Month: March 2015

What are Germany and France doing about Minsk 2 violations? — Sample action letter

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Germany and France are guarantors of Minsk 2. Ukraine is violating Minsk 2. Where are the protests by these two countries?

If you oppose what Ukraine is doing, contact the ambassadors for Germany and France in your country, as well as the consulate located in your nearest city.

Here is a letter written to the French Ambassador to the United States Gérard Araud.

—————————————————————

Dear Ambassador Araud:

Ukraine is in gross violation of the Minsk 2 agreement. France is a guarantor of Minsk 2. I urge you and the government of France to take aggressive action now to condemn these violations and the related actions by the United States

The Minsk 2 agreement requires that all foreign military personnel be removed from the country.

  • Pullout of all foreign armed formations, military equipment, and also mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine under OSCE supervision

However, the United States, with President Poroshenko’s support, is moving US military personnel into Ukraine and weaponry for constant NATO exercises starting this week. The Verkhovna Rada is considering a bill legalizing this – in complete defiance of Minsk 2.

There is also the question of whether Kiev has pulled its heavy weaponry from the line of contact, as required by the agreement. In addition, there are continuing violations of the ceasefire by Kiev forces.

The Kiev government and its forces are engaged in genocide and war crimes against Ukrainian citizens. The people of East Ukraine are acting in self-defense. The French government has not recognized that.

As France well knows, there is no Russian aggression against Ukraine; there is no Russian invasion. However, there has been constant aggression by the U.S. in Ukraine for years. This culminated in the Maidan violence and overthrow of President Yanukovich and the ongoing support for the present violence and ethnic genocide against the Ukrainian people. The French people experienced this same violence in the assassination attempts on President De Gaulle traced to NATO, the United States Defense Intelligence Agency, and the FBI.[1]

France must take aggressive action now against these violations of Minsk 2 to stop a European war that could easily turn nuclear.

 

[1]  http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-lessons-of-history-in-1966-president-de-gaulle-said-no-to-us-nato/5386501

Back to war? Ukrainian parliament rejects the Minsk agreement

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“No special status or authority, not provided for in the Constitution,” – confirmed speaker Vladimir Groysman

“We can negotiate only when Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts hold elections under the full control of the Ukrainian government” -declared Deputy Speaker Andriy Paruby

From Fort Russ

Back to war?

March 17, 2015
Translated by Kristina Rus

A month after the Minsk agreement the masks are off. New weapons are coming, American instructors are in Ukraine, the IMF credit is approved. Time to get back to killing the kids of Donbass. Where are the sanctions on Kiev?

 Did anyone have any doubts that those who chose bombs instead of talks a year ago will flip and turn into peacemakers? There is no other choice in the alternate reality perpetuated by the Ukrainian media. There is no other choice for the ultra-nationalist Kiev government, like there was no choice for Hitler. It has to follow the program. They only understand the language of force. Only when Novorossia forces enter Kiev will anything change. 

 The only reason they paused the war is because they were annihilated, and couldn’t physically go on. But that’s no longer a problem, thanks to the Americans, who can’t wait to start killing the Russians.

Will Europe open its eyes and realize what monster they helped create?

Mikhail Ryabov for Politnavigator:

Verkhovnaya Rada rejected the Minsk agreements, promising a storm of Donetsk

The Verkhovna Rada after a day of backroom negotiations on Tuesday night voted in favor of a resolution on Donbass. In fact, the documents violate the Minsk agreement. Firstly, the Ukrainian side has already failed the deadline for the adoption of laws. Secondly, MPs rejected the dialogue between Kiev and DPR and LPR, declaring the Republics – “occupied territories”. Thirdly, the Ukrainian Parliament appealed to the UN Security Council with a proposal for the deployment of a peacekeeping mission, which is opposed by the militia. Moreover, the representatives of Peter Poroshenko had promised that the army will eventually bring Ukrainian order to Donetsk and Lugansk.

