Not all in Georgia understand why its military men should be at war in Afghanistan!

The Georgian military men sustained losses in Afghanistan earlier, but recent attack on base in Helmand province when seven were lost and nine servicemen were wounded from Georgia, couldn't but come under the spotlight. It is clear that the authorities of Georgia right assured that mission will be continued. But it already suits today not all political forces in the republic.

So, the Labour party of Georgia which is in opposition to Bidzina Ivanishvili's coalition, addressed in election commission with the offer to organize a referendum about expediency of further stay in Afghanistan of the Georgian military as a part of the international security assistance force of ISAF.

The members of the Labour party who will expose the candidate on the upcoming presidential election, demand “end of the Afghan tragedy and a conclusion of the Georgian armies from others war. The Georgian people have to resolve this issue”. The members of the Labour party consider that the referendum can be held together with presidential election.

Public actions began also: the action against the entry of Georgia into NATO and for a conclusion of the Georgian armies from Afghanistan was carried out by non-governmental organization “Club of young political scientists” in Tbilisi. Participants of the action gathered in connection with carrying out in hotel of the meeting devoted to questions of cooperation of NATO and Georgia.

The representative of “Club of young political scientists” Giorgi Mdivani publicly declared: “We demand an immediate conclusion of our armies from Afghanistan where Georgia already lost 29 people. In a percentage ratio it is the highest rate among other countries participating in operation. Besides, the events are the actual occupation of the territory of Afghanistan, and we are against the participation in it. Therefore we brought the posters with the image of the killed Afghan citizens, women and children to an action. We don't want that Georgia participated in it”.

Let's remind that the military contingent from Georgia is in Afghanistan as a part of ISAF forces since August, 2009 and totals to one and a half thousand military personnel. Losses as a whole make 29 people. As a result of the last attack on the Georgian base seven were lost and nine Georgian soldiers were wounded who served as a part of ISAF. The chief of the Joint staff of Armed Forces of Georgia colonel Irakli Dzneladze reported later: “There was a terrorist attack in Helmand province. The terrorist suicide made lorry explosion on our base therefore there are victims”. Having known about losses, the president Mikheil Saakashvili declared a day of mourning in the country …

It is clear that such sad news influence a political situation in the country. After all the losses were earlier … Therefore the statement of the former commander of the International security assistance force in Afghanistan (ISAF) general John Allen, made in March, attracts attention. The American general told then: “The Georgian forces are remarkable, they rendered us the serious and worthy help. Georgia is the biggest contributor among the countries which aren't participants of NATO. Georgians really made a great cause in Afghanistan. In my opinion, any long-term military operations wouldn't turn out without the most important role of the Georgian contingent in Afghanistan”.

And after the death of the Georgian military the Minister of Defence of Georgia Irakli Alasania declared that the command of NATO works over change of a dislocation of the Georgian military personnel in Afghanistan as much as possible to ensure their safety. It is clear that it is addressed first of all for the Georgian audience: “NATO on request of armed forces of Georgia works on searches of places of a dislocation where safety of the Georgian military personnel will be most protected. It should be noted that we are in military operations and, proceeding from it, there is no absolute guarantee that incidents can’t repeat in the future. The American command and command of forces of NATO made the relevant decision on request of the Georgian military”.

Irakli Alasania visited Afghanistan where he visited the wounded military personnel. After the minister a number of the high-ranking Georgian military were there among whom there were the deputy head of the Joint staff and the head of department of military police. Then it was told: “Along with big activity of the opponent and emergence of new fighting tactics, the Georgian divisions developed the counter-measures. Besides, the necessary additional engineering works for strengthening of the Georgian bases actively proceed”.

The Georgian military fulfil the duty where it was ordered them. But it is more difficult to explain the sense of presence of the Georgian military in Afghanistan. With each new zinc coffin which bring home from the far-away country with which Georgia even has no general border…