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  • Security and conflict in the Caucasus region, not frozen

    Foreign Policy: Security and conflict in the Caucasus region, not frozen

    tert.am
    09:50 - 21.08.12

    By Lt. Gen. Mark P. Hertling, US Army
    Best Defense guest columnist


    The Caucasus - that historical causeway of conflict between Europe and
    the Middle East - remains a complicated tangle of security concerns.
    Ethnic tensions still affect long standing territorial disputes,
    internally displaced indigenous people align with or oppose powerful
    diasporas, and an increasing nouveau riche -- an oil-fueled minority
    upper class -- is growing in an area once known only for desperate
    poverty.

    While the Minsk Group spearheads the OSCE's efforts to find a
    political solution to the conflict in and around Nagorno-Karabakh,
    Armenia and Azerbaijan both remain frustrated with the lack of
    political resolve; military leaders on both sides proudly and
    unjustifiably claim they could "settle it" quickly. The recent
    Georgian experience with Russia has left significant cross-border
    scars that will likely not heal anytime soon, especially as Georgia
    desperately seeks NATO membership and European acceptance. The
    spider-web relations between Iran and Israel with many of those in
    this region confuses even the experts; and the border between Turkey
    and many of her allies - especially Armenia - are subject to political
    resolution of multi-generational disputes between those two countries.

    All of these factors exist in a crucible surrounded on three sides by
    Turkey, Iran, and Russia. The potential for conflict is considered so
    plausible and the issues related to the interaction so confusing that
    a few years ago the U.S. Army's Training and Doctrine Command
    developed scenarios linked to the Caucasus to help prepare Majors for
    military contingencies. The US Army's Command and General Staff
    College at Fort Leavenworth uses the "GAAT"
    (Georgia-Armenia-Azerbaijan-Turkey) exercise as a thread of continuity
    throughout the course. Understandably there is no right or wrong
    answers to any of the questions posed to young field grade officers in
    the course, but the underlying conflict scenarios meet the requirement
    to analyze and exercise an extremely complex Joint, Interagency,
    Intergovernmental and Multinational resolution.

    During a recent US Army Europe (USAREUR) command visit to Georgia,
    Armenia and Azerbaijan, my young aide de camp -- a recent graduate of
    Leavenworth -- pronounced after accompanying me that she wished she
    had visited these countries before participating in "the GAAT." After
    observing the meetings with the regions' visionary political
    leadership, and seeing the capabilities of the emerging non-conscript
    militaries and the unique differences between the younger generation
    of professional leaders and the older generation of Soviet-trained
    generals, she proclaimed: "this is very different from what I learned
    in the classrooms at Leavenworth, Kansas."

    There were some tensions, to be sure. But there was also reason for optimism.

    European Command's strategy of Theater Security Cooperation - and
    USAREUR's contribution as part of that strategy in training and
    exercising with the militaries and engaging with military and
    political leaders -- is bearing significant results. The four nations
    that make up "the GAAT" are integrating forces in NATO out of theater
    and peacekeeping operations in places like Afghanistan and Kosovo, and
    the potential for peaceful management of the region's substantial
    security challenges is improving.

    Georgia has participated in ISAF since 2005 and has provided a
    caveat-free battalion under U.S. command since 2010. This contribution
    is set to double in October of this year. The Georgian military
    leadership is now requesting USAREUR's support to train a
    brigade-sized command and control element for their increasingly
    capable and dramatically more professional force. Armenia has recently
    volunteered to send forces to the continuing Kosovo peacekeeping
    operation under U.S. command, after their partnership deployment with
    Greece ended due to the fiscal crisis in that country. Even while
    engaged in the poorly-named "frozen conflict" of Nagorno-Karabakh
    (N-K), both Armenia and Azerbaijan deploy company-sized elements to
    Afghanistan, under German and Turkish commands, respectively. Indeed,
    the fact that Azerbaijan and Armenia have both created brigade-sized
    peacekeeping and NATO-compatible units is an extremely positive
    development. Remarkably, both nations have developed these forces as a
    distinct military branch for the express purpose of participating in
    multinational operations. These units, which are specifically
    non-aligned with operations in N-K conflict, are largely manned by
    professional soldiers, not conscripts, and are led by
    English-speaking, western-trained officers. At a glance during my
    visit, they also appear better trained than line forces occupying
    positions along the NK line-of-contact.

    The infusion of values and the concept of a "profession of arms" are
    taking hold in the younger elements of the Georgian, Armenian, and
    Azerbaijani officer corps, who are often trained in the west through
    the Individual Military Education and Training (IMET) program. The
    differences between these younger leaders -- many of whom have already
    taken command in key positions -- and the older Soviet-trained
    generals are palpable. In Georgia, for example, the Chief of the Army
    is exceedingly young, but in two years of engagement I have watched
    him grow into a mature and dedicated leader of his relatively small
    Army. The younger Battalion and Brigade Commanders in Armenia and
    Azerbaijan -- many of whom received education at the Army's War
    College at Carlisle or at Leavenworth -- also exhibit a professional
    character found in more advanced security forces. Several of these
    Armies are also focusing on growing a professional NCO corps; this is
    one of the more significant signs of emerging and quantifiable
    progress. The younger, visionary political leaders know these aspects
    of a professional force are critical for further democratization and
    inclusion in European and NATO organizations.

    As the world's security focus shifts away from ISAF, and the National
    Security Strategy of the U.S. "rebalances" toward the Pacific, USAREUR
    continues to look at the Caucasus countries in the same way that we
    view the others that make up the European Area of Responsibility; as
    partners in future coalitions.

    The forward presence of U.S. forces in various parts of the world is
    critical to an expansion of security cooperation and partner capacity
    building. Our forward presence in Europe eliminates the tyranny of
    distance, and it significantly enables realistic training and
    exercises with security forces of all different nations. But more than
    that, our presence builds trust; something that rotational forces
    cannot do to the same degree as those who share the continent. All
    these factors are necessary elements in reassuring political and
    military officials that there is a peaceful solution to regional
    tensions, and that other security challenges are best met working
    closely -- and daily -- with regional allies. Forward presence
    reinforces the reality that the United States is a committed partner
    in maintaining regional security.

    Having seen the potential for conflict, and the continued methods of
    resolving conflict, I am excited about the future of security and
    conflict resolution in the Caucuses. That optimism is borne out by the
    progress made by Georgian, Armenian and Azeri security forces. Each
    country is, in different capacities, building a base of military
    professionalism and reform, and is ensuring a more peaceful security
    for their nations.

    The Caucasus' position as a geographical, cultural, and political
    epicenter means that movements -positive and negative - in Georgia,
    Armenia, and Azerbaijan reverberate well beyond the local region. With
    America's continued support, the Caucuses will remain a source of
    stable, reliable, interoperable partners who are the foundation of
    future regional and global security.

    Lieutenant General Mark Hertling is the current Commanding General,
    U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army, where he is responsible for
    training U.S. Army Soldiers and units for Contingency and Full
    Spectrum Operations, enhancing Theater Security Cooperation, and
    Building Partner Capacity with 51 allied nations that are part of the
    European area of operation. Prior to this posting, he served as the
    DCG for Initial Military Training at TRADOC and previous to that the
    Commander of the 1st Armored Division, where the unit was deployed to
    Northern Iraq as Task Force Iron.




    From: A. Papazian
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