Second U.S. carrier group to deploy to Gulf: sources

[Jcrowley]

Second U.S. carrier group to deploy to Gulf: sources

By Kristin Roberts Wed Jan 3, 4:40 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon will send a second aircraft carrier and its escort ships to the Gulf, defense officials said on Wednesday, as a warning to Syria and Iran and to give commanders more flexibility in the region.


Officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Bremerton, Washington-based USS John C. Stennis strike group would deploy this month. It will put 5,000 more U.S. sailors in the region, bringing the total to 16,000.

The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier group entered the Gulf in December.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman declined to comment, saying the Defense Department would not discuss future deployments or ship movements. But military analysts said the move was intended to demonstrate U.S. resolve in the face of acts by Iran and Syria that it sees as provocative, such as Tehran's pursuit of its nuclear program.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070103/ts_nm/usa_gulf_navy_dc

[ananda]

1. Uh oh..

.. she thought to herself ominously.

[Webster Green]

2. The Crusades

Sick mofos

[kineneb]

3. crap

"I gotta bad feeling about this..."

[riderinthestorm]

4. There are some military/navy buffs on DU that say anything less than 4 carriers means squat

I can't recall who said this but their considered opinion is that 4 carriers is the magic number.

Others believe a launch against Iran is predicated upon the # of Tomahawk launching subs in the Gulf.

There are 45 military vessels in the Gulf already - enough to enforce a blockade of the Straits of Hormuz but that isn't a sufficient # or type for a military strike per DU "expertise".

[madrchsod]

6. i agree with the number of carriers

to wage a war against the defensives of iran we would have to use every available weapon we have short of nukes. we will loss at least one carrier and an unknown number of other ships. worse we will lose a lot of naval personal.if george bush thinks the loss of a carrier, support ships, and the deaths of our sailors worth the price he is insane. blockading the straits would mean at the least an serve economic recession in this country and world wide commendation and a even bigger dumping of us greenbacks into the euro.

[teryang]

7. I don't think four can operate effectively in the gulf

One stayed in the Gulf of Oman and another in the Red Sea last time, for a total of four. But our land based air power should be much improved at this point.

Targets of preference for enemy counterattacks would be energy, communications and shipping infrastructure in, to and from the oil rich states. I wouldn't waste my ordnance on a frontal assault on a carrier task group or Israel. Offense on the weak points. Obviously blocking the straits is a priority or securing these targets depending on your point of view. Fortunately, from our point of view, military tactics in this region are overtly political and the tactical aspects are poorly understood on the other side. The Iranians have made some tactical and doctrinal innovations, which I learned when I recently reveiwed a rather comprehensive OOB report that was rather scary (US author). I have my doubts though on the effectiveness of Iranian military leadership, even with all the "improvements."

I believe having a carrier task force stationed south of Hormuz could have that security mission of attempting to secure the straights, maybe even the southernmost of two Persian Gulf forces given the number of air forces that could be moved into Iraq.

On the other hand, military adventurism by ourselves in the middle east, other than in a completely defensive capacity is a very poor idea, most likely to lead to a military diaster and should not be undertaken.

[ToolTex]

5. We simply must impeach cheney! During the next 30 years of my life

I will vomit if I have to hear future presidents ordering the aircraft carriers, USS Richard Cheney, USS GHW Bush, and the USS G Ford into someone's harbor. Piss on them all they are all killers and criminals. Hell, dig up reagan and try his body for his crimes in Iran-contra and against AIDs victims.

Six day state funerals are a travesty against humanity for these fiends. We must stay right on top of our Congress starting tomorrow morning.

[northofdenali]

8. Sorry, but the Gerald Ford is already in play -

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=2768845


WASHINGTON Jan 3, 2007 (AP)— The Navy will name its next aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in honor of the president who was laid to rest Wednesday in his home town of Grand Rapids, Mich., officials said.

The Navy had not planned to make the announcement yet, but Donald H. Rumsfeld, the former defense secretary who served in the Ford administration, divulged the news during his eulogy at the funeral.

"How fitting it would be that the name Gerald R. Ford will patrol the high seas for decades to come in defense of the nation he loved so much," he said.

Later at the Pentagon the Navy confirmed that it would make an official announcement "in a few weeks." It said it was still working on details of the ceremony with members of the Ford family.

Sigh.

[FogerRox]

9. Dont forget the USS Ronald Reagan and the USS George Bush

Yeah I know... time to puke.

You can check out where our carriers are here:

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/gonavy/atsugi/gonavy604.html

Check out my blog on Iranian missiles:

http://rdanafox.blogspot.com/2007/01/iranian-missile-systems.html

And check out my DU journal.

And then my blog on Saudi Arabias new ICBMs:

http://rdanafox.blogspot.com/2006/12/now-middle-east-gets-interesting.html

More

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x3026619

[northofdenali]

13. I always count on your posts/blogs for up-to-date

military stuff. You were, IIRC, the first to call the 172nd Strykers getting a 4-month delay in return, sent to Baghdad instead of home to Fairbanks.

[riderinthestorm]

16. Glad you are here on this thread! You were one of the "experts" I was referring to upthread!

I always follow your information closely. Thanks for chiming in. :hi:

[ToolTex]

12. I know the USS Ford is underway I heard rummy say it. It is the USS Chaney I couldn't stomach!

And the damn Rethugs will eventually deify him if we don't indict and convict the bastard first.

[FogerRox]

15. CVN-77 George H.W. Bush

set to be completed in mid 2008, while CVN-78 is to be the Ford.

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/gonavy/atsugi/gonavy604.html

[stillcool]

10. lining up the ducks.....

as a provocative gesture?

[peacetalksforall]

11. I still say the surge is for IRAN. nt

[Imagevision]

14. It appears Bush is planning a confrontation with Iran, courtesy of the CIA