Rapid responders: Kyrgyz battalion getting ready to fight terror
Published: 27 June, 2009, 09:49
The Collective Security Treaty Organisation is planning to set up a Rapid Response Force to tackle terrorist threats across its member states.
The group is made up of seven former soviet states including Russia and Kazakhstan.
On the slopes of the Kyrgyzstan Mountains, one of the most elite units in Central Asia is tackling a terrorist group that found its way into the country. Luckily, for now, this is just a practice drill for the soldiers.
“The main thing while conducting such operations in mountains is team work, operability, and good physical and professional level of every soldier,” said Ruslan Kenezhbaev, a member of the battalion.
To counter the modern threats in the region the Collective Security Treaty Organization is now preparing to create a Rapid Response Force. The head of this organization recently pointed out that the Kyrgyz battalion is almost ready to stand up for the fight
“Recently our battalion was recognized as the most prospective Kyrgyz unit for the planned combined rapid response force,” said Almaz Karasartov, battalion commander. “As soon as the decision is made we are ready to take on any task anywhere.”
For the last six months the battalion has worked hard to achieve such an honor. It was specially restructured and the troops have strived to turn themselves into universal soldiers.
Physical drills are a daily routine for the men. Every day, fully equipped, they run 17 kilometres through mountainous terrain to the practice range and back. All this turns them into almost tireless machines.
The first to assemble such rapid reaction forces was NATO and then the European Union. Now, with the threat of terrorism and extremism looming despite NATO efforts in Afghanistan, the need for this kind of forces has come to the post-soviet space as well, but the generals say it will not be exactly the same.
“Modern threats simply demand that we create such an instrument as the Collective Rapid Response Force within the CSTO,” said Major General Askarbek Zhaparov. “But it should be different from what the NATO or EU has. There definitely should be less bureaucracy.”
Until the final command is given to assemble a Rapid Response force, units like the Kyrgyz battalion will continue to sharpen their skills.
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27.06.2009, 10:11
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Excellent, and all credit to the Kyrgyz battallion. This rapid force was always a very, very good idea to counter terrorists that are being manufactured by western intelligence services and also as a direct bi-product of EU, NATO and US wars to secure resources. It is good to hear that they will be low on bureauocracy, and high on operational capability. Lean and mean, that needs to be the order of the day. This isn't a civil service club like NATO. The single command and control architecture, frees them from the national political wranglings, their task is simple, wipe out the terrorists. Their geographic positioning is perfect for the job, their commitment too, as it is rooted in the continued and developing safe environments within, their nations. The force needs to be proportionate in its use of force, which is the way to maintain and develop the trust of the people it serves. The lazy easy way, of targeting and bombing and trying to reverse terrorise, paractised by the US, EU and NATO doesn't work and needs to be avoided at all cost. It just increases terrorism, by wiping out the police by consent mandate necessay for eventual peace. The force will grow in effectiveness, as real operations have to be commenced, then the bond will become stronger, being forged on the battlefield. There will be human loses, and I am sure many; difficult and dangerous jobs always create deaths. However, we need take these losses on the chin, as the human cost of cleaning up the mess created by the west. We must look after the relatives, and remember the fallen ones efforts, but what we musn't do is become angry to the point of loosing control and decend into a state of criminal illegal acts, like the western model. The countries involved here, have exactly the right history and temperament, to handle the job properly, they are from the regions themselves, they are the locals. They know the locals, they speak the same languages. I wish you well! Our freedom depends on brave and measured people like you, commanded correctly.