Check out Center 2011, which kicked off today with CSTO members, and Union Shield. The timing of these exercises is of interest, as are the participants. Since they are not massing troops on NATO's border no one seems to be paying much attention, yet it would not be a long trip through Iran, into Turkey, then down into Israel. All this during the time that the Palestinians are confidently demanding a state from the UN with East Jerusalem as it's capitol, and have even been found celebrating the outcome prematurely last weekend in downtown DC. I hope that never happened but the timing of this military exercise is very suspicious. At least to me.


http://en.trend.az/regions/casia/kaz...n/1933615.html

 'Center-2011' military exercises started

[19.09.2011 14:34]



Kazakhstan, Astana, Sept. 19 / Trend A. Maratov /

The large joint strategic exercises "Center-2011" have been launched in Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan today, the Kazakh Ministry of Defense said.
The exercises will continue until September 26. They aim to develop a unified approach towards creating, operating and using troops (the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Force and the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces of the Central Asian region) in case of armed conflicts in the region.
About 12,000 servicemen and 1,000 units of weapons, military and special equipment including 100 tanks and 50 planes, and 10 combat vehicles are planned to be involved in the exercises from the CSTO member-states.

The "Union Shield 2011" exercises are being conducted in the Russian firing ground Ashuluk. The main efforts are focused on joint actions of the Belarusian and Russian sides of a joint regional air defense system.
The "Union Shield" and "Center-2011" exercises have common topics and tasks. They involve all participants - Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Ukraine, the report said.
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