Showdown Looms in Persian Gulf as US Sends 2nd Aircraft Carrier

Arutz Sheva - IsraelNationalNews ^ | 1/16/7 | Gil Zohar

[SmithL]

Is the United States gearing up for an attack on Iran?

The deployment of a second U.S. aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf has analysts speculating that President Bush means to stop Tehran's nuclear ambitions by force if necessary.

The USS John C. Stennis was scheduled to sail Tuesday from its homeport of
Bremerton, Washington. When the second carrrier arrives in the Middle East next month, this will be the first time since the U.S.-led Iraq invasion in 2003 that the United States will have two carrier battle groups in the region, according to a U.S. Navy official.

The increase in U.S. forces is a show of strength by Washington in the face of Iran's growing regional assertiveness and a perception among U.S. adversaries that the United States is vulnerable in Iraq, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday.

The Stennis is a Nimitz-class carrier, with approximately 3,200 sailors. It will stop off in San Diego to pick an air wing of more than 80 planes, including F/A-18 Hornet and Superhornet fighter-bombers.

After a monthlong voyage across the Pacific and Indian oceans, the Stennis will join the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, which is already tasked to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, based in the Gulf sheikhdom of Bahrain, said Cmdr. Kevin Aandahl of the Fifth Fleet.

Once in Middle East waters, the second aircraft carrier will significantly boost U.S. air power in the region and serve as a reminder of U.S. firepower to Iran.

"This demonstrates our resolve to do what we can to bring security and stability to the region," Aandahl said. "That's obviously to dissuade others from acting counter to our national interest."

Washington will maintain two carriers in the Middle East "as long as the
situation demands it," Aandahl said. A typical carrier deployment lasts six months.

In a related matter, the U.S. recently deployed a Patriot air defense missile battalion in the Middle East.

As well, at least 16 US F-16 fighter aircraft arrived January 12 in Turkey's strategic Incirlink air base for the first time in three years. According to local Cihan News Agency, the F-16s were accompanied by an early warning system AWACS airplane and tanker airplanes from an American base in Germany. An official at the US embassy in Ankara said the planes had arrived for joint exercises with the Turkish military.

On Thursday, US forces in Iraq detained five suspected members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards operating out of the northern Iraq town of Irbil in Kurdistan.

[El Gato]

After that, Congress gets involved. We can do a lot of damage to Iran in 60 days, even if congress forces us out after that.

Arguably, the War Powers act requirements don't directly apply. The Congress authorized the action in Iraq, this is just an extention of that. Right after 9-11, Congress authorized the President to use military force to prevent another attack on the US. An attack on Iran, which harbors terrorists, arms them and pays them, would also be a continuation of that authorized effort. From the Sept 18, 2001 Joint Congressional Resolution:

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.
(a) IN GENERAL- That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons.

(b) War Powers Resolution Requirements-

(1) SPECIFIC STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION- Consistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, the Congress declares that this section is intended to constitute specific statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution.

[El Gato]

LOL my nephew claimed it was a basketball court

I imagine it *is* used as a roundball court. But I doubt they do a "Ball overboard" evolution, unless they are steaming independently, are ahead of schedule, and need the practice in "man overboard" procedures.

[El Gato]

There is no open authorization for the President to act against anyone other than Iraq at the moment.

Actually , there is, the Authorization for use of force of September 18, 2001. See post #161

Additionally, under the law, the President can respond to immediate threats, attacks on US forces, or other acts of war, (which the Iranians are arguably committing by arming and equipping those who are making the actual attacks. using his Constitutional power as Commander in Chief, and then notify Congress within the 60 day window.

[KevinDavis]

Right now we are playing a game of chicken...

[KevinDavis]

Well you find like minded folks over at DU.......You speak like a commie....

[El Gato]

It has been very mild up until this storm though.

Yes, up here in Central Texas it has been as well. But not in the northern plains, nor in the Pacific Northwest. I was in southeastern Nebraska for my sister-in-law's funeral a week after Thanksgiving. It was 8 degrees at around 9 AM that morning. Pretty cool for late November there. I think it got fairly cold by central Texas standards that weekend as well, but I wasn't here to see it, and didn't check.

[taxed2death]

...and you speak like someone who doesn't even have the brains to read the entire thread before spouting off.

[CDHart]

We are in Missouri - I told my husband this morning that if he thinks we should move back to Florida, I'll be the first one in the truck! We can't even get our Taurus up the hill to the road. So I have to ride with him in the 4x4 and get to work at 5:15 and stay 'til 4:30. I am not a happy camper.

Carolyn

[romanesq]

Agreed, but we're not talking about funding, we're talking about military action against another country other than Iraq.

[romanesq]

OK, finally a man with a plan and the supporting mechanism to justify it.
Thanks for this, it's particularly enlightening.

So the Executive will point to Osama's son, the military actions by Iran in supporting terrorists and making war on our forces and then.....

God help us all, because I have no idea where this will lead to.

[Lazamataz]

Are you guys just having a good time or do you not care about what the Constitution says? There is no open authorization for the President to act against anyone other than Iraq at the moment. Telling Congress what he (the President) did is not part of the Constitution.

Incorrect. The War Powers Resolution Act of 1973 states that the President may commit troops to hostilities for up to 60 days with no Congressional input.

[RightWhale]

Panama, Haiti, Grenada, Lebanon, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iran, Kosovo, Serbia, Pakistan, Whoknowsistan?

[cdbull23]

Russell Peters?

[romanesq]

Pakistan?

Panama, Haiti, Grenada, Kosovo - small potato police actions.
All together they don't add up to one Gulf War I, let alone Gulf War II or anything that would be on the scale of an Iran.

[RightWhale]

Acts of war don't count if limited.

[romanesq]

There's no way the Administration will apply the War Powers Act as a prima facie case to go after Iran.

As posted, it will be along the lines of the Congressional authorization indicated earlier in the thread.

[romanesq]

Who would believe acts of war with Iran would be limited? I certainly don't.