Russia says there will be some "grim consequences" over recent NATO war games in Georgia

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-fg-russia-nato7-2009may07,0,2749236.story

NATO war games launch despite Russia's fierce objections

Moscow has called the NATO military exercises in Georgia, which includes U.S. troops, 'open provocation' and threatened grim consequences.

By Megan K. Stack
May 7, 2009

Reporting from Moscow - NATO war games got underway in the nation of Georgia on Wednesday, pushed ahead despite a furious outcry from Moscow and a bloodless but embarrassing mutiny at a nearby Georgian military base earlier this week.

More than 1,000 soldiers from the United States, Europe and elsewhere have gathered at a military base near Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, for several weeks of training and simulated peacekeeping exercises.

The games, part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Partnership for Peace program, had been planned before combat broke out last summer between Georgia and Russia.

Russian leaders issued fervent calls in recent days for the alliance to cancel the exercises and keep its troops out of Georgia, warning of dire consequences if it didn't. Conducting military maneuvers in what was recently, albeit briefly, a war zone could only serve as an "open provocation," Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said last week.

[Captain Hilts]

1. It's not a good idea to poke a cornered dog with a stick. nt

[LakeSamish706]

2. This is very disturbing on a number of fronts... The Obama Administration...

(it would seem) would like to have new beginnings with Russia, and this is not the way to begin that. The President of Georgia is not popular in his own country and is also crazier than a shit-house-mouse. Not sure why NATO decided to do this, but I think it was a very big mistake.

[Hardrada]

3. An error and a miscalculation indeed!

[autorank]

4. Why are we dong this? Are we dumb as rocks?

What if Russia held war games with Cuba or Mexico. What stupidity. It never ends.

[rpannier]

5. I see the Russians are borrowing vieled threats and warnings from the North Korean

government.

[leftstreet]

6. This is how the US 'resets' relations with Russia?

What crap!