Operation Assured Delivery

Operation Assured Delivery
	Part of Russo-Georgian War
	; United States sailors unloading supplies on August 24, 2008, at Batumi with Georgian Coast Guard vessel in the background
Date	13 August 2008 – 10 September 2008; (4 weeks)
Location	Georgia41°38′45″N 41°38′30″E / 41.64583°N 41.64167°E
Result	More than 1,145 short tons of Humanitarian aid delivered by air and 123 short tons by sea

Operation Assured Delivery was the United States Armed Forces' humanitarian response to humanitarian needs in Georgia following the Russo-Georgian War in 2008. The logistical operation provided medical supplies, shelter, food and hygiene provisions for the civilian population of Georgia.^[2]

Deployment of U.S. Forces

U.S. Air Force

As of August 27, 2008, the U.S. Air Force had flown 55 airlift sorties transporting 1,944,000 pounds of supplies since 13 August.^[3]

U.S. Navy

As of August 27, 2008, the U.S. Navy destroyer USS McFaul had delivered 155,000 pounds of supplies to the port of Batumi.^[3] In addition, the command ship USS Mount Whitney arrived in the Georgian port of Poti on September 5 with additional supplies.^[4]

U.S. Coast Guard

As of August 27, 2008, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter USCGC Dallas had delivered 76,000 pounds of assistance for refugees.^[3]

Russian reaction

In late August 2008, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev accused the States of using Operation Assured Delivery as a cover for delivering military support to Georgia. Media reports have suggested that USS McFaul docked in the Georgian-controlled port of Batumi, rather than the primary Georgian port of Poti which was controlled by Russians in order to prevent encounter with the Russian military.^[5] Several Russian warships were deployed to Poti at the same time as Americans arrived.^[6]

However, the USS Mount Whitney docked in Poti on 5 September 2008. American military spokesman stated that the right of inspection of the ship would be denied to the Russian military. Russian authorities were concerned about the ship's arrival, claiming that the ship were bringing significant U.S. military weapons.^[7] The Russian Black Sea Fleet source also noted that it was command-and-control vessel in charge of other NATO ships in the Black Sea.^[8]

References

^ ^a ^b Angelika Lantz (15 September 2008). "Operation Assured Delivery ends". United States European Command. Archived from the original on 14 October 2008.
^ Specialist 2nd Class Dana M. Clark (23 August 2008). "U.S. military humanitarian efforts dubbed 'Operation Assured Delivery'". United States European Command. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ ^a ^b ^c Specialist 2nd Class Dana M. Clark (27 August 2008). "U.S. military delivers over two-million pounds of aid". United States European Command. Archived from the original on 8 September 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ "USS Mount Whitney Brings Aid to Poti, Georgia". United States European Command. 5 September 2008. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012.
^ "US aid ship avoids Russian troops". BBC News. 27 August 2008.
^ Jim Heintz (27 August 2008). "Western Nations Warn Russia to `Change Course'". ABC News. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008.
^ Steve Gutterman (5 September 2008). "US warship to Georgian port partly held by Russia". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 7 September 2008.
^ "USS Mount Whitney arrives in Georgian port of Poti". RIA Novosti. 5 September 2008. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014.

External links