A Bulgarian news story mentioned: "The joint Bulgaria-US military exercise at the Novo Selo ground is part of a three-week long practice to include reconnaissance and target shooting.
"Bulgarian and US soldiers on Thursday conducted a joint drill of fighting the enemy in an urban setting at the Novo Selo training ground.
"[The] drill involved combat tactics used in Afghanistan." [35]
A Bulgarian news site reported in early October that "High ranking officers from both armies are taking part Thursday [October 8] in the Novo Selo VIP Day and are observing tactical demonstrations of the US and Bulgarian land forces, Black Hawk helicopters, Stryker armored vehicles and Bulgarian armored equipment." [36]
On the day of Joseph Biden's stay in the country Romania announced that it had signed an Access Agreement with the Pentagon: "According to a release of the Ministry of National Defense, under this Agreement Romania gives U.S. forces access for use of the facilities approved under Law 268/2006, Annex A, often referred to in foreign and Romanian media as "American military bases,' and not as "facilities made available to U.S. forces.'"
Attending the discussions on the agreement "on behalf of the United States were representatives of U.S. European Command (USEUCOM), the U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR) Major Command, the U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAF) and the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest"." [37]
On the same day an international conference on NATO and the New Strategic Concept was held in the Romanian capital. A report of the event stated "Romania wishes the reaffirmation of Article 5 from the North-Atlantic Pact. Another field in which the Romanian side seems to be interested in is energy security."
One of the hosts of the event said, "Romania is one of the [active] states of the energy security component. For the time being NATO has accepted it and introduced in its final documents specific operations directed to the protection of critical infrastructure on land and water. Currently, some formulas are being planned including other elements of energy security strategy NATO should assume." [38]
While meeting with Biden the day before, Romania's President Traian Basescu sounded the same note: "The liquid gas terminal in Constanta is still a common project of Romania and the US, as is the Constanta-Trieste oil pipeline." [39]
On the eastern end of the Black Sea, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Alexander Vershbow -- former American ambassador to NATO and to Russia -- was in Georgia earlier this week to discuss "modernization of defense systems, participation of the Georgian military contingent in Afghan peace operations, security in the region and other urgent issues." [40]
While in the nation Vershbow stated "Georgia's forward movement towards NATO is very important for us and we are ready to develop a special program to achieve this goal." [41]
Frequent comments of a similar tenor by the Pentagon official led a Russian new source to recount that "He said the US administration is helping Georgia to build armed forces that would meet the requirements of the day and would be capable of cooperating with NATO.
"Washington has been doing its utmost to this effect. Hundreds of US experts, including marines, are currently in Georgia training Georgian soldiers who are to join the US-led contingent in Afghanistan on President Saakashvili's orders. A total of 700 Georgian servicemen are expected to be moved to Afghanistan by early next year at a time when coalition losses grow by the day".It looks like President Saakashvili is prepared to go any lengths, up to sacrificing young lives, to please Washington and get into NATO." [42]
Four days after Vershbow's departure, on October 24 U.S. Marines in Georgia kicked off a two-week joint military exercise, the latest one to be code-named Immediate Response, which the American embassy in Tbilisi described as "specifically designed to enhance Georgia's ability to conduct joint counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan together with US forces."
Immediate Response 2008, which included the largest-ever deployment of U.S. armed forces to Georgia, concluded on September 4, three days before the U.S.-trained Georgian army bombarded and invaded South Ossetia, triggering a war with Russia. Many of the U.S. troops and much of their military equipment stayed behind after the war games.
The current Immediate Response drills are providing Washington's proxy army with training for aggression against South Ossetia and Abkhazia -- and another armed conflict with Russia -- as well as for war in Afghanistan.
