WHO HAS A MISSION OF ECONOMIC SECURITY?

By Keti Mikeladze, Lina Yepisheva

The arrival of American military instructors to Georgia caused a great agitation. Common citizens hope that American assistance will help to solve some problems.

Some are pleased that our army will be trained; some hope that Americans will help us to regain Abkhazia; others are pleased that arrival of American instructors caused concern of South Osetya; others that 2000 specially trained militaries will receive high salaries…
The information on Internet does not give us the chance to make any conclusions. Everything began from the statement of Russia about the possible location of terrorist group “Al Quad” and moreover Bin Laden in Pankissi pass… We cannot say whether the aim of these “News” was to present Georgia as a country that hides terrorists, or perhaps, Russia hoped that Georgia would appeal to it for assistance in driving terrorists from the pass, or perhaps, Russians concentrated America’s interests in Georgia? At first Americans expressed modest wishes to help Georgia in fighting with terrorists. At the beginning of May Nicolai Patrushov made an emergent visit to Georgia. He tried to clear out how serious was Georgia’s intention to co-operate with America from the viewpoint of Pankisi events.
“MME” interviews vice minister of defense Gela BeJuashvili.
– According to Internet data, arrival of American instructors to Georgia was planned in October during the meeting of Bush and Shevarnadze. Was this training programme an innovation of American or Georgian side?
– In October the Presidents spoke about training and equipment programme, but the co-operation started in 1995, and it has grown even more intensive since 1998. On May 2001 there was a meeting of bilateral group in the state of Georgia, Savana city ( the first meeting took place in Georgia). It was military political negotiations that I took part in, too. The American party was represented by Jeffrey Star, the vice secretary of defence ministry. At this meeting development of the programme was planned, which signified the beginning of the formation of modern army. In October meeting there were talks about cooperation.
– Some say 2000 soldiers will be selected for training, others 400? How many people will American instructors train in reality?
– About 1600 soldiers and officers. Four battalions and one mechanised squad. In America rangers are Special Forces that defend borders of the country. We, too, associate them with border guards. Will instructors train units that will serve in the frontiers.
– Generally speaking, the term “rangers” spread by the mass media is not quite a correct one. There are rangers’ corps in American troops. Special forces are called rangers here, but in Turkey they are called commandos. We should point out to the fact that training will be performed not by rangers, but by instructors from Special Forces. The trained militaries will serve not only in the frontiers…
– The talk is about 60 million dollars’ support. Is this sum assigned for armament or merely money funds?
– This programme costs 64 millions. It includes: administrative expenses, armament, uniforms, ammunition, repair works, travel and hotel expenses for instructors. As for funds, they will not be transferred here.
– Does Ministry of Defence undertake some part of expenditures? What will they be used for?
– It does. We demanded additional 5 million laris for the budget of the Ministry of Defence. These funds must be assigned by the Ministry of Finance. We will receive these funds next year and pay salaries to the newly-trained militaries.
– It was said that specially trained militaries will receive high salaries ? 400-500 laris. How real is it as far as our present situation is concerned?
– From the viewpoint of the present situation, it is completely unreal! If this financing is not fulfilled, the programme will be postponed.
– Were battalions specially selected for training. What were the selection criteria?
– There was selection. Battalions were preliminarily selected by Americans. They were in our units, talked to the soldiers, made reports. We used these recommendations.
– How efficient will be training from the viewpoint of economic security. It is common knowledge that there are many kinds of smuggling…
– It is number one problem for our country, but we cannot hold the army responsible for the economic security. If political leadership imposes this function on the army, it will not be a correct step. Good army costs much. Naturally enough, if the country is economically strong, the army will be strong, too. However, lack of economic safety guarantees must not stand in the way of forming the army.
– In what area of the frontier will the specially trained 1600 soldiers serve?
– The training will be passed by the personnel of the Internal Affairs Ministry, Defence Ministry and Land Forces. They will settle the situation. A Crisis Administration Centre will be established. Instructors will share their knowledge, experience. There will be a network that all units including frontier guards will be connected to.
– In what other countries and republics American troops perform the same function, i.e. training of armies?
– America helps countries of Baltic Region in the same aspect. Some projects were implemented in Khorvatia and Balcans.
– According to the Internet information, Russia has fears because under this very programme Americans went to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan allegedly to fight with terrorism, but, in the long run, all this finished by the creation of American military bases. Do you admit such possibility in Georgia?
– As for Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, there are no American bases there. There was no talk about forming bases in Georgia, either.
