A question for the Russians

[c_of_red]

http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...gia-2008-1.htm

http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...eorgia/mod.htm

The Army of Georgia was at about 37,000 in 2007, with no plans to increase it. AFAIK, they had no armor, no artillery beyond mortars, limited ADS and no Air force. A two ship navy/coastguard. Georgian defense was based on getting help from NATO. We saw how well that worked.
So T-62's were all that was needed. 'ell, T34/85's would have done the job. The ONLY change to prevent the Russian's rape of Georgia was to close down the Roki tunnel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roki_Tunnel

Closing the tunnel would have required the use of a B-2 and 1/2 a dozen 2,000Lb JDAM's. President Bush decided not to do it. History will record that as one of the worst decisions ever made by an American president. Worse then JFK's no balls call at the Bay of pigs.
a simple smack down of the Russians in Georgia would have prevented the war that will happen after the Russians take the Ukraine back. NATO is a hollow shell, propped up by the USA for some unknown reason. Habit?
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"After its partial reform and unification, by 2003 the Group of Russian Forces in Transcaucasia (GRVZ) remained the most capable in the region. At that time, 8,000 soldiers, 153 tanks, 241 armored fighting vehicles, and 140 artillery systems were concentrated at the two military bases stationed in Georgia (the 12th in Batumi and the 62nd in Akhalklaki).

Two more Russian groups, operating under the flag of CIS peacekeeping forces, were concentrated in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In Gudauta (Abkhazia), a separate peacekeeping-reserve motorized rifle battalion, and two other battalions operated on the line dividing the opposing sides along the Inguri River and in the Kodori Gorge. There were 1,600 servicemen in Abkhazia, about 100 pieces of military hardware (BMP-1s and -2s [infantry fighting vehicles] and BTRs [armored personnel carriers] of various modifications). The peacekeepers' staff was located in Sokhumi. In South Ossetia, the Russian peacekeeping battalion controls the territory around Tskhinvali and along the Georgian military road. The battalion includes 600 men, plus no less than 50 pieces of combat and aviation hardware."

Should the need arise, Russian Forces in Georgia could be augmented by units and sub-units from the 102nd Military Base in Gyumri (Armenia), where 74 tanks, 165 BMP-1s and -2s and BTR-70s and -80s; and 84 artillery weapons are concentrated. Besides this, the base is reinforced by an air defense squadron with 14 MiG-29s, S-300V air defense systems (with a 100-km strike radius, or 40-km for ballistic missiles), and Obzor-3 and Nebo-SV radio tracking stations (RTSs), with a range of up to 300 km.