Locked in a military showdown with Russia, West-leaning Georgia’s political leadership is continuing to appeal for humanitarian aid, as well as military assistance, from NATO.

Yesterday Canada pledged $1 million dollars in aid to the people affected by the fighting on Russia's doorstep and today U.S. President George W. Bush announced the U.S. military would start delivering humanitarian aid to Georgia.

(Back in April, Bush had been a keen backer of Georgia and Ukraine joining the NATO alliance but was forced to back down when Russia complained loudly and other members of the alliance decided to put off any decision.)

The U.S. president also dispatched Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Paris and the Georgian capital Tbilisi in search of a diplomatic solution.

But what U.S officials aren’t so keen on talking about, at least publicly, is the military aid they’re also contributing to Georgia.

According to several U.S military publications, including Stars and Stripes, the Americans have 127 military trainers in Georgia. They were sent there several months ago to help train the Georgian army for operations in Iraq.

Now, with the outbreak of hostilities, the U.S European Command says there are no plans to withdraw the military trainers even though their training mission was scheduled to wrap up last week.

Could it be that American military personnel are continuing to advise the Georgian military during the fighting? There’s no way to tell, but it raises an interesting question in what is still a volatile conflict.