05/12/2008
The United States has delivered its first airlift carrying emergency relief supplies to Myanmar for victims of this month's cyclone.
A military C-130 cargo plane packed with supplies left a Thai air force base Monday and landed in Myanmar's biggest city Yangon. Two more air shipments are scheduled to land Tuesday.
After the plane's arrival, the supplies were transferred to Myanmar army trucks. Allowing the U.S. flight is a huge concession by Myanmar's military government, which sees Washington as its enemy.
The junta also generally has refused to allow international relief experts, and has slowed delivery of aid by the U.N. with red tape. The operation's spokesman, Lt. Col. Douglas Powell, says the plane was unarmed and carried aid supplies including mosquito nets, blankets and water. He says the aid was from the U.S. government, not the military.
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