14 August 2008
Gates Says Military Mission Aims to Save Lives, Ease Suffering
No use of military force necessary
Washington -- A broad U.S. military-led humanitarian relief operation has begun to help the people of Georgia following nearly seven days of combat between Georgian forces and elements of the Russian army, says Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
"The most urgent priority for the U.S. military at this time is to save lives and alleviate suffering," Gates said at a Pentagon briefing. "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."
Asked if military force might be needed, Gates, flanked by the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General James Cartwright, said August 14, "I don't see any prospect for the use of military force by the United States in this situation."
Cartwright added that it was difficult at the tactical level to know exactly what Russian forces were doing in every town, but generally they appeared to be starting to move out of certain areas, as agreed to in a recently brokered cease-fire accord. But conditions on the ground, he said, were uncertain.
Separately, in a briefing with French President Nicolas Sarkozy at his palace in Fort de Brégançon, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the United States and France stand strongly for the territorial integrity of Georgia. "This is a member state of the United Nations and its internationally recognized borders need to be respected," Rice said, according to news reports.
"The provisional cease-fire must go into place," she said. "It is time for this crisis to be over."
Rice travels on to Tbilisi, the Georgian capital city, August 15 for emergency consultations with the government of President Mikheil Saakashvili, then returns to the United States August 16 to brief President Bush at his Crawford, Texas, ranch before returning to Washington, according to the State Department.
Gates said at his mid-morning press briefing that Russia's behavior over the past week has called into question the U.S.-Russian security relationship, both bilaterally and with NATO. "If Russia does not step back from its aggressive posture and actions in Georgia, the U.S.-Russian relationship could be adversely affected for years to come," Gates said.
A multinational naval exercise involving Russia that was to have begun August 15 has been cancelled, as well as a U.S.-Canadian-Russian security exercise, Vigilant Eagle, that was to have begun August 20, Gates said.
"In the days and weeks ahead, the Department of Defense will reexamine 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.
RELIEF MISSION BEGINS
Cartwright said the U.S. military relief mission began with two airlifts of vital humanitarian assistance arriving late August 13 and early the next day. The assistance began arriving on Air Force C-17 jet cargo planes under the direction of the U.S. European Command. The overall relief operation is being directed by the State Department; survey teams are being sent into Georgia to determine needs.
"There is an initial package that went in on two C-17s," Cartwright said. "That's really the standard package we do for humanitarian assistance, focused first on shelter, then on clothing and medical supplies."
The survey team has to determine what is needed to distribute the supplies. "What we don't want to do is build some sort of mountain of supplies there with no distribution system," he said.
Cartwright said assessment teams from the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development will be sent in behind the initial survey team to determine where the need is.
