U.S. Navy Group Heads for South Korea Amid Missile Crisis

[sabra]

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=1946226&C=asiapac

U.S. Navy Group Heads for South Korea Amid Missile Crisis

A U.S. aircraft carrier group will reach South Korea the week of July 17 amid heightened regional tension brought about by North Korea firing missiles on July 5, South Korean media reported on July 12.

The U.S. Navy strike group led by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Enterprise will arrive for a port call at the southern city of Pusan from July 16, Yonhap news reported citing a U.S. military official.

A spokesman for U.S. Forces Korea said he could not comment on the reports for security reasons.

The carrier group also includes destroyers equipped with Aegis radar capable of tracking missile flights, as well as cruisers and submarines, Yonhap said.

[cliss]

1. This article doesn't say

how many ships are on the way. It just says a 'group'. We will undoubtedly hear more about this. My guess is Japan has been screeching at the US to do this. They were probably reluctant to do this, since they don't know how to react....

1) What is the US attempting to do by moving in? A show of strength? We're a little short-handed these days.

2) What do they think Kim Jong's response will be? Do they think they can scare him? He's just annonced he's planning to launch more missiles (he LOVES the publicity) this is playing right into his hand.

[Posteritatis]

4. "Carrier group" is a moderately specific term

Usually one carrier, a couple of subs (attack not boomer) and somewhere between five and ten escort ships.

At its broadest sense, a carrier group is simply the support ships clustered around one or more carriers, but in practice it's almost always one carrier with a retinue of about ten escorts and smaller warships. In this case, the group's the Enterprise and the escort is a handful of warships, one submarine and a large supply vessel.

[0007]

2. What a bunch of stupid shit...is junior's playing the role of a Mel Gibson

in one of Gibson's super duper films of one line thrillers?
One thing we know is that junior is not a uniter. At least Clinton had things under control in the Middle East and Kim Jong Il pacified with a Michael Jordan basketball.

[Sherman A1]

3. When the Carriers move

it's time to pay attention. This seems to be more of a show of force and resolve, wait and see if any more Carrier Groups are moved into the area. There is one homeported in Japan (KittyHawk?) so that would be two. I doubt if any move would be made with less than 3 and I would guess that 4 or more would be better.

[Baclava]

5. Eh - ships move around all the time...big deal...

"It will be in Pusan for four days for what the military official told Yonhap was a planned visit not linked to the missile crisis"

[Sherman A1]

6. They are always

planned visits, that have noting to do with the current situation, whatever it might be. Yes, ships do move around all the time, but the U.S. does not go into any major action without the carriers being present. The Navy has to justify their investment at budget time and each one has about the same number of late model aircraft as North Korea currently operates (about 80).

[Baclava]

7. There won't be any "action" going on around N.Korea

We're still not ready to lose Seoul.

Maybe after the new Israeli/Arab War and the India/Pakistani War...but not right now...

The New Korean War will involve the endgame with China...we won't go there just yet...patience grasshopper