The Bloggers’ Roundtable this morning interviewed Mr. Michael Ritchie, Director of the Command Interagency Engagement Group (CIEG), that is coordinating the US relief efforts to Georgia.

Operation “Assured Delivery” is the military mission to assist the hundreds of thousands of Georgians affected by the recent Russian invasion. For a detailed account of the events leading up to the invasion, please see Michael Totten’s piece, reported from Georgia. It will surprise you.

Mr. Ritchie was asked to address reports out of Georgia that the USS Dallas, the large Coast Guard cutter, was turned away from the Georgian port of Poti by the Russians.

He was able to confirm that no ships had been scheduled to dock in Poti, due to damage at the port and to the Russian roadblocks surrounding the city. The decision was made to be prudent and route naval vessels to the southern port of Batumi. The McFaul is there and has been off loaded with dispatch and without problem. We are not assisting the Georgians with infrastructure at the port. They are handling the aid shipments easily.

There is an assessment team in Poti, according to Ritchie.

I asked about the C-9 that had been flying in supplies. Ritchie denied that the United States was using that aircraft for medical evacuations and stated that we were not engaged in any medical evacuations from Georgia.

Mr. Ritchie discussed the significant number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) involved in the relief effort. USAID, the European Command, the State Department and the NGOs are working in partnership to assist the Georgians.

Transcript [PDF]

The U.S. military has delivered $2 million worth of humanitarian aid to Georgia in an ongoing effort to relieve the war-torn former Soviet republic that came under Russian attack 10 days ago.

In addition to 130 tons of airlifted cargo, U.S. European Command has granted the Georgian government in Tblisi access to a $1.2 million stockpile of disaster relief and medical supplies stored in Georgia.

“We are going to continue to flow in assistance,” Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said today. “We have been over the weekend, and we will continue this week.”

More than 700 pallets sent by the U.S. have consisted of thousands of blankets, sheets, sleeping bags, and hundreds of cots. Another 40 pallets have contained medical supplies like sutures, needles, syringes, catheters and gauze, Whitman said.

But despite the steady flow of supplies, there remains a shortage of food, bedding, tents and other supplies in Georgia, where an estimated 80,000 people are displaced, according to U.S. Agency for International Development figures.

“There is a real need, and we’re trying to fill that need and alleviate the suffering,” Whitman said.

Sustained flights by American C-17 Globemaster III aircraft departing from Charleston, S.C., will deliver food over the next several days, in addition to twice-daily deliveries by C-130 Hercules planes leaving Germany with other supplies.

Meanwhile, a C-9 Nightingale is expected to land in Georgia today carrying humanitarian aid, and a C-17 will deliver a shipment of forklifts to aid distribution efforts.

Whitman said fewer than 125 U.S. military personnel are on the ground involved in the relief mission.

Deliveries from U.S. aircraft are handed off to personnel from about 6 non-governmental organizations responsible for delivering the supplies in Georgia, Whitman said. There have been no reports of significant problems with distribution, he added.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is looking at other options for sustaining the humanitarian operation, including sending naval vessels to the area, Whitman said. The State Department is working necessary agreements to achieve passage through the straits of Turkey and elsewhere, he added.

“Surface vessels give us the capability to provide larger amounts of relief supplies because they can obviously carry more, and they also give you platform to operate off of; they give you aerial assets, vertical lift, those kind of things,” he said.

Fighting that began in the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia on Aug. 8 broadened to include Russian attacks on other parts of the country, including Abkhazia, another heavily separatist region. As clashes escalated, the conflict fueled fears internationally that Moscow would attempt to depose the democratically elected government in Georgia and that Russian aggression could spread to other parts of the region.

Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev on Aug. 16 signed a French-brokered peace deal, a move that came a day after Georgia’s President Mikheil Saakashvili endorsed the agreement. The plan includes a drawdown of military forces to pre-escalation levels.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice headed to Europe today reportedly to talk with NATO allies about what message the U.S. and its allies should send to Russia about the military intervention.

Meanwhile, a host of international partners have contributed to the U.S.-led humanitarian mission in Georgia, Whitman said.

“There is broad international support for the relief efforts,” he said.

DoD
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Here are some pics from the first C-17 to land in the Republic of Georgia:

LINK

Good morning. I’ve just met with my national security team to discuss the crisis in Georgia. I’ve spoken with President Saakashvili of Georgia, and President Sarkozy of France this morning. The United States strongly supports France’s efforts, as President of the European Union, to broker an agreement that will end this conflict.

The United States of America stands with the democratically elected government of Georgia. We insist that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia be respected.

