel from artillery bursts.
Helicopters: There are several attack helicopter variants to choose from, including the American Apache, the European Tiger/Tigre, and the French Gazelle. At the same time, the choices for transport helicopter are numerous and range from the versitile UH-1 Huey to the CH-47 Chinook and from the Puma to the Lynx.
Aircraft: For a country with a limited operating budget that is in need of a fighter that can get down and dirty in the mud, the F-16 is a dream come true. While not quite as adapted for aerial combat as the F-15 or the Su-27, the F-16 is still an extremely capable platform that can be devastating in the hands of a skilled operator, to say nothing of its ability to hammer enemy ground targets. For transport aircraft, it is hard to go wrong with the C-130 for more reasons than I care to list here.
Warships: The Georgian Navy has never been a large unit, so it makes sense to equip it with the best small ships on the market. The Israeli Saar 5-class corvette is an extremely powerful warship for its size and can easily provide the core of a small force of fast attack craft, such as the German Gepard, the Israeli Saar 4, or the Norwegian Skjold-class missile boats.
Missiles: Two final bits of equipment that would greatly help the Georgians are portable anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles. Of all the various types on the market, the best would probably be the American Stinger and Javelin.
Thoughts, ideas, and suggestions are welcomed.