Israeli involvement in Georgia confirmed. Pentagon again cool things down

Reports in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz confirmed the involvement of Israeli companies in providing training and arms sales to Georgia. Not actually too unusual perhaps, as arms sales are a huge component of Israels exports. (note that the Russians shot down 3 Georgian drones yesterday).

The report also confirms web reports that 2 of the Georgian cabinet (including the Defense Minister) are, if not Israeli, Zionist Jews with very close ties to Israel. It seems the Georgian President is trying to confirm they are Israeli, while the Israelis are trying to counter claim that they are certainly not.

Interesting.

Georgia president denies Israel halted military aid due to war
By Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Correspondent

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili denied on Wednesday night that Israel has suspended its military aid to the country. "I haven't heard anything about that, and I haven't had time to think about that issue for some days," he told Haaretz.

Saakashvili said he is aware of problems with supplying the pilotless drones that his army ordered from Israeli companies, but not of the stopping of any other shipments of military aid.

"The Israeli weapons have proved very effective," he said at a press conference at his office. When asked whether the Israeli arms played a role in the military successes he claimed the Georgian army had achieved, he joked: "Are you asking me as a representative of Elbit or of Israel Aerospace Industries?"

To a reporter's question about Jews who have fled the fighting and come to Israel, he said: "We have two Israeli cabinet ministers, one deals with war [Defense Minister David Kezerashvili], and the other with negotiations [State Minister for Territorial Integration Temur Yakobashvili], and that is the Israeli involvement here: Both war and peace are in the hands of Israeli Jews."

Yakobashvili is actually not an Israeli citizen. Saakashvili's statements are part of his government's attempt to bring other countries into its war against Russia. During the briefing, Saakashvili noted that he is in constant contact with U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. He promised that U.S. warships would be docking in Georgian ports within a few days to make sure they remain open.

Saakashvili tried to project confidence during the interview, but could not completely hide the stress he is under. A few hours earlier, refugees from Gori held a spontaneous demonstration in front of parliament, calling for Saakashvili to resign. ...

President Saakashvili himself is no paragon of democracy either, having instigated a big crack down on the opposition in Georgia late last year, and clearly acting somewhat precipitously in Sth Ossetia by triggering what would obviously be a firm Russian smack-down.

He's also trying hard to pull the US into the conflict, by claiming the US would be taking control of Georgia's air and sea ports. See this report in The Tribune Tribune
(note the headline is misleading)

Also note, once again, it's the Pentagon who are pouring the ice water, not the Bush Administration.

US ‘to take control’ of Georgian sea, airports
TBILISI
President George W. Bush’s pledge to send aid to Georgia means that the US military will take control of the ex-Soviet state’s ports and airports, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said on Wednesday.

But the Pentagon denied it planned any such action to proceed with deliveries of humanitarian aid.

“You have heard the statement by the US president that the United States is starting a military-humanitarian operation in Georgia,” Saakashvili said in a television address.

“It means that Georgian ports and airports will be taken under the control of the US defence ministry in order to conduct humanitarian and other missions. This is a very important statement for easing tension.”

Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said: “We are not looking to, not do we need to, take control of any air or seaports to conduct this mission.”

In his White House remarks, Bush said he had ordered the US military to deliver humanitarian aid. A C-17 aircraft with supplies was on its way to Georgia and in the days to come Washington would use
military aircraft and naval forces to make deliveries....