Russia has stated that changing the government of Georgia is not its goal. The United States and the world expect Russia to honor that commitment. Russia has also stated that it has halted military operations and agreed to a provisional cease-fire. Unfortunately, we’re receiving reports of Russian actions that are inconsistent with these statements. We’re concerned about reports that Russian units have taken up positions on the east side of the city of Gori, which allows them to block the East-West Highway, divide the country, and threaten the capital of Tbilisi.

We’re concerned about reports that Russian forces have entered and taken positions in the port city of Poti, that Russian armored vehicles are blocking access to that port, and that Russia is blowing up Georgian vessels. We’re concerned about reports that Georgian citizens of all ethnic origins are not being protected. All forces, including Russian forces, have an obligation to protect innocent civilians from attack.

With these concerns in mind, I have directed a series of steps to demonstrate our solidarity with the Georgian people and bring about a peaceful resolution to this conflict. I’m sending Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to France, where she will confer with President Sarkozy. She will then travel to Tbilisi, where she will personally convey America’s unwavering support for Georgia’s democratic government. On this trip she will continue our efforts to rally the free world in the defense of a free Georgia.

I’ve also directed Secretary of Defense Bob Gates to begin a humanitarian mission to the people of Georgia, headed by the United States military. This mission will be vigorous and ongoing. A U.S. C-17 aircraft with humanitarian supplies is on its way. And in the days ahead we will use U.S. aircraft, as well as naval forces, to deliver humanitarian and medical supplies.

We expect Russia to honor its commitment to let in all forms of humanitarian assistance. We expect Russia to ensure that all lines of communication and transport, including seaports, airports, roads, and airspace, remain open for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and for civilian transit. We expect Russia to meet its commitment to cease all military activities in Georgia. And we expect all Russian forces that entered Georgia in recent days to withdraw from that country.

As I have made clear, Russia’s ongoing action raise serious questions about its intentions in Georgia and the region. In recent years, Russia has sought to integrate into the diplomatic, political, economic, and security structures of the 21st century. The United States has supported those efforts. Now Russia is putting its aspirations at risk by taking actions in Georgia that are inconsistent with the principles of those institutions. To begin to repair the damage to its relations with the United States, Europe, and other nations, and to begin restoring its place in the world, Russia must keep its word and act to end this crisis.

White House

The U.S. military will head humanitarian relief operations in Georgia, President Bush said today. A C-17 aircraft already has been deployed to deliver the first round of supplies.

“And in the days ahead, we will use U.S. aircraft as well as naval forces to deliver humanitarian and medical supplies,” Bush added during a White House news conference today following meetings with his national security team.

Bush called on Russia to honor its commitment to allow all forms of humanitarian assistance to enter and to ensure that all lines of communication and transport — seaports, airports, roads and airspace — remain open for the delivery of assistance and for civilian transit.

Meanwhile, the president is dispatching Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to France, where she is slated to meet with France’s President Nicholas Sarkozy, who, as current president of the European Union, is leading negotiations to broker a peace agreement.

Bush reiterated the United States’ support of the democratically elected government of Georgia, saying the U.S. insists that “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia be respected.”

Bush expressed concerns that Russia is continuing attacks on Georgia despite a ceasefire pledge by Moscow. During today’s briefing, he laid out U.S. plans for humanitarian and diplomatic intervention in the former Soviet republic.

Reports detailing ongoing Russian aggression in Georgia contradict Russia’s claim that it has ceased military operations there, Bush said at the White House.

“Russia has also stated that it has halted military operations and agreed to a provisional cease-fire,” Bush said. “Unfortunately, we’re receiving reports of Russian actions that are inconsistent with these statements.

“We expect Russia to meet its commitment to cease all military activities in Georgia, and we expect all Russian forces who have entered Georgia in recent days to withdraw from that country,” he added.

According to reports, Bush said, Russian units have taken up positions on the east side of the city of Gori, which allows them to block the east-west highway, divide the country and threaten the Georgian capital of Tbilisi.

Information further indicates that Russian forces have entered and taken positions in the port city of Poti, that armored vehicles are blocking access to the port, and that Russia is destroying Georgian vessels.

“We’re concerned about reports that Georgian citizens of all ethnic origins are not being protected,” Bush said. “All forces, including Russian forces, have an obligation to protect innocent civilians from attack.”

Echoing his previous remarks, Bush said Russia’s actions have damaged the country’s standing with the U.S., Europe and other nations, and raise serious questions about its intentions in Georgia and the region. He added that the U.S. and the world expect Russia to honor their commitment to refrain from deposing Georgia’s democratic government.

“To begin to repair the damage to its relations with the United States, Europe and other nations, and to begin restoring its place in the world, Russia must keep its word and act to end this crisis,” he said today.

Now in the sixth day of conflict, fighting that began last week in the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia broadened to include Russian attacks on Abkhazia, another heavily separatist region, among other parts of the country.

DoD
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service