Officials: Navy has Amphibious Assault Ship Ready ( U.S.S. Boxer on the way )

google.com ^ | 4/10/3009 | ANNE GEARAN

[rabidralph]

IT was not. Most likely for the Boxer Rebellion? But it is kind of funny to have Boxer and Halyburton working together.

[ArmstedFragg]

Well, there IS a certain resemblance between the photo and the stern of a carrier in port.....

I’m thinking they’re cloning that IPOD for the queen and they’ll be using the copter’s PA system to play BO speeches 24/7. Should produce a surrender by dawn. Hopefully, the Seals will be able to smuggle some earplugs to the captain.

[tanknetter]

I would hate to be at the receiving end of those 16-inch (406 mm)/50-caliber Mark 7 naval guns, which could fire 2,700-pound (1,200 kg) armor-piercing shells some 20 nautical miles.

Just ask the Syrians and Lebanese who were in Lebanon when the New Jersey opened up on them back in 1983.

Apparently there wasn't so much as a pistol shot in Beirut for two weeks ...

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

That was his tour.

[tanknetter]

So we need an aircraft carrier to chalenge a bunch of thugs in bathtub?

Remember that there are a LOT of our allied nations with ships and crews that have been hijacked. All fun/games speculation aside, we can take care of this one situation easily ... but the other pirates are going to get upset (freaked out, paranoid variety) at seeing their compadres smoked and are likely to start popping their hostages.

Boxer brings a hell of a lot of capability to the dance. Including the ability to do an over-the-beach, forced assault on the pirates cute little village. These pirates aren't really ideologue nutjobs looking to die for Allah or something. They're businessmen. They have a LOT to lose, and not a whole heck of a lot to gain from an unpleasant resolution to this situation. An ESG with an MEU embarked is going to send a very clear message.

[tanknetter]

But it is kind of funny to have Boxer and Halyburton working together.

Not as funny (sad, pathetic sense) as the USS Bainbridge having been the first USN ship to arrive on scene.

Bainbridge played a not-insignificant role in the Barbary Wars. First by being humiliated by the Dey of Algiers upon being the person responsible for delivering the US's first "tribute" payment ... THEN by getting his command (USS Philadelphia) captured by the Barbary Corsairs.

I'm sure there were folks cringing in the Pentagon when they figured out that Bainbridge was the closest ship to the situation ... as opposed to the Preble or Decatur.

[Eye of Unk]

I would call it divine intervention, and redemption.

[ViLaLuz]

Aaaggghhhhhkkk. Are you sure this isn’t a drag queen?

[SoCal Pubbie]

Hmmm, Preble, I know that name! I've been doing a lot of design work for historic preservation at the old San Diego Naval Training Center. Learned a lot about Preble Field there. I'll be ther tomorrow, as a matter of fact, adding some graphics to a display of an eleven foot long model of the USS Leahy.

[Semper Mark]

“Here come the Marines!”

Unleash hell on ‘em!

[Mariner]

Yesiree.

That Ronald Reagan brought the BB's back was a strong signal to the world that the Great White Fleet had again set sail.

Alas, too expensive when you only need 'em once every 20 years or so.

I remember fondly being on the signal bridge of another ship while watching the New Jersey level mountains at the gun range off San Diego. She shot 3 broadsides...took around 3 minutes. She was about 3 miles away but you could FEEL the shots.

I don't remember the name of that darn island though.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

To get our man back Obama will give the destroyer to the pirates and 2 million dollars.

[Mamzelle]

Bah. No such thing. Our prissydent wouldn’t allow it.

[jazminerose]

Excellent idea & fine use of taxpayer funds!

[xrmusn]

I don’t remember the name of the island though...
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
If not mistaken, believe you are thinking of San Clemente Island

[Joe Boucher]

Last week my wife and I went sailing in Washington, North Carolina.
Then we went to a brewpub in Greenville.
While driving in to the college town of Greenville there was a 4 story apartment building and from a 4th floor balcony was hung a blow up sex doll wearing some leather get up .Looked just like Senator Boxer here.
Always fun visiting a college town.

[SampleMan]

I’ve flown recce and created search grids, its doable without the whole 7th fleet, but your point is noted. Its a very large area.

More to the point, however, is that its pointless unless the ROE dictates engaging the pirates onsight. Otherwise they are free to continually attempt attacks until they find an opening.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

In ‘a previous life’ I was married to a Navy SEAL. They are a breed of men unto themselves.

God Bless Them! :)