The military began a large scale exercise, including 8,500 troops, 200 tanks, 450 armored vehicles and 250 artillery. Operations were centered in southern Russia and the Caucasus. Georgia complained that Russian troops on their border were actually practicing another invasion of Georgia.
The exercises began at the end of June and surely any deficiencies have been remedied by now.
I still don't understand why the Russians didn't finish the job begun last August 8th.
The Russians are clearly deranged enough for round two to finish the job (from the first link):
Russia has a problem with its place in the world. Many Russians, and their leaders, still think of the country as a superpower, or at least a major player on the world stage. Trouble is, no one else agrees with this assessment, and Russians don't like it. Many countries just humor the Russians, but this wears out quickly when the Russians demand a say in major decisions that they are not really qualified to participate in. Russia has lots of land, nukes, natural resources and attitude. But it's industrial might is more pretence than reality. A shrinking population, and authoritarian government that drives away foreign investment, does not persuade the world that the Russians have very promising prospects.
The Russians may not be able to act like a superpower to match their words, but stomping on a small neighbor isn't beyond their capabilities--or interest, it seems.
And don't be surprised if the Russians claim--again--that the Georgians started the war. The Russians have an impressive lost and found bin to draw Western equipment from to "prove" the Georgian aggression.
The Georgians should note that though they are small, they don't have to worry about defeating the entire Russian military. Just being able to defeat a division-sized armored attack will be enough to blunt and stop a Russian invasion.
But I guess we'll be waiting for the official EU report on the war for a little bit longer.
Will we adequately support Georgian resistance to Russia's invasion?
