U.S. to deliver ‘humanitarian aid’ to Georgia

UPDATED:

President Bush on Wednesday announced he will send U.S. military forces into the small Caucasus nation of Georgia to deliver “humanitarian aid,” a move clearly intended to bolster the Western-leaning nation after an invasion by the Russian army.

Mr. Bush, in a statement to reporters at the White House, also announced that he is sending Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on a trip to France and then to Georgia, on a mission to “rally the free world at the defense of a free Georgia.”

The president spoke with Ms. Rice on his right and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on his left, and said he had asked Mr. Gates to “begin a humanitarian mission to the people of Georgia headed by the United States military.”

The announcement was hailed by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili as “definitely an American military presence” and “a turning point.” In an interview with the New York Times, he said he expected the U.S. military to secure Georgian seaports and its main airport.

White House press secretary Dana Perino, however, expressed skepticism at that idea.

Mr. Saakashvili, a Harvard-trained lawyer, said in multiple interviews Wednesday that the initial U.S. response to the conflict was weak and ineffective.

“Frankly, some of the first statements from Washington were perceived by the Russians almost as a green light for doing this because they were too soft,” he said on CNN.

“Everything the Americans had achieved from the Cold War is being undermined and destroyed right now,” Mr. Saakashvili said. “America is losing the whole region.”

Mr. Bush called for Russia to cease all military operations and withdraw its troops out of Georgia, expressing concern about reports that Kremlin forces are occupying the central Georgian city of Gori and have destroyed Georgian ships in the port city of Poti, in violation of a cease-fire agreement reached Tuesday.

The president said the U.S. military humanitarian mission “will be vigorous and ongoing.”

“A U.S. C-17 aircraft with humanitarian supplies is on its way,” Mr. Bush said. “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,” he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov mocked the U.S. alliance with Georgia, and said that the U.S. will have to choose between allying itself with Russia or Georgia.

“We understand that this current Georgian leadership is a special project of the United States, but one day the United States will have to choose between defending its prestige over a virtual project or real partnership which requires joint action,” Mr. Lavrov said, according to a Reuters dispatch.

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