US Warship docks in Black Sea Port (Batumi)

Reuters ^ | 24 Aug 2008 | Reuters

[Jeff Head]

BATUMI, Georgia (Reuters) - The first U.S. warship to bring aid to Georgia arrived in the country's main Black Sea port of Batumi on Sunday, in a strong gesture of support for the ex-Soviet republic in its conflict with Russia. The USS McFaul, a guided missile destroyer, is loaded with humanitarian aid including beds and food for the tens of thousands displaced by the confrontation that erupted on Aug 7-8 over Georgia's breakaway South Ossetia region.

GEORGIA COMNFLICT 2008

[SLB]

http://www.greatwhitefleet.info/

[justa-hairyape]

Read a report where the Georgians suspected that Spetnaz troops snuck into the harbor and blew up some of their coastal boats right under their noses before they could be deployed. No telling what other surprises are around Poti. Do the Russian have the equivalent of Navy SEALS ?

[Repeal The 17th]

“Do the Russian have the equivalent of Navy SEALS?”
- - -
As an absolute ...
Navy Seals have no equivalent ...
anywhere ...
at least on this planet.

[nuconvert]

“Do the Russian have the equivalent of Navy SEALS ? “

There is no equivalent.
That being said, I think Spetsnaz covers a range of Russian special ops

[ken21]

cool!

[Sal]

Good point about wreckage in the water.

[FreeReign]

Cool picture, thanks. These check points seem flimsy.

[Skidmark]

The McFaul is the finest warship in the Navy. One of the best tours I had in my 20 years.

[Skidmark]

The McFaul is the finest warship in the Navy. One of the best tours I had in my 20 years.

[Jeff Head]

At the port of Poti, where the Russians anticpated the arrival of US warships, a group of armored personnel carriers (APCs) and four tanks blocked the bridge into Poti, and Russian forces excavated trenches and set up mortars facing the city. Another group of APCs and trucks were positioned in a nearby wooded area. Georgian civilians from Poti protested at the roadblock. This occurred as elsewhere in Georgia the Russians had alreaddy compelted their general withdrawal and many of their tanks and personnel were exiting the Province of South Ossetia and entering Russia proper.

Meanwhile, 80 kilometers (55 miles) south of the port of Poti, at the Georgian port of Batumi, the US simply avoided the confrontation when the first U.S. warship, the guided missle and AEGIS detroyer, USS McFaul docked there instead to bring aid to Georgia on Sunday, August 24, 2008. The arrival is a strong gesture of support for the ex-Soviet republic in its conflict with Russia.

The USS McFaul is loaded with humanitarian aid including beds and food for the tens of thousands displaced by the confrontation that erupted on Aug 7-8 over Georgia's breakaway South Ossetia region.

Two more US warships, and three NATO warships are also en route to deliver significant humanitarian aid and will arrive within the next day or two, presumably also at Batumi. With six warships in the area, two of them AEGIS warships, and one o fthe others, the USS Mt. Whitney being the flagship of the US 6th fleet, the US Navy and NATO are making a significant commitment and sending a strong message of support to Georgia and a strong message of resolve to Moscow.

[Jeff Head]

The Nimitz class are nuclear powered super aircraft carriers. That is an Arleigh Burke class AEGIS, guided missile destroyer.

[Jeff Head]

Seriously? Did he call them that? Unbelievable, and he is the chairman of the Senate foregin relations committee.

Have you got a link?

[Jeff Head]

After the humanitarian gear is offloaded, and once we build up more naval forces, we may yet do so.

[Jeff Head]

We have been embracing both. This action will almost certainly lead to their quick approval and induction into NATO.

See my : GEORGIA CONFLICT 2008 SITE

[Jeff Head]

They blew up a small missile corvette dockside...but they may well have mined the harbor and done other things. We will check all of that out long before sedning anything in there proper.

[Jeff Head]

Part of the Big Stick. An even bigger one...much, much oigger, is gathering off of Iran as we speak.

[Jeff Head]

FYI. Latest. More info and pics at post 30.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Thanks for the ping Jeff, it seems that this is truly TR stuff, as in speaking softly. As I’ve said before, I love hearing about Aegis class destroyers, as that’s the name I gave my Dobie. :)

[Delta 21]

White Needle ‘O Death in the lower right corner!!

Coastie BUMP