“We can negotiate only when Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts hold elections under the full control of the Ukrainian government – not under the supervision of the Yakut tanks and Chechen snipers. It is therefore not surprising that since the morning the leaders of the terrorist groups are screaming that these laws undermine the negotiations,”  – declared Deputy Speaker Andrey Paruby.

[Who should talk about snipers! So the counteroffer is – to negotiate with themselves – KR]

He was supported by the MP-commander Andrew Teteryuk. According to him, Kiev will agree to the elections in Donetsk and Luhansk, only when “all the fighters, all equipment, all Russian mercenaries leave the territory, and the process of renewal of life on our Ukrainian lands will begin”.

The only one who tried to protest, was the deputy Yuriy Voropayev from the Opposition Bloc.

“These laws ask one side to capitulate, and only after that projects that provide special conditions will be considered. More precisely, these are just instructions for the Cabinet of Ministers to prepare special conditions. We cannot vote on this bill, it will reject the peace,” – said Voropaev.

“What party do you represent in the Parliament? The other side are Putin’s occupants! The occupier will be forced to capitulate, or will be destroyed by the Ukrainian army! Don’t listen to the militants, the State Duma, don’t be afraid to vote for Ukraine!” – said Paruby.

“No special status or authority, not provided for in the Constitution,” – confirmed speaker Vladimir Groysman. According to him, the task now for the Ukrainian side is “to free from the clutches of the aggressor, the aggressor and terrorist,” Donetsk and Lugansk.

“These laws are not for Putin, not for Europe or America, but for Ukraine and its future. They lead not to the battle for the ruins of our land, but to a future resumption of sovereignty on the territory that is temporarily controlled by the rebels and the Russian army.

They provide the possibility of elections then and only then, when the Ukrainian army and the Ukrainian state will bring the Ukrainian flag, the Ukrainian parties and laws to this territory, when there will be Ukrainian parties, the police, the CEC. The laws do not give any concessions to the terrorists,” – said the deputy Yury Lutsenko, the head of the faction of the Poroshenko Bloc.

Oleg Lyashko and Yulia Tymoshenko stated that they will not even vote for the laws in this form.

“They propose to implement what was signed in Minsk… Read the Minsk agreement: “until the end of 2015 – the establishment of a special status for Donbass”! Crimea already had a special status!” said Lyashko.

Yulia Tymoshenko also rejected any dialogue with the LPR and DPR. In her opinion, otherwise at the elections in Donetsk and Lugansk “will be selected the people whose hands are covered in blood, who killed Ukrainians. Does anyone have any doubts, which judges and prosecutors they will agree on for the Ukrainian authorities to confirm?”

The vote in the Verkhovnaya Rada has already received a sharp reaction from Moscow. Russian political analyst Alexey Chesnakov stated that Peter Poroshenko violated the Minsk agreement.

“Today in Parliament – another circus. Poroshenko and company are playing that part of the coalition does not want to vote for a resolution defining the boundaries of special areas. Blatantly lying, in order to then lie to the Germans, the French and us, that the voting was difficult and their option is the maximum, that can be achieved from the Rada”, – said the expert.

KR: The Rada had no problem voting for population-reducing budget after five attempts, so have no doubt – if they vote like this it’s because they have the green light from the puppet-masters. 
Don’t have any illusions – they will blame the resumption of the war on DPR and LPR.

Minsk 2 agreement — Text

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Translation posted on the UK Telegraph, February 12, 2015
The footnotes for the agreement were not translated or posted by the Telegraph.

This was agreed to by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany, and signed by East Ukraine leaders.

  • Immediate and full ceasefire in particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts of Ukraine and its strict fulfilment as of 00.00 midnight (Kiev time) on Feb. 15, 2015.
  • Pull-out of all heavy weapons by both sides to equal distance with the aim of creation of a security zone on minimum 50 kilometres apart for artillery of 100mm calibre or more, and a security zone of 70km for MLRS and 140 kilometres for MLRS Tornado-S, Uragan, Smerch and tactical missile systems Tochka U.

