Putin: U.S. Military Advisers In Georgia Conflict

[Purveyor]

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said U.S. military advisers had been involved in this month's conflict in Georgia and the White House could have planned it to help Republicans win the U.S. election.

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Putin said Russia had acted fully in accordance with international law in defending South Ossetia, which was attacked by Georgian forces on Aug 7-8, sparking an international crisis.

"We know there were a lot of U.S. advisers (in Georgia)... but instructors, teachers and personnel for military weapons should be on firing ranges and in the teaching centers -- but where were they? They were in the zone of military operations."

"And that pushes one to the conclusion that the leadership of the United States knew about the action that was being prepared and moreover probably took part in it," Putin said.

Putin, speaking to Germany's ARD station before an EU meeting to discuss the Georgia crisis on Monday, bluntly told Europe to stop taking orders from Washington.

"In a significant way the crisis was provoked, including by our American friends in the course of the election struggle. This was the use of administrative resources in a deplorable way to provide advantage to one of the candidates, in the current case from the ruling party," Putin said.

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REUTERS: http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed7/idUSLT62235520080829

[moondust]

1. Hmmm.

Did the U.S. troops there stand around and watch as the Georgian troops set up their artillery and started shelling South Ossetia? Did they help? Did they say anything to anybody? Call George?

Strange circumstances. If Putin doesn't have anything more than circumstantial evidence, though, he probably won't get far with his argument.

[FarCenter]

2. It's difficult to say -- the ones killed may have been contractors

Possibly Blackwater, Dyncorp or one of those.

It would be interesting to know whether the Russians have some to interrogate.