The United States does not exclude possibly rearming Georgia following
its humiliating defeat to Russia a year ago, even at the cost of angering
Moscow, a State Department spokesman said Thursday.
"Georgia is on a path that the United States supports toward
NATO membership," reminded Philip Crowley when asked about Georgian
President Mikheil Saakashvili's calls for US military aid.
"Clearly, you know, a fundamental tenet of NATO membership is to have a military that meets NATO standards and would add to the capability of the alliance," the spokesman added, before citing the "defense requirements" of the former Soviet Union republic.
In interviews with The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post this week on the eve of US Vice President Joe Biden's visit to Georgia, Saakashvili asked for anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons from the United States in order to defend Georgia against a possible Russian attack.
