Posted on 08/07/2008 7:02:21 AM PDT by jhpigott
Two additional United States naval aircraft carriers are heading to the Gulf and the Red Sea, according to the Kuwaiti newspaper Kuwait Times.
Kuwait began finalizing its "emergency war plan" on being told the vessels were bound for the region.
The US Navy will neither confirm nor deny that carriers are currently en route. US Fifth Fleet Combined Maritime Command located in Bahrain said it could not comment because of what a spokesman termed "force-protection policy."
While the Kuwaiti daily did not name the ships it believes are heading for the Middle East, The Media Line's defense analyst said they could be the USS Theodore Roosevelt and the USS Ronald Reagan. Within the last month, the Roosevelt completed an exercise along the US east coast focusing on communication among navies of different countries. It has since been declared ready for operational duties. The Reagan, currently with the Seventh Fleet, has just set sail from Japan. The Seventh Fleet area of operation stretches from the East Coast of Africa to the International Date Line.
Meanwhile, the Arabic news agency Moheet reported at the end of July that an unnamed American destroyer, accompanied by two Israeli naval vessels traveled through the Suez Canal from the Mediterranean. A week earlier, a US nuclear submarine accompanied by a destroyer and a supply ship moved into the Mediterranean, according to Moheet.
Currently there are two US naval battle groups operating in the Gulf: one is an aircraft carrier group, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln, which carries some 65 fighter aircraft. The other group is headed by the USS Peleliu which maintains a variety of planes and strike helicopters.
The ship movements coincide with the latest downturn in relations between Washington and Teheran. The US and Iran are at odds over Iran's nuclear program, which the Bush administration claims is aimed at producing material for nuclear weapons; however, Teheran argues it is only for power generation.
Kuwait, like other Arab countries in the Gulf, fears it will be caught in the middle should the US decide to launch an air strike against Iran if negotiations fail. The Kuwaitis are finalizing details of their security, humanitarian and vital services, the newspaper reported.
The six members of the GCC - Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE and Oman - lie just across the Gulf from Iran. Generals in the Iranian military have repeatedly warned that American interests in the region will be targeted if Iran is subjected to any military strike by the US or its Western allies.
Bahrain hosts the US Fifth Fleet, while there is a sizeable American base in Qatar. It is assumed the US also has military personnel in the other Gulf states, The Media Line's defense analyst said.
Iran is thought to have intelligence operatives working in the GCC states, according to Dubai-based military analysts.
The standoff between the US and Iran has left the Arab nations' political leaders in something of a bind. The Media Line analyst said they were being used as pawns by Washington and Teheran. Iran is offering them economic and industrial sweeteners, while the US is boosting their defense capabilities. Presidents George W. Bush and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have paid visits to the GCC states in a bid to win their support.
They've understated the number of aircraft carried by the Lincoln by about 25%. A minor detail, but not exactly confidence inspiring where accuracy is concerned.
“we could briefly have a window where 3 carriers would be within strike range of Iran”
But wouldn’t you want to time that brief overlap for after the election? If the point is to either bolster Israel’s resolve to take action (not clear that’s exactly needed) or to visibly “support” their action without being directly complicit in it, this would be a pretty good option IMHO.
Is that anything like “all your base are belong to us”?
“probably just force rotation, but the past couple rotations it’s just been one in one out . . . this looks like it could be 2 in and 1 out”
Maybe this time it’s 2 in 0 out. Guess we will have to wait until they get there.
Yep, and every time one or two carriers deploy, people that don't understand carrier rotation start counting carriers and make false assumptions. My Brother, a civilian technician gets to deploy with them and then flies back from usually Guam or Kuwait. I don't see anything unusual going on here.
Q. How do you surprise Iran?
A. Unique up on 'em when they're least expecting it.
Yeah, I know that's pretty bad...
I think Israel would strike before the November election if they thought it would help McCain’s chances. The odds are very high that they will attack after the election if Obama (God forbid) is elected.
“If true, this would make for 3 CBGs and 1 amphip carrier group in the Gulf. “
Payback for 1979 to commence soon......
I’d guess one group would ply the Arabian sea to protect the Strait of Hormuz to deal with Iran military assets in the southern portion of the country with the carrier not entering the Gulf.
Please DO NOT post an image with the words “Lotus Notes” and “Productivity” in the same sentence.
I will attempt to have you banned if it happens again. ;)
You may be suffering from an irony deficiency.
No, I’m a self proclaimed Exchange bigot who loathes anything bearing the words “Domino,” “IBM,” “Lotus” or “Notes.”
Nice pictures.
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It's been 28 years since that peanut farmer was in office. We will be decades yet cleaning up all the messes he made in every part of the world.
Every part of the world possibly excepting the Antarctic, but I'm not sure of this.
San Diego based carrier Ronald Reagan deployed again to the middle East.
The Nimitz returned here to San Diego several weeks ago.
Today the Kitty Hawk is in San Diego unloading equipment onto the the carrier George Washington here in San Diego.
The GW has been here for a few months being repaired
from the 70 million dollar fire that took place on its way
here.
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