The USS George Washington is heading to Gulf within 96 Hours.

Fox News | 12/27/02

[Sparta]

The USS George Washington has been put on the alert and told to prepare to deploy within 96 hours to the Persian Gulf. Developing....

[Wright is right!]

"There are others on this thread that know better than I, but I was always under the understanding that a turn-around on a carrier group was at minimum 30 days."

Depends upon what they need to do with her while in port. A really dedicated port crew can do some inspired things when given the orders. By the time she sails, she will have been in port for 2 weeks, and you can do a lot in 2 weeks if you HAVE to do a lot in 2 weeks.

Normally, you might do some repairs, but if all you've got is 2 weeks, you merely REPLACE. You re-stock. You load sensitive gear that you don't want to ship separately into the theater. And you give your finely-tuned crew two weeks of holidays with their families. 30 knots for 24/7 and you're back in theater in a week before the opening scene of the feature even begins.

These home port crews take tremendous pride in being able to do the impossible without breaking a sweat.

Michael

[Go Gordon]

Yes. Just returned right before Christmas.

Wonder how long it takes to load a few nukes on board?

[johnny7]

The Ohio would plaster them good. Nothing puts the fear of God in you like one of those shells.

In any case, GW has to take this as problem #1. NK makes Iraq look like the French.

Strike them now... because they got the juice to hit us.

[Mo1]

That said, the situation in NK seems to warrant an Israeli-like air strike to take out the operable nuclear sites and not an all-out military action. Iraq didn't respond in 1981 and I doubt NK will today.

The difference is that Iraq's I believe wasn't up and running yet .. if we do the same in NK, there could be a lot of fall out .. besides we would piss off alot of folks

However, push come to shove, the US will do what it has to do to protect our interests

[Dog]

I hate to take that chance....we bomb that reactor ....the whole NK army will come pouring over that border IMHO...

Kim is just flat out nuts...

[crystalk]

Read all about it in Ezekiel 38 and 39. The crazed ruler [called there "Gog"="Bear"]...of the thumb-shaped peninsula in the northeast extremity of Asia called "Magog"="Dog," =shaped like dog's hind leg

is addressed by God and told that he would be summoned, whether he wanted to or not, to lead a coalition of evil Asian and African powers against the people of God at Jerusalem in the last days.

Rabbis often said in Talmud that the last generation on earth would have a Dog's face [euphemism for Orientals], and you know what nation it is that is famous for eating Dogs on a large scale. Or anthing else in the filth dept that doesn't bite them first...

[Quix]

I really hope you are right.

I believe you'd be right if the President could decide it on his own. I'm skeptical he can. I think he has the courage and insightfulness to decide to take such clearly required actions. I'm skeptical the rest of the government and country do.

And I'm very skeptical the puppet masters behind the scenes will allow it until THEY decide the time is right for WWIII.

I sure pray I'm wrong.

[Amelia]

That said, the situation in NK seems to warrant an Israeli-like air strike to take out the operable nuclear sites and not an all-out military action. Iraq didn't respond in 1981 and I doubt NK will today.

NK has an insane leader, and Seoul is within artillery distance of NK.

Do you know how many people live in Seoul? Do you know how many U.S. military people (and their families) live in Seoul?

[judicial meanz]

The NK's have 22 old Russian Whiskey class submarines, and 4 Romeos. Those are old boats, but they could torpedo a carrier IF they could slip through the screen.

You hit on a good point though. The NK and Chinese have been trying to learn for years how to sink one of our carriers, and invest heavily in the weapons to do it with. They believe Americans would lose the will to fight if we lost a carrier. This the shipwreck and silkworm missiles, 200mph torpedos and wolfpack techniques they practice.

The good news: we know it. We have plenty of things to make them miserable trying to do it too.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

I don't see a military scenario against NK where we DON'T take out the reactor(s). That would be a repeat of the Gulf War where we left the cancer in place.

[Trueblackman]

I remember those days Flt Deck Scrub down!!! The life of a ABH.

[Robe]

They are ALWAYS on board... although the US doesn't admit that.

[Amelia]

Wondering if our government will start sending the military and diplomatic families home from Seoul.....

[AppyPappy]

Those are old boats, but they could torpedo a carrier

If they could somehow get hold of some cloaking devices from the Klingons.

[Dog]

I agree.

We have take it out....talk about a bad hand.

This is lose-lose...we take out the reactor .....he invades the South...we do nothing....he builds more nukes and threatens Japan and Asia and US.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

I understand the geography and population distribution of the region. Any military action against NK demands excellent INTELLIGENCE including locations of missile silos, command and control, etc. -- otherwise Seoul is in the eye of the tiger.

I'm not proposing military action against NK, just commenting on possible scenarios ...

[Mo1]

Wondering if our government will start sending the military and diplomatic families home from Seoul.....

They may be considering it .. all depends on what exactly is going on behind the scenes

I'm sure they are looking at ALL options at this point

[hchutch]

And we have to do so in a fashion that tells Kim Jong-Il that resistance to us is futile.

[Domestic Church]

"One positive byproduct of this situation is that it may force the U.S. to throw off the yoke of the U.N."

That would seem to be expedient at this point unless we can use them as a disinformation foil.

[Mr. Lucky]

During Gulf War I, the 16 inch batteries on BB's had no trouble hitting specific motor vehicles. The Wisconsin particularly could be made ready for service almost immediately.

The problem with would be the same as with any weapon newly put into service: training. Few sailors would be presently in service have battleship experience.