Posted on 08/17/2008 8:48:13 PM PDT by kristinn
President Bush Wednesday promised that U.S. naval forces would deliver humanitarian aid to war-torn Georgia before his administration had received approval from Turkey, which controls naval access to the Black Sea, or the Pentagon had planned a seaborne operation, U.S. officials said Thursday.
As of late Thursday, Ankara, a NATO ally, hadn't cleared any U.S. naval vessels to steam to Georgia through the Bosporus and the Dardanelles, the narrow straits that connect the Mediterranean and the Black Seas, the officials said. Under the 1936 Montreaux Convention, countries must notify Turkey before sending warships through the straits.
Pentagon officials told McClatchy that they were increasingly dubious that any U.S. Navy vessels would join the aid operation, in large part because the U.S.-based hospital ships likely to go, the USNS Comfort and the USNS Mercy, would take weeks to arrive.
"The president was writing checks to the Georgians without knowing what he had in the bank," said a senior administration official.
"The president got out in front of the planning when he talked publicly about using naval forces," said a second senior administration official. "At that point we need to look at treaty obligations, our bilateral relations with the Turks and others, waterway restrictions and what kind of ships might be appropriate and usable — something like the Comfort or something already in the Med (Mediterranean)."
The U.S. officials requested anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly, because the issue is diplomatically sensitive or because the administration takes a dim view of officials who reveal its internal deliberations.
The White House and the Turkish Embassy didn't immediately return telephone calls.
SNIP
"The Turks haven't been helpful," said a State Department official. "They are being sluggish and unresponsive."
(Excerpt) Read more at mcclatchydc.com ...
Bds among DC officials is aconstant threat to us and free people everywhere.
Turkey will come around, they can’t do anything else. The best selling novel in Turkey last year was about war between the US and Turkey.
The Turks control the Dardanelles, and, they also prevented our entry from the north into Iraq, which complicated the campaign against Saddam initially. The Turks are unlikely to be helpful in a way satisfactory for the US in this case also.
Air Force Completes First Georgia Humanitarian Aid Mission
By Air Force Capt. Erin Dorrance
Special to American Forces Press Service
TBILISI, Georgia, Aug. 14, 2008 – A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport jet departed Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and landed at Tbilisi International Airport here yesterday, delivering $1 million in humanitarian aid to reduce the suffering of the people of the former Soviet republic of Georgia.
Air Force Staff Sgt. Chris Broegemueller, assigned to the 86th Airlift Wing’s Contingency Response Group at Sembach Air Base, Germany, helps to push out the first of 16 pallets aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III in Tbilisi, Georgia, Aug. 13, 2008. The humanitarian assistance delivery consisted of $1 million in U.S.-donated medical supplies, blankets, sleeping bags and bed sheets for the people of Georgia. The delivery was a joint service effort between airmen representing both U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Mobility Command, as well as U.S. Army Europe soldiers. Defense Dept. photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Scott Wagers
(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.
The joint military effort supported coordination by the U.S. State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development with Georgian officials. The Defense Department was directed to support the effort with a joint U.S. military operation that launched with the delivery of 16 pallets of medicine, clothing, sleeping bags, cots and other essential items.
“Our sole goal is to safely and rapidly deliver humanitarian aid to Georgia to alleviate human suffering and save lives,” said Col. Benjamin Everson, chief of U.S. Army Europe’s International Operations Division. “We will continue to support this humanitarian mission until the host nation and the U.S. State Department determine that it is no longer needed.”
The C-17, based out of McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., was operated by a 3rd Airlift Squadron crew from Dover Air Force Base, Del., and landed amid cheers and smiles from local nationals on the airfield.
One pallet after another was quickly offloaded from the aircraft. The Georgians on the ground continually thanked the U.S. military team for its efforts.
“We are in dire need of these supplies,” said Sergey Khomchenko, Counterpart Community and Humanitarian Assistance Program director. “Thank you so much for helping us in this great time of need. These supplies will surely save lives.”
