Warships pass through Suez

BBC ^ | March 15, 2003

[Semper Paratus]

I bet its 'General Quarters' going all the way through.

[Mr. Mojo]

Egyptian anti-war demonstrators have been calling for the canal to be off-limits to the Americans. The demonstrators do not want to be part of any military preparations against a fellow Arab state.

I wonder if these demonstrators are aware that Egypt receives $2 billion/yr. courtesy of the U.S. taxpayer?

[P-Marlowe]

Its possible that maybe Bush hasn't started the action because we are still getting our ducks in line. I think we all need to be patient.

Also those who think our troops cannot pull of a summer victory in Iraq have never witnessed our troops training in 29 Palms in the summer. Our troops are better prepared to fight in the heat than the ill equipped iraqi surrender monkeys. Our tanks and personell vehicles are probably all air conditioned. Are theirs?

[SamAdams76]

Is "bristle" the obligatory adjective to use when describing U.S. warships? Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[bribriagain]

"Turkey, where the ships were originally deployed, does not want these missiles to be fired over its territory."

A Holes

[jwalsh07]

My son in law was stationed at the 29 Palms Oasis. Hot as hell. But, you're right about the guys who train there, Iraq is no problem.

[CatOwner]

"Its possible that maybe Bush hasn't started the action because we are still getting our ducks in line. I think we all need to be patient."

There must be a good reason why we are being so patient. We must not believe that Saddam is a real threat to attack his neighbors in the near term, but at the same time we must fear the possibility of biological or chemical weapon attacks from Iraq.

What happens if North Korea is actually insane enough to attack South Korea tomorrow? Do we take 6 months to gear up for them? The appearance of our slow response to Iraq must be giving North Korea a lot of confidence.

[SamAdams76]

Our tanks and personnel vehicles are probably all air conditioned.

I'm not sure about the tanks and jeeps but just about everything else was when I was in the Marines during the early 1980s. I spent about two years at 29 Palms in the Mojave desert and I can assure you that the heat out there is very comparable to that of Iraq. I was in charge of a communications van that I would rig with all sorts of antennas when we deployed so as to facilliate ground-to-air communications. Those vans were not just air-conditioned, they were ice cold! Which made them a very convenient place to stash beers for those field deployments. Lots of nooks and crannies in those vans that the officers never knew about!

[Cicero]

President Eisenhower gave the canal back to Egypt with the understanding that they would not play politics with the traffic going through it. If they were to go back on that promise, there might have to be another regime change.

[prairiebreeze]

When the carriers start moving out of the Mediterranean we will know that Turkey is completely out of the picture.

Prairie

[cookcounty]

Interesting that yesterday, the muslim day of prayer, and the day when big demonstrations usually happen, there was an anti-war demonstration in Cairo, a city of 16 million people. 4,000 demonstrators showed up. So much for the "Arab street."

[Antoninus]

It was followed by a submarine, its turret poking out of the shimmering water.

Just another example of the glittering ignorance of the press concerning all things military.

And wouldn't the closing of the Suez Canal to our shipping be considered an act of war?

[Congressman Billybob]

The lamestream media have connected only a few of the military dots with respect to North Korea. We have put an additional carrier group within striking distance of NK. Also, we have reassigned a bomb wing within striking distance.

My take is that the MOAB test ("Mother of All Bombs") in Florida was not just for Iraqi education. It was also for the education of North Korea. The most dangerous aspect, today, of the NK threat is that they will send their million-man army south across the DMZ. That army would be reduced to 100,000 deaf and scared surrender monkeys, if the US carpet-bombed the DMZ with a thick layer of MOABS.

Rest assured, we are ready to deal with NK, even if they make the mistake of attacking two days after we launch the Iraq assault.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, now up on UPI, and FR, "Once, Twice, Three Times a Moron"

Latest book(let), "to Restore Trust in America."

[cookcounty]

Speaking of puny demonstrations, yesterday the anti-Bush TV and radio news people here in Chicago were all day, at every broadcast, telling us of the protesters' caravan to Washington.

How many busses were there? Three. Yes, three(3). If the pro-lifers send 33 buses it doesn't make the news, but 3 buses of anti-war protesters? Oh, that's REALLY BIG.

[Congressman Billybob]

The carriers do not have to leave the Mediteranean. The US has over-flight permission south of Turkey, so they can both launch cruise missiles and air sorties into Iraq, from the Mediteranean directly into Iraq. Got it covered. No sweat.

There will, of course, be a loud sucking sound as the Turkish economy implodes, since the $15 (or so) billion "contribution" by the US to Turkey has just gone bye-bye. "You didn't ask for it, you didn't get it. Toyota."

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, now up on UPI, and FR, "Once, Twice, Three Times a Moron"

Latest book(let), "to Restore Trust in America."

[cookcounty]

""Turkey, where the ships were originally deployed, does not want these missiles to be fired over its territory."

Check your map again. from the Med, they'd have to go over Syria, unless it's a "roundhouse punch" they're after.

They could go over Israel and Jordan, but on radar, that looks like an Israeli launch, and I'm sure the US is anxious to avoid that kind of confusion.

[WOSG]

We need to cut off Egypt's aid... let the anti-Americans with money pay for their anti-American posturing.

[WOSG]

Yes.

Just as the 6 month slow-walk of disarmament of Iraq is called a 'rush to war'.

[NormsRevenge]

Sat Mar 15, 1:59 AM ET

The crew maintains a close watch as the spruance class destroyer USS Deyo (DD 989) transits the Suez Canal, Friday March 14, 2003 from the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. Deyo is the first U.S. warship to enter the Red Sea during recent movements to the Cental Command area of operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The United States is moving 10 Navy ships armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles from the eastern Mediterranean to the Red Sea, senior U.S. officials said Thursday. (AP Photo/Patrick Reilly)

DEYYYYYYYYY...o ... Daylight come .. me wanna go home .. yada yada

See all the little hatches in the bottom of the pic? Lots of toys for SaDDam to be delivered soon.