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....

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

I wonder where that SCUD shipment we intercepted was really going..

He asks rhetorically...

Israeli intel suggests the actual buyer IS...

(a brief period of bated silence...)

YES!! IT IS SADDAM!!! DING!!!! DING!!!! DING!!!! DING!

[relee]

"I think Jan 2 is too soon for Iraq"

Which would make it better tactically.

When's the State of the Union address?

[Quix]

China also likes to use proxies to

goad, probe, test

potential enemies.

I think they have decided we ARE their enemy--no more potential to it. We are just to something to accept that as fact.

[FBD]

Are you still in Taiwan?

North Korea is a bit closer to home for you, than the rest of us...

[Dog]

Jan 26....or 27 I think....don't quote me..

[Quix]

No small amount of potent data.

Sobering.

Very sobering.

God have mercy on us.

Come quickly, Lord, Jesus.

[relee]

How early does the almost new moon set on the 1st of Jan in Baghdad?

IIRC - The almost new moon rises just before sunrise and sets just before sunset.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Dec 27, 2002 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- If the order to sail is given, the USS George Washington battle group would be sent from the Atlantic fleets, officials said. The George Washington returned from the region on Dec. 20 and is best prepared for action...[snip]...

CONTINUE...

[Mariner]

"very first Marines sent to Arabian Sea 1980"

If I remember correctly, the OTHER ARG was centered on the Tarawa (LHA-1), a ship in the same sea, at the same time.

We shudda finished this crap then.

[IncredibleHulk]

UN inspectors report, due by January 27, is released.

UN report on 1/27, next new moon 2/1 - very good timing. About 3:00 AM when their body functions are at their lowest and their response times are poorest.

[Domestic Church]

" if the President wanted to move against Iraq tomorrow, we'll be ready."

Properly understated.

[ladyjane]

I would not be suprised if President Bush takes action against Iraq before the UN inspectors report, due by January 27, is released.

He might. What if the bad guys have a New Year's surprise planned. It wouldn't really be a surprise. We've been told all along to expect something to happen. Clearly they know more than we do.

[Quix]

THEY REALLY ARE SUICIDAL--at least at various levels including the top one.

They have little comprehension of the real world.

Being convinced from birth that they are the most powerful nation in the world . . . their reality testing is not too good.

Being convinced that dying for their insane leader is the greates thing in the world, their reality testing is not too good.

Critters with nothing to lose--as they are in such an insane society--they are exceedingly dangerous.

[Domestic Church]

"Looks like a conventional move to the south with a nuclear gun pointed at the head of Japan. China needs to step in here"

I expect China to step in on the side of NK.

[Quix]

I was convinced of that when the story first broke without a shred of intel to that effect.

We don't have to be complete idiots all the time do we--

HINT: media--wimps, passivists, commie bed partners etc.

[Quix]

SADLY, no.

I'm in the NW corner of New Mexico helping step-dad take care of my mother who has Alzheimer's.

ALL things considered, I'd rather be in Taipei even if it meant dying there.

I came through Korea on the way back. Two friends from India working there. There's a pugnaciousness evidently, about the Chinese character, culture, zeitgeist. Interesting place.

[richardtavor]

The war will start (just a guess) on Jan. 3, after 1:00 a.m. Iraqi time (or Jan 2, after 4:00 p.m. Central Standard Time.) Next best target date would be Feb. 1st, 5:00 a.m. CST. This is based on the first New Moon in January and February (i.e. total darkness--best time to attack!)

[Quix]

LOTS of people have had dreams and/or visions of NK attacking the U.S. in the earliest days of WWIII with nukes after our attack on Iraq.

I forget if the nukes hit Hawaii or where but NK was evidently the point "man" when it came to massive attacks on all fronts beginning with NK nuke attacks.

I'm curious, what sorts of devastation could NK nukes and missles that would fit in shipping containers do from say Panama?

[Mariner]

"30 knots"

The rest of the Battle Group cannot sustain 30 knots while crossing the Atlantic. With unrep time and rough seas, double your time estimate.........best case.

Additionally, the Suez may not be considered a prudent route during these challenging times and I suspect we'll have to add another 5,000 miles to get around the cape.

Still, it'd be awesome to see the world's finest blue-water navy put 6-8 carrier battle groups on station in 30 days.

Our enemies will shake in fear.

[Dirk McQuickly]

Respectfully disagree. Any snubbing by China in that situation would result in a U.S. move to secure Taiwan. Saving this house of cards would be a neat trick, but China needs our money more than they need the N. Koreans.