– for Ukrainian troops, from actual line of contact;

– for armed formations of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts of Ukraine, from the contact line in accordance with the Minsk memorandum as of Sept. 19, 2014

  • The pullout of the above mentioned heavy weapons has to start no later than the second day after the ceasefire and finish within 14 days.
  • This process will be assisted by OSCE with the support of the Trilateral Contact Group.
  • Effective monitoring and verification of ceasefire regime and pullout of heavy weapons by OSCE will be provided from the first day of pullout, using all necessary technical means such as satellites, drones, radio-location systems etc.
  • On the first day after the pullout a dialogue is to start on modalities of conducting local elections in accordance with the Ukrainian legislation and the Law of Ukraine “On temporary Order of Local Self-Governance in Particular Districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts,” and also about the future of these districts based on the above mentioned law.
  • Without delays, but no later than 30 days from the date of signing of this document, a resolution has to be approved by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, indicating the territory which falls under the special regime in accordance with the law “On temporary Order of Local Self-Governance in Particular Districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts,” based in the line set up by the Minsk Memorandum as of Sept. 19, 2014.
  • Provide pardon and amnesty by way of enacting a law that forbids persecution and punishment of persons in relation to events that took place in particular departments of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts of Ukraine.
  • Provide release and exchange of all hostages and illegally held persons, based on the principle of “all for all”. This process has to end – at the latest – on the fifth day after the pullout (of weapons).
  • Provide safe access, delivery, storage and distribution of humanitarian aid to the needy, based on an international mechanism.
  • Define the modalities of a full restoration of social and economic connections, including social transfers, such as payments of pensions and other payments (income and revenue, timely payment of communal bills, restoration of tax payments within the framework of Ukrainian legal field)
  • With this aim, Ukraine will restore management over the segment of its banking system in the districts affected by the conflict, and possibly, an international mechanism will be established to ease such transactions.
  • Restore full control over the state border by Ukrainian government in the whole conflict zone, which has to start on the first day after the local election and end after the full political regulation (local elections in particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts based on the law of Ukraine and Constitutional reform) by the end of 2015, on the condition of fulfilment of Point 11 – in consultations and in agreement with representatives of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts within the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group.
  • Pullout of all foreign armed formations, military equipment, and also mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine under OSCE supervision. Disarmament of all illegal groups.
  • Constitutional reform in Ukraine, with the new Constitution to come into effect by the end of 2015, the key element of which is decentralisation (taking into account peculiarities of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts, agreed with representatives of these districts), and also approval of permanent legislation on special status of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts in accordance with the measures spelt out in the footnotes, by the end of 2015.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/11408266/Minsk-agreement-on-Ukraine-crisis-text-in-full.html

NATO’s eastern campaign: U.S. to hold Patriot missile drill in Poland

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From Rick Rozoff

U.S. Department of Defense
March 13, 2015
U.S., Poland to Conduct Patriot Missile Exercise
By Nick Simeone

untitled

WASHINGTON: U.S. and Polish forces will conduct an exercise later this month involving a U.S. Patriot missile battery and Poland’s 3rd Warsaw Air Defense Missile Brigade, Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren announced today.

The exercise will involve some 100 U.S. soldiers and 30 vehicles at a location on Polish territory.

Warren called the exercise part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, which is designed to reassure allies, demonstrate freedom of movement and deter regional aggression on the eastern flank of NATO. The mission began in response to Russia’s armed support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine and its annexation of Crimea a year ago.

https://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/2015/03/16/natos-eastern-campaign-u-s-to-hold-patriot-missile-drill-in-Poland/

Pentagon budget may include $1 billion in lethal aid to Ukraine – Congressman

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According to this article, this bill has been referred to the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee. http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/

Posted on Strategic Culture Foundation, March 17, 2015

Sputnik — A proposed piece of legislation providing $1 billion in lethal defensive aid to Ukraine may be incorporated into the 2016 Pentagon budget, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), US House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry said at a press briefing on Monday.

