[dennisw]

The terrorists in Iraq have shown how effective the RPG can be against our vehicles and men. There are lots of Chinese and Russian missiles that can waste our aircraft carriers in one or two blows. This photo shows good force projection and shows off our ships airplanes and technology but ....

And as far as anti ship missiles I haven't even included ones with nukes. A small nuke that decimates some of our ships out in a vast ocean, away from populations, will not be viewed with same world wide hysteria-agitation as a nuke deployed on land targets

[zarf]

You read my mind. As impressive as all this weaponry is, I still have my doubts about these types of naval forces when the battle is between countries with advanced weaponry. In terms of force projection for conflicts in which we are unopposed...cool. BUT

I truly believe that a salvo of cruise missiles or longer range types will decimate a conventional naval force.

I see what the tenacious pilots of Argentina were able to do to the Brits in the Falklands and it should make us think before oohing and ahhing.

[RinaseaofDs]

"A small nuke that decimates some of our ships out in a vast ocean, away from populations, will not be viewed with same world wide hysteria-agitation as a nuke deployed on land targets"

Are you quite SURE about that? I think anyone, anywhere using a nuclear weapon is going to find few that would advocate its use under almost any circumstances.

I can tell you that even some of the kooks on the left will finally get the picture if a NUKE wipes out a carrier with 5000 men and women on board.

If we fail to respond with overwhelming force to something like that, we deserve to lose.