Home | China | World | Business Bush Defends U.S. Military Aid to Georgia THU, FEB 28, 2002     U.S. President George W. Bush defended U.S. military aid to Georgia on Wednesday, saying the move aims at helping the former Soviet republic expel guerrillas with ties to terror organization al Qaeda. The Pentagon confirmed earlier on Wednesday that the United States has provided 10 UH-1H Huey helicopters and a team of defense personnel to Georgia to assist its government with mobility and security. The U.S. move to open a new front in the war on terrorism had sparked Russian alarm, with Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov warning the presence of U.S. troops could further destabilize the Transcaucasus region. Asked by reporters during a trip to Charlotte, North Carolina, if he thought there is al Qaeda influence in Georgia, Bush said: "I do." "As long as there is al Qaeda influence anywhere we will help the host countries rout them out and bring them to justice," Bush said. "We've made it very clear that either you're with us or you're against us, and we've made it very clear that we hope that nations step up and do their jobs," Bush said. But he noted that any U.S. military aid to Georgia would have to be formally requested and would be limited to military equipment and technical advice. Editor:Liu Hongji Source:Xinhua Recommend to your friend email:    China Central Television,All Rights Reserved