Georgia is in turmoil. Over the past 72 hours, South Ossetian separatists have seized control of Tbilisi and are now operating with near impunity in and around the capital. The Georgian government is in shambles. With the capital engrossed in lawlessness and violence, civilians are fleeing in droves.
Without sufficient warning, US Embassy personal were unable to escape Georgia prior to South Ossetian forces seizing control of both the local airports and roadways. As of 1600 hours, the resident USMC unit, callsign GRAPPLER 11, had barricaded the embassy compound and were actively defending against an onslaught of separatist attacks. These attacks are believed to be deliberate actions by rouge separatist factions unconcerned with bringing the United States into the fray.
The embassy Marines are relatively lightly equipped with a few Stryker ICV/ATGM and armored HUMVEES, with limited anti-tank and anti-air capability. They can only be expected to hold out a few more hours against the increasingly organized efforts against them. A convoy of these armored vehicles is being organized to transport the all personnel from the embassy to the Tbilisi-Lochini airport as soon as a transport can safely land.
A C-130 out of Incirlik, callsign PONTIAC, is inbound to extract these personnel once the airfield is secured. Supporting roles will be provided by A-10's (CAS), F-16's (SEAD) from 31st FW Aviano, and a KC-135 from Incirlik.
See following link for full mission brief:
http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=86733&highlight=Hacienda
