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Air Force leads aid effort in Georgia

Air Force leaders at European Command continue to airlift humanitarian relief to Georgia to aid victims and help rebuild the former Soviet country, following extended fighting between Georgian and Russian troops.

A C-17 operating out of McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., by an aircrew from the 3rd Airlift Squadron at Dover Air Force Base, Del., landed at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Tbilisi International Airport delivering 16 pallets containing $1 million worth of humanitarian relief along with a survey team from European Command.

DISCUSS: Should the U.S. be involved?

Another C-17 flew into Tbilisi Thursday with more relief supplies including 104,000 doses of antibiotics. No future flights are scheduled until the survey team returns, said Lt. Col. Patrick Ryder, a Defense Department spokesman.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates reiterated Thursday the airlift would solely consist of humanitarian supplies and not military aid saying he didn’t “see any prospect for the use of military force.

“During these humanitarian relief operations, the United States expects Russia to ensure that all lines of communication and transport, including seaports, airports, roads and airspace, remain open,” Gates said.

Gates canceled a naval exercise scheduled to start Friday off the Russian coast involving U.S., Russian, French and British forces. He also canceled Vigilant Eagle, an exercise that U.S., Canada and Russia officials had scheduled to start on Aug. 20.

“In the days and weeks ahead, the Department of Defense will re-examine the entire gamut of our military-to-military activities with Russia and will make changes as necessary and appropriate, depending on Russian actions in the days ahead,” Gates said.

Airmen from the 723rd Air Mobility Squadron and soldiers from the 66th Transportation Company and the 39th Transportation Battalion worked 36 straight hours to load pallets filled with medical supplies, clothing, sleeping bags and cots. Gates described the pallets as a standard first shipment prior to a larger humanitarian effort.

“We are in dire need of these supplies,” said Sergey Khomchenko, a Georgian humanitarian assistance director.

Lt. Cmdr. Corey Barker, onboard the first C-17 packed with humanitarian supplies to fly into Georgia, described the flight as uneventful and said members of the U.S. embassy in Georgia called it a “homerun.”

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said earlier in the week that as part of the humanitarian relief mission the U.S. would take over Georgia’s airports and seaports. The Defense Department denied that claim.

“We’re not looking to, nor do we need to, take control of any air or seaports to conduct this mission,” Ryder said. “This mission is strictly to assist and deliver as part of the human assistance to the victims of this conflict.”

New Air Force Chief of Staff Norton Schwartz said Tuesday the U.S. had assurances from Russian officials that the Air Force C-17s that flew Georgian troops home from Iraq wouldn’t be attacked. He couldn’t say if the U.S. had assurances for future missions.

However, President Bush warned Russia not to interfere with humanitarian aid to Georgia.

“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,” Bush said at the White House.

Watch the video: Airmen provide aid to Georgia

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* Marines train Georgians amid tension

* Video shows Russian MiG downing Georgian UAV