"OK, sure! Let's send a ship back to Norfolk or Newport News! How many days off of the deployment cycle is THAT going to cost?"
If you make sure there are enough warships available it won't matter. That's why cut-backs in warship numbers is stupidity. It shouldn't be a problem. If the ship needs routine yard work, another ship should be able to show up in it's place first. The UAE yards should only be used for emergency work.
Right and let's name who did this. Startiung in 1989 Poppy Bush/ Cheney/DEM Congress. 1992-1995 Clinton/Aspin/DEMCongress. 1996-2000 Clinton/Aspin/ GOP Congress. 2001-Present Bush/Rummy/GOP congress. Meaning there was plenty of time for the GOP to undo POPPY and Clintons damage to the fleet. So what is being done? We are loosing another carrier without replacement.