“It may be something that we want to look at on the NDAA,” Thornberry said of the legislation. “It could stand on its own, or it could be both.”

Further questioned on including the $1 billion in lethal aid to the 2016 NDAA, Thornberry said the budget legislation could “at least express the opinion [of the US Congress] on it,” which is not a formal authorization for the action.

Thornberry added he is unclear when his legislation on Ukraine will come up for a vote because there are still “jurisdictional questions” regarding the bill, which was referred out of Armed Services to the House Foreign Affairs Committee for further action.

“I’m for doing it tomorrow, myself,” he stated.

US efforts to provide lethal support to Ukraine have “strong bipartisan support” in the US House and Senate, Thornberry noted.

Thornberry introduced the bill in February together with US Representative Adam Smith, calling on the US government to provide $1 billion in lethal defensive military aid to the government in Kiev.

Smith said in February that the language in the bill was more forceful than previous pieces of legislation in terms of pressuring US President Obama to arm Ukraine.

The US Congress is currently working toward an agreement on the federal budget for fiscal year 2016. The Pentagon has requested approximately $585 billion in defense spending, which is higher than the amount of spending authorized under the Congress’ Budget Control Act limits, or sequestration.

Russia has said that providing Kiev will weapons will exacerbate the Ukrainian crisis, and goes against claims by Washington of its commitment for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine

http://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2015/03/17/pentagon-budget-may-include-1bln-lethal-aid-to-ukraine-congressman.html

Ukraine bill to allow U.S., Polish troops to enter for multiple war games

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From Rick Rozoff

Interfax-Ukraine
March 14, 2015
Ukraine plans joint military exercises with U.S., Poland for 2015 – bill

image
Polish and Ukrainian troops in last year’s U.S.-led Rapid Trident NATO war games

President Petro Poroshenko has introduced a bill to parliament to let foreign armed forces into Ukraine to take part in five joint exercises with Ukrainian forces.

According to the draft law, Ukraine plans three Ukrainian-American command post exercises, Fearless Guardian 2015, Sea Breeze 2015 and Saber Guardian/Rapid Trident 2015, and two Ukrainian-Polish exercises, Secure Skies 2015, and Law and Order 2015, for this year.

Fearless Guardian will take place in Yavoriv district, Lviv region, in the period from March to November and will bring together a maximum of 2,200 troops. Ukraine is providing up to 200 armed forces troops and up to 1,000 National Guard personnel, and the U.S. will be represented by a maximum of 1,000 servicemen.

Sea Breeze will be a 25-day exercise held between June and October in the Black Sea and at training sites in the regions of Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kherson. A maximum of 2,500 troops will take part in it.

Ukraine and the United States will each be represented by a maximum of 1,000 troops. The rest of the personnel will come from other NATO countries and member countries of NATO’s Partnership for Peace program (up to 500 troops).

Saber Guardian/Rapid Trident will also take place in Yavoriv district. The 25-day exercise, to be held between July and October, will bring together up to 2,100 troops, with up to 1,000 representing Ukraine, up to 500 the United States, and up to 600 other NATO and Partnership for Peace member countries.

Secure Skies is a 14-day tactical air force exercise in which a maximum of 250 Ukrainian and 100 Polish servicemen will take part.

Law and Order is a one-week military police exercise in Yavoriv that will together 50 Ukrainians and 50 Poles.

