Update on US Assistance to Georgia
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]
Table of contents for War in Georgia
- Russia Invades Georgia
- The United States and Georgia
- Georgian Brigade Urgently Recalled From Iraq?
- Russian Bombing Georgian Port and Military Bases
- Report from Georgia
- State Dept Demands Russia Pullback
- Latest From Georgia Fighting
- Cossacks Move to Attack Georgia
- Heavy Fighting, Bombings in Georgia
- Russian Invasion Expands Targets in Georgia
- Update on Peace Corps in Georgia
- We Are Putin Fanatics
- Russia’s Attack on Georgia
- Joint statement on Georgia-Russia War
- Russians Preplanned Georgia Invasion
- Russian Navy Blockades Georgia, Ukraine Concerned
- Pipeline Attacks Confirmed in Georgia
- Invasion of Georgia Continues
- Summary of Recent Air Attacks in Georgia
- U.S. Completes Georgian Troop Redeployment
- Bush Send Military to Aid Georgia
- Air Force Lands in Georgia
- I want to fight fiercely alongside the U.S. Army
- Peace Corps in Georgia Redux
- I am Tamari from Rustavi, Georgia
- Navy Aid Flies in to Georgia
- U.S. Ships Enter Black Sea to Aid Georgia
- US Navy Arrives at Georgian Port
- 500 Tons of Aid to Georgia
- New Pictures of Navy Relief Efforts in Georgia
- Update on US Assistance to Georgia
- The Rubble of Georgian Lives
- Fact Sheet: U.S. Support for Georgia
- USS Mount Whitney Brings Aid to Georgia
- Remember Georgia? Tamari Does!
Subscribe
Comments