ABSTRACT
Geologically speaking the increasingly polluted body of water called the Black Sea is precisely that, a sea, but way back in history it was once a completely landlocked freshwater lake. Politically speaking the title of this chapter relates to the perception of the modern Black Sea, in particular the perception of the United States (US) that there should be access for its fleets to this body of water via Istanbul which is the only route connecting it to the other seas of the world. Russia on the other hand could be said to view the Black Sea as a lake which should not be navigated by warships other than those of the littoral states. The incidence of the USS McFaul in the Black Sea during the war in Georgia is one example which demonstrates this clash of views and will be discussed more within this chapter.