Permission from parliament is needed to allow foreign military personnel into Ukraine.

https://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/2015/03/15/war-games-in-ukraine-bill-to-allow-u-s-polish-troops-to-enter/

Recommended reading: Empire’s Workshop, by Greg Grandin

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Empire’s Workshop: Latin America, the United States, and the Rise of the New Imperialism

Published by Metropolitan Books
paperback | 304 pages
5/1/2007 | US$17.00 [price may vary]
ISBN: 0805083235

In a brilliant excavation of long-obscured history, Empire’s Workshop shows how Latin America has functioned as a proving ground for American strategies and tactics overseas. Historian Greg Grandin follows the United States’ imperial operations from Jefferson’s aspirations for an “empire of liberty” in Cuba and Spanish Florida to Reagan’s support for brutally oppressive but U.S.-friendly regimes in Central America. He traces the origins of Bush’s [and now Obama’s] current policies back to Latin America, where many of the administration’s leading lights first embraced the deployment of military power to advance free market economics and enlisted the evangelical movement in support of their ventures.

http://us.macmillan.com/empiresworkshop/greggrandin

This is a brutal and eye-opening history of American foreign policy in Latin America, which laid the groundwork for American action in other countries.

Interestingly, Hugo Chavez said, “What is happening today in Latin America? To answer this question, read Empire’s Workshop.”

Background documents:

http://www.greggrandin.com/teaching-empires-workshop/

Brussels: NATO holds 50-nation meeting on Ukraine war

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This meeting was convened at the request of Ukraine — by the Kiev government.

NATO “allies and partners” accept and protect the violent neo-Nazi leadership of Kiev. They accept and protect the Kiev regime’s violent accession to power, using snipers to kill police and protestors at Maidan. They accept and protect the ethnic cleansing and genocide campaign by the Kiev leadership. They accept and protect naziism and ultra-right extremism.  They accept and protect the war crimes done by the Kiev regime, its use of white phosphorus and chemical weapons, and its shelling of civilians. They denounce self-defense and self-protection by East Ukrainians. They denounce self-determination. They denounce civil rights and life.

These are our leaders — American, British, and European — and this is what they represent.

From Rick Rozoff

North Atlantic Treaty Organization
March 11, 2015

NATO Allies and partners discuss Ukraine crisis

nato-planes

Ambassadors of NATO Allies and twenty-two partners met in the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council on Wednesday (11 March 2015) for an exchange of views on the current situation in Ukraine. Chaired by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the session was convened at the request of Ukraine.

The meeting, attended by Russia’s Ambassador to NATO, took place almost one year after the illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea by Russia, which NATO Allies do not recognise.

Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) nations expressed deep concern over the ongoing conflict in Eastern Ukraine, urging Russia to withdraw its forces and its support for the separatists. All members of the EAPC agreed that the full implementation of the Minsk agreement is the only path to a lasting and peaceful solution. Secretary General Stoltenberg stressed that the ceasefire remains fragile and sporadic violations continue. He said that all parties should fully implement the Minsk agreement in good faith, including Russia, whose support for the separatists has further fuelled the conflict. As a first step, he called for a “withdrawal of heavy weapons from the line of contact in a transparent and verifiable manner”, with full access to the OSCE monitors.

Allies and other EAPC participants also condemned Russia’s illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea, and called on Moscow to reverse course.

The NATO Secretary General said that “the stability of the entire Euro-Atlantic region have been undermined, as have the values of national sovereignty and peaceful conflict resolution, values which all members of the EAPC have committed to uphold”. Mr. Stoltenberg underlined that the Basic Document of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council contains a joint pledge to promote peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area. He called on all EAPC members to respect this fundamental commitment.

https://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/2015/03/14/brussels-nato-holds-50-nation-meeting-on-ukraine-war/

Ukraine, U.S. may start joint war games this week — Avakov

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From Rick Rozoff

Interfax-Ukraine
March 13, 2015
Ukraine, U.S. may start joint drills next week – Avakov

Ukraine and the United States may begin joint military exercises next week with the consent with the Ukrainian parliament, Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has said.

The U.S. government is ready to start the drills next week, he said at a press briefing in Kyiv on Friday.