– The period of training of Georgian military units is 11 months. Yet our Government thinks that Georgian military units will be here only for 7 months. In short, it is not yet clear. 150 A SOCEUR-led site survey team of 26 people arrvied in Tbilisi, Georgia. After them the team of 150 American instructors will arrive. According to Irakli Alasanya, vice minister of defence, several units will be trained for participation in possible antiterrorist operations. Both Georgian and American officials say that Americans will not take part in any real operations. Concurrently contradictory prognosis about international relations are spread on Internet, and they concern only political issues, but economic ones are not mentioned. According to some prognoses, Washington plans to form a standing military base in the South of Georgia in order to have support in the area near to Iran and Iraq. Brian Whiteman, Pentagon Representative, said a visit of a small group of American military experts is planned to Georgia on January for the assessment of capabilities of providing support in fighting with terrorism. The below-mentioned information will highlight issues mentioned at the conference of American instructors in Tbilisi.
GTEP is a flexible, time-phased training initiative that will include classroom staff training, as well as tactical instruction. Additionally, military equipment is slated to be transferred to Georgia. Equipment includes uniform items, small arms and ammunition, communications gear, training gear, medical equipment, fuel and construction equipment. Approximately 150 U.S. service members are slated to participate in Georgia Train and Equip.
Phase I: Deployment of troops
A SOCEUR-led site survey team of approximately 20 people arrived in Tbilisi, Georgia on April 30, 2002, to coordinate the GTEP logistical requirements. Included in the team are logistics, contracting and communications personnel. Once this team completes the groundwork, the main body of instructor will arrive. The initial programme of instruction will begin shortly thereafter. The trainers will be under the operational control of Special Operations Command Europe and the support personnel will be from selected US Army Europe and US Air Forces in Europe organisations. Phase I is officially complete when the logistic site survey is accomplished, a base of operations is established, and the trainers and support personnel have arrived in Georgia.
Phase II:. Staff training
Phase II is the staff and organisational training of the Georgian Ministry of Defense (MOD) and Land Forces Command (LFC). Phase II will be conducted for small groups in a classroom setting. The curriculum will consist of performance-oriented training and practical exercises. This phase is slated to be 70 days in lenght, with two parts that run concurrently:
– Phase II: Georgian MOD Staff Training
– Goal: To build a strong and effective staff organisation capable of creating and sustaining standardised operating procedures, training plans, operational plans, and a property accounting system.
– Establish a National Military Command Centre with the capability to monitor all related military activity and coordinate interagency cooperation within the country.
– The curriculum includes:
– National Strategic Overview
– Joint Planning
– Key Staff Positions, Functions and Procedures
– Roles of Commander and Staff in Battle
– Fundamentals of Battlefield Operations
– Military Decision Making Process
– Training doctrine/Command Staff Training Exercise
Phase III: Unit Tactical Training
In Phase III, selected Georgian units will receive instruction in the tactics, techniques and
procedures for combined arms operations. Combined arms operations involve different types
of ground forces, to include light infantry, mechanized infantry, mountain troop, tanks,
heliborne commandos, and special forces. The curriculum common to all elements of Phase
III includes:
Basic Individual skills
Combat lifesaver
Radio operator procedures
land navigation
Human rights education
Individual Combat skills
Rifle workmanship
Individual Movement techniques
Squad and platoon tactics
Crew-served weapons
Company-level tactics and urban operations
Field training exercise and end-of-cycle testing
Phase IV: Redeployment of troops
Redeployment of US forces begins when SOCEUR has completed the mission outlined in Phases II and III.
– As for the American side, press centre refuses to make any comments on this issue. Yet there are many of them: what was the aim of creating rangers’ corps in American Army; what rights have rangers during the defence of borders, for example, during the arrest of smuggled goods, illegal emigrants; what is the instructor’s opinion about the safety of Georgian borders and what should we be afraid of most of all: contraband guns, narcotics or something else (certainly, apart from terrorist attacks); what are the criteria of determining efficiency of rangers’ work; it is no secret that emigrants cross American borders and there is a problem of narcotics sand contraband goods there, too. Already in 1977 in his address to the Congress president Carter concerning drugs business said: “… Our data show that a drug addict costs America 15 millions a year. This problem holds the fourth place in death rate sphere. It is not enough to defen country against smuggling. We must solve the problem in cooperation with other countries. We shouls admit that absolute defense of borders is impossible. We can mobilise resources of the Federal power”. ( D. Kollosov “Free criminal society”. 1978). A list of events that bring damage to America will take us too far. For instance, data show that illegal gains from narcotics, contraband goods, souteneur business, gambling totalled 50 billion dollars…
– It is yet unclear what we should do in the first place ? strengthen the army or defend economy and borders. Ministries of Internal Affairs, Security and Defence complain about the lack of financing. Yet on the whole there is no hope that the situation will improve as each structure considers strengthening of its own sphere to be a matter of primary importance.