U.S. officials, including a U.S. European Command survey team, continue to coordinate closely with the Georgian government to determine what aid is most needed within the country and how best to distribute it.
Navy Lt. Cmdr. Corey Barker, a U.S. European Command spokesman, praised the joint humanitarian relief effort.
“We are very pleased that the joint military community — EuCom, U.S. Army Europe and U.S. Air Forces in Europe — have the opportunity to provide logistical support to bring these humanitarian supplies here,” he said. “EuCom forces will remain ready to support as further needs are assessed.”
(Air Force Capt. Erin Dorrance serves in the 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Office.)
Related Sites:
Photo Essay: U.S. Delivers Aid to Georgia
U.S. European Command
U.S. Air Forces in Europe
U.S. Army Europe
Related Articles:
Soldiers, Airmen in Europe Work to Provide Georgia Aid
Air Force Delivers Humanitarian Aid to Georgia
International media representatives photograph the first of 16 pallets containing $1 million in U.S.-donated medical supplies, blankets, sleeping bags and bed sheets for the people of Georgia, Aug. 13, 2008, in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. The delivery was a joint-service effort between airmen representing U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Mobility Command, as well as U.S. Army Europe soldiers. Defense Dept. photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Scott Wagers
While en route to Tbilisi, Georgia, from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Army, Navy and Air Force officers discuss details of the joint humanitarian assistance delivery, Aug. 13, 2008. The delivery consisted of $1 million in U.S.-donated medical supplies, blankets, sleeping bags and bed sheets for the people of the Republic of Georgia. Defense Dept. photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Scott Wagers
I was sorting through some old magazines and came across an old American Legion magazine from March 2008, with an article by Alan Dowd, entitled, “A Cold Peace.” I can’t find a link, but all I can say is that this man should have been listened to a long time ago. I’ll try to type the last few paragraphs.
Bad Old Days. To strengthen his hand along Russia’s southern borderlands, Putin forged the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), With a membership that includes China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzebekistan - with Iran as an observer - the SCO could become a counterweight to the U.S. alliance system. If Iran joins the organization as a full-fledged member, as the East Asia Institute’s David Wall told “The Washington Times, it would be “an OPEC with bombs.”
Russia is certainly strengthening its ties to Iran. Recent transactions include components for a nuclear reactor in Bushehr and sophisticated air-defense systems. More over, during his ill-timed visit to Iran last year, Putin woarned that “no Caspian nation should offer its territory to third powers for use of force or military aggression against any Caspian state.” The statement was more than a thinly veiled threat to Washington and its Middle Eastern allies.
Rusia used the same argument and the SCO to pressure Uzbekistan to cut military ties with Washington.
Just an FYI ~~~
~~~
http://www.eucom.mil/english/FullStory.asp?art=1792
DoD News Briefing with U.S. EUCOM Director of Logistics and Security Assitance
Release Date: Aug 16, 2008
Transcript
LT. COL. JOHN DORRIAN (spokesman, U.S. European Command): This is Lt. Colonel John Dorrian, calling from U.S. European Command. I want to thank you all for joining us today.
I have with me here today U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Steven J. Romano.
He is here to discuss the U.S. military role in providing logistical support and humanitarian assistance that is being taken into Georgia. Admiral Romano is U.S. European Command’s director of Logistics and Security Assistance.
Rear Admiral Romano is overseeing EUCOM’s efforts to move humanitarian relief supplies into Georgia.
Prior to his assignment at EUCOM, the admiral worked at the Pentagon, at the Joint Chiefs of Staff National Military Command Center, where he helped coordinate the Department of Defense’s logistical efforts — (inaudible) — after the Pakistan earthquake and Hurricane Katrina.
*snip*
LT. COL. DORRIAN: Okay. AFP’s Jim Mannion.
