Posted on 01/02/2021 5:33:37 AM PST by Onthebrink
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has abruptly sent the aircraft carrier Nimitz home from the Middle East and Africa over the objections of top military advisers, marking a reversal of a weekslong muscle-flexing strategy aimed at deterring Iran from attacking American troops and diplomats in the Persian Gulf.
Officials said on Friday that the acting defense secretary, Christopher C. Miller, had ordered the redeployment of the ship in part as a “de-escalatory” signal to Tehran to avoid stumbling into a crisis in President Trump’s waning days in office. American intelligence reports indicate that Iran and its proxies may be preparing a strike as early as this weekend to avenge the death of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, the commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Usual New York Times myopic viewpoint, still living within their Hall of Mirrors
T post
Buried in the article, after the usual snarking at Trump, is that land-based fighter & attack aircraft, plus tankers, have been sent to Saudi Arabia to offset Nimitz’ return.
The carrier already has been on an extended deployment, the crew are fatigued, and the ship needs to return for repair & refit. The CENTCOM commander may be unhappy, but the Navy is relieved.
Unless I’m very mistaken, there’s really no need for the carrier’s presence. Since Desert Storm, we’ve camped out across the Persian Gulf among the region’s various sheikdoms. There are several carriers’ worth of aircraft on the ground there. Whereas in the 80’s, this wasn’t the case. One of the aircraft assigned to a base in the UAE is the F-22, which is far more capable than the F-18’s embarked on the Nimitz.
https://www.americansecurityproject.org/national-security-strategy/u-s-bases-in-the-middle-east/
Your post seems too logical.
I think Trump is bringing it home to provide the necessary fire power when the democrats try to unseat him from his re-election!
Or....
.
.
It is being sent towards China / Taiwan.
Typical anonymous "sources".
I doubt the movement of he carrier is classified, so this is just to snark at President Trump.
Why pay any attention to the ruling class propaganda, at all?
Killing Qasem Suleimani was not a brilliant move, and Trump touting it was a mistake. He was beloved as a defender against the American invasion, and protector of religious faiths. Christians were saved by him, while US supported moderate head choppers were killing them.
The assassination of Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis may have been a wet dream for some US experts, but it united many Iranians, Syrians, and Iraqis against the US.
I left out ISIS, but Soleimani is most credited with their defeat.
FWIW AJ is reporting that Trump returned to the WH unexpectedly on NYE, rather than attend the usual big party at Mar-A-Lago because there was a credible threat against him, from Iran operatives, down there—and the WH is much better defended.
Air Force B-52s fly from Minot to Persian Gulf in round-trip mission to caution Iran
Then, they are stupid. Suleimani was directly responsible for support of the manufacture of lots of IEDs deployed in Iraq and elsewhere.
Do the Persians and Arabs think that revenge is solely something they can do?
Nay. Carriers, like infantry battalions, have a finite amount of time they are deployed before they start losing combat capability. They were already over-extended. This was the cheapest, most reasonable mitigation to keep capability within 5th Fleet, while ensuring the ship and her crew are ready for the next deployment cycle.
The Navy/Marines are doing the same thing to make up the loss of the Bonny Dick, which caught fire.
Navy ships are designed to stay at sea indefinitely. The only limitations are the crew’s psychological issues.
Having served aboard many, that is true in conflict, and it isn’t advisable to push it unnecessarily. It is an Operational Risk Management issue of which volumes have been written and schedules adopted for both men and machine.
All of that feeds into training cycle, certifications for the next crew, and the cycle of availability of the ship.
You can blue/gold submarine crews and have a short turn-around. But carriers are different in tolerances and the number available to the fleet.
*** Do the Persians and Arabs think that revenge is solely something they can do? ***
I think they are sick of US hegemony. Truthfully, I am, too.
Our Country is falling apart, and those in charge seem to think more war, threats, and sanctions of other Sovereign Nations takes precedence over the riots, food lines, lockdowns killing livelihoods, and the distress of Americans here in the US.
Run silent.
Run deep, baby...
[Killing Qasem Suleimani was not a brilliant move, and Trump touting it was a mistake. He was beloved as a defender against the American invasion, and protector of religious faiths. Christians were saved by him, while US supported moderate head choppers were killing them.]
[I think they are sick of US hegemony. Truthfully, I am, too.]
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