“If the Verkhovna Rada votes for this decision on Tuesday [Mar. 17]– and I hope it will do so – regular units of the U.S. Armed Forces will come to us. They will have a long practice together with our National Guards in Yavoriv in Lviv region,” Avakov said.

As reported, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has tabled a bill in parliament to admit foreign servicemen for multinational exercises in Ukraine in 2015.

In keeping with the scheduled of the exercises, Yavoriv district in Lviv region will host the Ukrainian-U.S. Fearless Guardian 2015 drills March through November 2015. Up to 2,200 servicemen with weapons and military hardware are to participate: up to 200 men from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, up to 1,000 men from the National Guard of Ukraine, and up to 1,000 men from the U.S. Armed Forces.

From July to October 2015, the international center for peacekeeping and security in Yavoriv district in Lviv region will host the Ukrainian-U.S. Saber Guardian/Rapid Trident 2015 exercises. The total number of participants will be up to 2,100 servicemen with weapons and military hardware. Namely, there will be up to 1,000 men from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, up to 500 men from the U.S. Armed Forces, and up to 600 from NATO member states and countries participating in the Partnership for Peace program.

https://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/2015/03/13/ukraine-u-s-may-start-joint-war-games-next-week/

U.S. troops and armor to begin 1,100-mile convoy through Eastern-Central Europe

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This is a very foolhardy “show”. Notice that this will also involve “air support”. The noise should be considerable. The presence of armor and troops on European roads will not just be inconvenient. It will increase tensions and fears — its goal. The U.S. wants Europeans to be afraid; it increases support for more and more NATO missions, soldiers, and weapons.

The U.S. puts all of Europe in very real danger, not Russia.

From Rick Rozoff

Stars and Stripes
March 12, 2015
Dragoon Ride will send US troops through eastern Europe in show of support
By John Vandiver

imageCA4XYN88

STUTTGART, Germany: U.S. Army soldiers with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment will soon begin a 1,100-mile convoy through six countries en route to their home station in Vilseck, Germany as they wrap up months of training with allies in Poland and the Baltics, Army officials said.

Troops will be taking their Strikers on a “road march,” dubbed Dragoon Ride. They will be accompanied by aerial reconnaissance support provided by the Army’s 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, U.S. Army Europe said.

Normally, military vehicles would be shipped back to their home base by rail after such a training mission, not by road in a high profile convoy.

To reassure countries on Russia’s western periphery, the U.S. and other NATO allies have been training continuously in the Baltics and Poland since Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine last year

“This is a complex mission involving a significant amount of international diplomatic and military cooperation,” Lt. Col. Craig Childs, a USAREUR spokesman, said in a statement. “It will allow all units involved an opportunity to test their unit maintenance and leadership capabilities while simultaneously providing a highly visible demonstration of U.S, commitment to its NATO allies and demonstrating NATO’s ability to move military forces freely across allied borders in close cooperation.”

The journey will take soldiers with the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, from separate training locations in Estonia, Lithuania and Poland and convoy them through Latvia, the Czech Republic and finally to their home base at Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany, according to USARUER.

…

The 4th Infantry Division deployed a headquarters element to Europe in February to command and control U.S. land forces supporting Operation Atlantic Resolve, the military’s effort to train and reassure allies while sending a message of deterrence to Russia. The 4th Infantry Division will be responsible for overseeing the road march from the Joint Multinational Training Command at Grafenwöhr, Germany, and from mobile command group locations forward in operational area, USAREUR said.

Before Dragoon Ride begins, troops will hand over responsibility for USAREUR’s land force training mission in the Baltics and Poland to soldiers with the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, from Ft. Stewart, Georgia, USAREUR said.

On Monday, hundreds of tanks and other military vehicles arrived in Latvia. They will be followed by 3,000 troops from the Georgia-based unit. Their rotation is expected to last until June.

https://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/2015/03/12/u-s-troops-armor-to-begin-1100-mile-convoy-through-eastern-central-europe/