Q This is Jim Mannion. I know that the assessment team has only been on the ground for about 24 hours, but I wonder if you could talk about what the scope of the requirements is going to be in the weeks ahead in terms of what the Georgians’ needs are.
And also if you could be more — a little bit more specific about the supplies that are going to be brought in from the Mediterranean, I think you said. Will that be on pre-positioned ships or on U.S. naval vessels, if you could provide some details there? Thank you.
RDML ROMANO: Yes, sir. With regard to the scope of the operation, we anticipate that the scope of the operation in terms of the need will grow, and Open Press is reporting that, as well as the indications that we’re getting from the government of Georgia and USAID and embassy personnel on the ground.
As the result of that, we are flexing the — our capability to provide additional relief supplies and to increase airlift using strategic airlift and United States strategic — United States Transportation Command aircraft.
So we expect the scope to increase. We expect the need to grow, and we are positioning and planning to respond to that growth using strategic airlift and increased capacity with respect to relief supplies.
***In terms of naval forces, the naval forces in our naval component are planning currently to deliver relief supplies via the maritime domain, as well as an option to use pre-positioned assets in the Mediterranean.***
This is Russia here, the Turks may well change their attitude towards us.
These people so deserve to lose their jobs at McKlunky.
They can't go bankrupt fast enough.
This is unconscionable !!
~~~~
“The president was writing checks to the Georgians without knowing what he had in the bank,” said a senior administration official.
“The president got out in front of the planning when he talked publicly about using naval forces,” said a second senior administration official. “
~~~~
What the h*ll????
Turkey does not control the Bosporus and Dardanelles; they are an international waterway. Russian warships go through those straits all the time, without asking any permission whatever.
The article is in error.
“During peacetime, light surface warships of all powers may transit the straits after giving prior notice to Turkey as required by the Convention. Turkey may waive the notification requirement if the warships are transiting for the purpose of providing humanitarian assistance.”
Let’s hope Robert Gates isn’t one of these “senior administration officials.”
I’d like to see turkey attempt to enforce it’s so called claim to this water way.
You think he’d actually do that ? I thought he was a straight shooter .. loyal guy. I can’t imagine ...
You do not need the approval of other parties to offer aid.
You took the humane and responsible steps.
Good on you, sir!
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. James Cartwright, FRIDAY, August 14, 2008.......PRESSER discussing hostpital ships.
http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=4275
Q Could I — the size and scope of the operation going forward — can you give a feel for some of the naval vessels, assets that may be in involved in such a very visible manifestation of U.S. policy?
GEN. CARTWRIGHT: Right now, again, we’re waiting for the assessment team. But we have certainly postured the two hospital ships, Comfort and Mercy, to be potential — to go in there and be — for a couple reasons: one, if they need medical-type support, that’s obviously good, but they also produce large quantities of fresh water, things like that. And so they would be two potential assets.
But we are posturing several capabilities — field hospitals also, which would be delivered by air, which would be further out into the areas where — say, inland, where you might need some medical care and humanitarian assistance.
Beyond that, from the shipping standpoint, we’re looking at what we have in our maritime pre-positioning, because those also carry things like humanitarian assistance, water and needs like that, and engineering support. All of those are just prepared; they won’t move until we get something from the assessment team.
Q What about airdropping pallets, like they did in the early — mid-90s, into the areas in Serbia or Bosnia? Is there a problem –
GEN. CARTWRIGHT: It’s certainly a capability that we have. It is less likely that we would use that in this situation, because there are several airports. But if the assessment team finds that there’s no mobility, then that’s what we generally end up with.
But this is an area that’s at least reasonably built up in its transportation system, with airports and roads. So it is less likely we do that. And that’s harder, because there’s damage to the equipment when it goes in — the food supplies, whatnot. Delivering it is more precise —
Maybe someone in his staff. The term ‘senior administration official’ is usually used for someone very high up the food chain.
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