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debkafile's military sources report a decision by the Obama administration to boost US military strength in the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf regions in the short term with an extra air and naval strike forces and 6,000 Marine and sea combatants. Carrier Strike Group 10, headed by the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, sails out of the US Navy base at Norfolk, Virginia Friday, May 21. On arrival, it will raise the number of US carriers off Iranian shores to two. Up until now, President Barack Obama kept just one aircraft carrier stationed off the coast of Iran, the USS...

Obama’s policy of verbal engagement and recognizing states that support terrorism – earlier this week he named an ambassador to Syria which President Bush withdrew in 2005 because of its support of Al Qaeda - is already paying dividends. Syria is giving Hizballah mobile anti-air missile systems.

Sixth Fleet may move to Spain John Hooper in Rome and Giles Tremlett in Madrid Saturday February 7, 2004 The Guardian (UK) The American navy said last night that it was considering moving its key, troubleshooting Sixth Fleet away from its base in Italy to Spain. The move would deal a huge blow to the local economy in the area between Rome and Naples, but is likely to be greeted by Italians with as much bafflement as dismay. They had for some time been braced for a decision by Washington to shift the fleet's base port further eastwards, perhaps to...

BERLIN -- Acting on intelligence gathered by American and allied agencies, the United States is tracking ships that have left ports in Africa and are in the Mediterranean that may be involved in smuggling goods to finance terrorist groups, according to a senior U.S. military officer in Europe. Authorities are now working through technical and legal issues to decide if the ships, which are also suspected of carrying supplies to make weapons of mass destruction, should be boarded at sea or inspected when they try to dock, said the officer, who has been taking part in high-level daily intelligence briefings ...

ABOARD USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT, EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN It was Friday evening and Rabbi Maurice Kaprow, deputy chaplain of the US Navy's Sixth Fleet, led a small congregation aboard this aircraft carrier in a Kabbalat Shabbat service. As we reached the verse in "Lecha Dodi" translated as "whose shelter of peace is spread over us," a jet returning from an operation in northern Iraq slammed down on the flight deck above us, sending a rumble through the chapel. Kaprow, a Conservative rabbi from Florida, had just arrived aboard for a three-week stint during which he plans to hold Shabbat services, Friday night...

ABOARD THE USS HARRY S. TRUMAN, in the eastern Mediterranean -- Vice Adm. Scott A. Fry, commander of the U.S. Sixth Fleet, told sailors and pilots aboard the nation's newest aircraft carrier Friday that their attacks on Iraq would go down in history. ``You are part of a battle force that has more combat power in the Mediterranean than has been here since World War II,'' Fry said in a visit to the Truman. ``I want you to remember that your kids -- and my grandchildren -- are going to read about what you're doing here today in their history...

CHARLESTON, S.C. - What was to be a six-week deployment to snag drug smugglers off South America will likely become more than six months protecting military shipping in the Mediterranean for the Charleston-based Coast Guard cutter Dallas. "It's been eventful for us," the cutter's commander, Capt. Chris Colvin said by satellite phone from the ship on Friday. "So far we have not come under any hostile fire but it's been interesting." The 378-foot cutter has been operating with the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the eastern Mediterranean. Earlier, the Dallas provided escort for military supply ships moving through the Strait of...