Posted on 01/04/2007 6:34:02 AM PST by presidio9
Edited on 01/04/2007 6:37:47 AM PST by Sidebar Moderator. [history]
The Pentagon will send a second aircraft carrier and its escort ships to the Persian Gulf, defense officials said yesterday, 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, Wash.-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.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
BTW, as the youngest combat pilot in the history of naval aviation, GHW Bush narrowly merits a carrier, but that's it. Ford, Nixon, GW Bush, Carter, and obviously Bill "I loathe the military" Clinton do not. This is not even a criticism of any of their presidencies. It is merely a reflection of the symbolic importance of our carriers.
Carriers should have names like Gordy Howe, Maurice Richard,
or Terry Sawchuk. Wait, I think those are Canadians..
Never mind.
Ford is credited with leading fire-fighting parties that saved the light carrier USS Monterrey. He served honorably, even heroically, and was thence served as president.
I see no reason to complain about naming a carrier after him.
Thanks for the ping.
Don't you love all of the FR armchair Generals and Admirals who say they love our military and out the other side of their mouth bad mouth anything our warriors do.
LOL. We could always go with the Nick Fotiu.
While not a pilot, Ford was a WWII carrier sailor so I have no problem with a ship bearing his name.
Since Reagan was not a veteran, I don't think that is the criterion. Other than serving a couple of replacement years as a lame-duck unelected president, there is little to distinguish Ford from hundreds to thousands of other sailors. Admittedly, he was a very nice man. Name a hospital ship after him.
Ford was not an outstanding president, but neither was Bush Sr. I think we should go back to naming carriers for battles, but as long as they are going to be named for presidents Ford is as deserving as any other IMHO.
Bush Sr clearly had a more impressive military career, and a more eventful presidency. The Berlin Wall came down thanks to Reagan, but it happened under Bush's watch. Better yet, we could sell the naming rights the way stadiums do.
"Fighters from the USS Google knocked out surface to air missle installations around Tehran today, President Santorum ordered a second Carrier, USS Halliburton, into the Gulf area."
Whether we like it or not, President's like Clinton and Carter were still Presidents, elected by the people of this country to serve as CIC.
They should have boats named after them, as disgusting as that seems.
Only because that stupid tradition got started after Reagan. We didn't always reflexively name our carriers after presidents. The first was FDR, shortly after he died in office. Next was Kennedy. Same thing. Then Ike, who didn't die, but did command our forces in the field. Then we had TR, Lincoln, and Washington. More recently we had Truman, then Reagan, and the next is Bush. If we could get away from naming them after presidents entirely, we could avoid the embarassment of a William Jefferson Clinton. Sure the man was commander in chief, but he was also impeached. Name an oiler after the slickster.
>Pucker up mullahs...
here it comes!<
I suspect you are right. The rhetoric from our side, culminating in the "Iran supporting both sides in Iraq" thing certainly affects ones perspective on this.
"Name an oiler after the slickster."
I wouldn't name a garbage scow after that POS. ;)
Rockover always came by during the day shift so I always missed him, but there were obvious changes such as certain personnel not being there afterwards. He was tough.
Couldn't agree more..but a carrier looks more impressive.
That sub could take care of Iran,
N Korea
and the insurgents in congress
and still have a few to spare.
That'd be a submarine wouldnt it??
Mr. President, please feel free to use the Air Force extensively.
U.S.S. Dave "The Hammer" Shultz!
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