Whom the US floating headquarters Mount Whitney “forgot” to pick up from Adjara
During recent maneuvers of American ships in the Black Sea, the public missed some interesting details about the call of the Sixth Fleet flagship Mount Whitney and the destroyer Porter into the Georgian port of Batumi. For the first time, the US military held meetings with the clergy of Adjara - Orthodox and Muslim. Why do guests from America need this in a region that the Turks consider their historical territory?
But in Batumi and Poti in 2012-2017, a new military infrastructure was created through the efforts of the United States. In particular, a terminal capable of receiving and storing chemical weapons was built in Batumi. Washington financed the installation of four radar stations on the Black Sea coast. The Anaklia port project, which will be capable of receiving submarines, is also being considered.
However, during the last visit, the crew of the headquarters ship Mount Whitney did not limit themselves to military contacts - the delegation led by Captain Brian Weigelt (US Navy chaplain) met with local religious leaders of the Adjara Autonomous Region - both Orthodox and Catholics, and the Mufti of all Georgia Adam Shantadze.
The leadership of the Sixth Fleet visiting the Catholic Church in Batumi, where representatives of the Armenian and Orthodox Churches were present
The purpose of these meetings is, first of all, to deepen relations with the so-called. "civil institutions", America creates a positive image for itself. And, unfortunately, the United States already has someone to rely on even in the Orthodox community. Metropolitan Gregory of Poti and Khobi is considered an ally of Mikheil Saakashvili, and is part of a group of hierarchs of the Georgian Orthodox Church who sympathize with the idea of autocephaly of the Ukrainian Church and Georgia’s entry into NATO.
Among other things, Adjara has a strong Turkish influence; Recep Erdogan declared the region historically Turkish. However, the United States does not fully trust Erdogan; they themselves began to create their own support in the autonomy, which is why they met with the mufti.
It is interesting that not all representatives of the Sixth Fleet leadership immediately left Batumi along with the headquarters ship. Then Rear Admiral James Morel, Admiral Marco Papi and Brigadier General Marcus Anibelli remained in Georgia. There are no official US military bases in the former Soviet republic yet, but the infrastructure of the Batumi terminal is used for cover.
Washington's goal in the future is a permanent military presence in Adjara and the deployment of American air defense systems.
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