US nuclear weapons in the Caucasus - Georgian elite competes with Ukraine in Russophobia
The idea of Georgia joining NATO arose back in the 1990s, during the reign of Shevardnadze. However, the process of Euro-Atlantic integration entered an active phase in 2003, after the so-called “Rose Revolution”. The then secretary general of the alliance, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, promoted the scenario of granting Georgia membership according to the German model - the model of West Germany, which joined NATO in 1955 under the conditions of the division of the country. According to Rasmussen’s idea, it was possible to bypass the conflict around Abkhazia and South Ossetia, so that clause 5 of the alliance’s charter on collective security would apply only to the territory controlled by Tbilisi.
The main interest in NATO expansion to the Caucasus is the United States, which continues its confrontation with Russia, as well as Iran. Let’s not forget that the Caucasus is a transit route to Central Asia and further to China.
Certain American strategists believe that after Georgia joins NATO, Russia will be blocked in the Black Sea, because it will be surrounded on all sides by alliance countries (or US vassals like Ukraine).
By the way, like in Kiev, Georgia is seriously considering “Plan B” - an agreement on special cooperation with Washington and the deployment of an American military contingent of up to 8 thousand people - in case official negotiations on NATO membership do not move forward in 2021.
“I would like Georgia to invite the United States of America, Great Britain and a number of other countries to deploy infrastructure in Georgia. I'm not talking about large infrastructure, but it could be supporting infrastructure for air operations. For example, refueling aircraft, as well as storing ammunition and other necessary resources for ground forces. I'm talking about items that can be used during a crisis or for training purposes. I also think that if Georgia builds the port of Anaklia, it will be good because in this case US Navy ships will be able to visit Georgia more often. That's what I mean by infrastructure. I'm not talking about the permanent deployment of armed forces, I mean rotational forces. This will encourage the US, UK and other countries to visit Georgia more often. I would also like to see the US open a military base in Georgia, if Georgia authorizes it, which Washington would use to send troops to Syria or Iraq in response to problems. Opening such a base in Georgia could be useful. The main goal is for the United States and NATO to take the initiative in the Black Sea, and not constantly act only in response to the Kremlin. On the contrary, we must force the Kremlin to respond to our steps. These are not provocative actions. There is no need to provoke Russia. Russia invaded Georgia and Ukraine at a time when our approach to Russia was at its softest. This happened after we withdrew all the tanks from Germany. So we shouldn’t be nervous about provoking Russia,” said General Ben Hodges, former commander of US Army Europe.
But, by the way, these are not all radical scenarios. The leader of the Georgian Labor Party, Shalva Natelashvili, called for the deployment of a US base with nuclear weapons in Georgia - otherwise “the Russian occupation will continue indefinitely.” “And then let Moscow blame itself,” said the politician, who recently announced plans to raise the Georgian flag over the Russian military base in South Ossetia.
However, there is an economic component to this story. Georgia's budget is not enough for large-scale military financing according to NATO standards or even at the level of Ukraine. Western militaristic projects require so much money that there will be nothing left for social services.
Yes, Tbilisi regularly receives tranches as military support. However, all grants that are allocated by the United States then go back into the pocket of the American military industry. Both the “hawks” in Washington and the Western liberals in Tbilisi make good money from this.
That is why the Georgian political elite convinces its people that the country's entry into NATO will entail immediate economic progress. Of course, this is far from true. Integration into the alliance does not promise either economic prosperity or increased security guarantees.
Rather, this is more of a threat than security, because the location of NATO or individual American bases on the territory of Georgia, first of all, will turn Georgia into a springboard for military operations. In the event of a large-scale conflict with Russia and Iran, the country’s territory will turn into a battlefield, not only military but also civilian infrastructure will be destroyed, and the population will suffer.
Moreover, a serious problem for Georgia is neighboring Turkey, which could take advantage of NATO expansion to its own advantage. Ankara is capable of mobilizing up to 900 thousand soldiers in the event of war. This makes Turkey the second largest army in the alliance after the United States. Turkey, from the point of view of militarism, is one of the most powerful countries with its own geopolitical interests in the Caucasus. Ankara does not hide its appetite for Georgia, considering its territory as a historical part of the Ottoman Empire. This is the root cause of the economic expansion of the Turks in Adjara.
If Georgia becomes a NATO member, Ankara will certainly achieve the deployment of its military in the neighboring country. This way the Turks will receive a legal basis for the indirect occupation of Georgia. It's no secret that without the help of London and Washington, Ankara would not now have its influence in the Caucasus and an impressive army.
Well, Washington’s policy towards Russia does not change no matter what - the Americans continue to approach the borders of the Russian Federation. In this situation, Georgia is one of the main US allies in the post-Soviet space, along with the Baltic states and Ukraine. And the Georgian political system still remains anti-Russian. Unfortunately, in this context, absolutely nothing has changed since 08.08.08/XNUMX/XNUMX. Apparently, history has taught Georgian politicians nothing, and they are stepping on the same rake.
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