US Navy deploys 2nd aircraft carrier to Gulf

Associated Press ^ | 4/08/2012 | Associated Press

[FreeAtlanta]

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. Navy said Monday it has deployed a second aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf region amid rising tensions with Iran over its disputed nuclear program.

The deployment of the nuclear-powered USS Enterprise along with the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group marks one of the few times the Navy has had two aircraft carriers operating in waters near the Persian Gulf, said Cmdr. Amy Derrick-Frost of the Bahrain-based 5th Fleet.

The two carriers will support the American military operations in Afghanistan and anti-piracy efforts off Somalia's coast and in the Gulf of Aden, she said.

[FreeAtlanta]

Is this legitimate, or is it part of Obama Campaign 2012?

The unthinkable would be loosing one or both of our great ships and crews. I am nervous and praying for our military.

[MeganC]

If Iran successfully sunk both ships then Obama would be forced to wage war on Iran or lose the election.

Meaning I expect it would be a bad day to be in Tehran.

[FreeAtlanta]

sorry, losing. before I get beat up by the grammar gods

I really hate having our big ships in that Gulf.

[the invisib1e hand]

Loosing...

that would be series.

[MarineDad]

But, but we all know only too well by now that islam is a pissful reelijun! There are only pissful pipple over there in that part of the world, right?

[FreeAtlanta]

It does seem unthinkable, but history is filled with the unthinkable. I am know our men and women will be on alert. I hope it is a quick and uneventful deployment.

I really don’t like Obama.

[nathanbedford]

I have posted repeatedly my suspicion that Obama will contrive an October Surpris, probably a strike against Iran in the run-up to the election.

With two carriers in the Gulf it should not be hard to generate a provocation. If Obama strikes Iran, one could expect the polls to swing wildly in his favor as Americans typically rally to the flag and to their President.

In a stroke he will convert public opinion to his cause and eliminate his liabilities for astronomical gasoline prices.

It is possible that the Obama administration is leaking against Israel's presence in the neighboring country (whose name escapes me) because he wants to control timing and leave himself free to order such a strike in late summer.

All of this is rank speculation on my part.

[FreeAtlanta]

I know. I need to give up on posting. I am getting sloppier by the day.

A vacation might help.

[castowell]

“The deployment of the nuclear-powered USS Enterprise along with the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group marks one of the few times the Navy has had two aircraft carriers operating in waters near the Persian Gulf, said Cmdr. Amy Derrick-Frost of the Bahrain-based 5th Fleet.”

Say what? This is completely false.

[brivette]

don’t forget hughes.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Day old news isn’t breaking news. The destination has been known since the boat left port in March.

[Moose4]

This is a planned deployment for the Enterprise IIRC. In fact, I believe it’s the Enterprise’s last deployment before her decommissioning.

}:-)4

[FreeAtlanta]

I think it is has more weight than speculation.

Democrats have shown that they believe that the military and war is only for political gain at home. They attack Republicans for using the military in legitimate causes, then they turn around and use it in unnecessary causes to try to bolster their polls.

I suspect it won’t work this time. America is war weary, and needs a break. If Obama gets us into a big war with Iran, it might backfire. If it grows into a war with Russia and China, it won’t even matter.

I wish we had an adult administration. Bush spent way too much money, but I felt comfortable with him in these situations. With Obama, I am terrified.

[FreeAtlanta]

Sorry, I saw it on the site that must not be named, but starts with D and has report in the name, and I saw it on another site. They were acting like this was breaking news.

I searched FreeRepublic for carrier in title and didn’t see it, so I did. It seems pretty important.

[the invisib1e hand]

That was what I was going to say, but I didn’t want to seem to flippant.

[muleskinner]

7 Days in May. Many in D.C. are looking at this time frame for military action.

[nathanbedford]

Let us proceed from a assumption easy to make, that Obama will proceed as cynically as Macchiavelli. If he can contrive to have the Iranians attempt to shut down the straits of Hormuz or withhold petroleum exports, he can act militarily with more than mere aerial strikes, he can put Marines ashore around the streets of Hormuz explaining that he wants to protect the straits "in depth." We now have boots on the ground without actually invading the interior of overran where we are bombarding daily.

With boots on the ground, even confined to the area around straits, we have the honor and patriotism of the country invested. He can argue that he is fighting to keep gasoline prices down.

Obama's trick will be to time the action precisely so that his wave of support crests on November 3. After that, he need not involve us in a war in which he has no interest in winning much less waging. He wants countries like Iran to be counterpoints to the world's sole remaining superpower so he is really indifferent to Iran getting the bomb. Troops would be easy to withdraw from that place and the long war avoided.

[PUGACHEV]

All else aside, that’s a beautiful picture of a very impressive ship. It makes me proud that it’s ours.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Take the rest of the day off.

[BlatherNaut]

All else aside, that’s a beautiful picture of a very impressive ship.

It sure is.