US anti-missile radar to appear in Georgia?

A letter from four US senators concerning missile-defense system deployment in Georgia rather than in Turkey has caused a sensation among Georgian politicians. In their letter addressed to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, senators Jon Kyl, James Risch, Mark Kirk, and James Inhofe suggest that "Georgia's geographic location would make it an ideal site for a missile defense radar aimed at Iran, and would offer clear advantages for the protection of the United States from a long range missile as compared to Turkey. What's more, the Republic of Georgia should be a significant partner for future defense cooperation with the U.S." They also take the issue of Iran into consideration: Turkey refused to acknowledge Tehran as a direct threat to NATO. Ankara also refuses to share the information that will be obtained by the radar with Israel. 

Furthermore, the Turkish military aspires to control the radar themselves, or to have at least as much power over it as NATO experts, and that is unacceptable for the US. Of course, Georgia can't afford to make such pre-conditions. Tbilisi has not yet commented officially on the matter, but it is obvious that the Georgian authorities will accept such a proposition as soon as it comes through official channels.

Georgia has been trying to obtain a missile-defense system from the USA for a long time now, and the issue became especially urgent when Russia deployed 'Tochka-U'-class missiles in Abkhazia. If the USA deploys its TPY-2 radar in Georgia, it will have to deploy the whole complex of missile-defense systems as well, along with contingent.

The US Defense Department hasn't yet commented either. It is possible that this letter is just another means of persuading Turkey to be more cooperative. But if the Turkish military tries to stand its ground, the USA will have to face a difficult choice. 

It is interesting to note that the Director General of NATO International Headquarters visited Georgia recently and met with high-ranking Georgian military officials, as well as going to see the most likely site for any radar deployment. Previously, an International Headquarters representative visited Georgia in May 2009, during 'Partnership for Peace' war games.

Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively for VK.