Israeli/US Backed Georgian forces at S. Ossetia border

A US battleship anchors at the Georgian port of Poti amid reports that the Georgian military is regrouping near the South Ossetian border.

On Monday, the US Navy's USS Taylor (FFG-50) arrived on a two-day visit at the port city which saw a brief Russian presence during the Caucasus conflict in early August, RIA Novosti reported.

The presence was part of Moscow's strategy to force back the Georgians who had invaded the pro-independence republic of South Ossetia.

Russia responded to the invasion acting on earlier promises that it would protect its nationals and peacekeepers in South Ossetia in the event of an attack.

Since the face-off, the US Navy has made repeated visits to Georgian ports amid Russian concerns about a recurrent Georgian invasion.

Washington, though, has described the call as a run-of-the-mill one, while insisting that no exercises had been scheduled for the guided missile frigate.

Tbilisi has, meanwhile, deployed tanks and Cobra armored vehicles near the South Ossetian border, the locals warned later in the day.

Georgia claims that the 'legitimate' move is aimed at securing the area and that the Cobras would not be carrying heavy weaponry.