U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jed Morris stacks bottles of water aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul, which will be included in the humanitarian supplies for the people of Batumi, Georgia, Aug. 24, 2008. The humanitarian assistance is in response to the request of the government of Georgia. Donated items include hygiene items, baby food and infant supplies. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Eddie Harrison From Yahoo News/AP:
BATUMI, Georgia - A U.S. military ship carrying humanitarian aid docked at the Georgian Black Sea port of Batumi on Wednesday, avoiding the port of Poti, which is still controlled by Russian forces.
The move came amid escalating tensions between Russia and Georgia's Western allies. Batumi, where the Coast Guard cutter Dallas docked, is well south of the zone of fighting in this month's war between Russia and Georgia.
The United States and European nations have assailed Russia's recognition of two Georgian territories as separate nations Tuesday, and Moscow has also criticized the U.S. for bringing humanitarian aid into Georgia on military ships.
The U.S. embassy changed its version of events several times in the last 24 hours. At first, it announced Tuesday that its aid ship would dock Wednesday at Poti. Then early Wednesday, the embassy said that plans had changed, and the ship would dock at Batumi.
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My Comment: Right now it is aid .... but when the military supplies start to come in is when tensions are going to go to a boil.