Posted on 06/21/2007 5:16:59 AM PDT by jhpigott
According to DEBKAfile’s military sources, the US naval build-up off the shores of Iran marks rising military tensions in the region, accentuated by last week’s Hamas victory which has endowed Iran with a military foothold on Israel’s southwestern border.
The USS Enterprise CVN 65-Big E Strike Group, the US Navy’s largest air carrier, will join the USS Stennis and the USS Nimitz carriers, building up the largest sea, air, marine concentration the United States has ever deployed opposite Iran. This goes towards making good on the assurances of four carriers US Vice President Dick Cheney offered the Gulf and Middle East nations during his May tour of the region.
The “Big E” leads a strike group consisting of the guided-missile destroyers USS Arleigh Burke DDG 51, USS Stout DDG 55, Forrest Sherman DDG 98 and USS James E. Williams DDG 95, as well as the guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg CG 64, the SS Philadelphia SSN 690 nuclear submarine and the USNS Supply T-AOE 6>
On its decks are the Carrier Air Wing CVW 1, whose pilots fought combat missions in the Gulf and Arabian Sea during 2006. The Air Wing is made up of F/Q-18 Super Hornet strike craft, the Sidewinders Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-86, the 251st Marine Fighter Attack Squadron MFA, and the Electronic Attack Squadron VAQ 137.
The 32nd Sea Control Squadron VS consists of S-3B Vikings. The Airborne Early Warning Squadron VAQ 3 flies E-2C Hawkeye craft. The Fleet Logistics Support Squadron VRC is based on C-2A Greyhounds.
DEBKAfile’s military sources report Washington is considering deploying the fourth US carrier for the region in the Red Sea opposite Saudi Arabian western coast to secure the three US carriers in the Gulf from the rear as well as the Gulf of Aqaba and Suez Canal.
Well the last paragraph in this story tells a lot.
http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=29526
Secured from what?
Debka has been known to scoop a story or 2. However, they have also been dead wrong on many occassions. I just thought this would be worth discussing given the current tensions in the region.
If the big E is indeed making way for the Persian Gulf, I bet a few Ayatollahs will not be sleeping as well
True or not, God bless our brave men and women in uniform.
“That really gets the attention . . .”
I thought it might ;)
in the event a conflict went regional and the Iranians and Syrians forced a severe Israeli response, many other (what we may call “moderate”) Arab nations may feel pressure to join the fray.
Just like in GW1, the fear was Saddam was going to drag Israel into the fight in the hopes of creating some pan-Arabic/Islamic alliance against the U.S. and Israel
I'll second the loss of confidence. I wonder, though, if the threshold requiring a response to Iran in regard to their help with insurgents in Iraq has been crossed? There has been a lot of "activity" lately in the eastern region of Iraq. If you add it all up there have been quite a few sent to meet their virgins near the Iranian border with Iraq. I'm wondering if putting all this firepower in the vicinity of Iran isn't designed to provoke a response from them? Stinky would probably love to fire a few Seersucker missiles at us after claiming we illegally entered Iranian waters.
I'm thinking we might be pitching high inside fastballs in hopes that Iran swings for the fence.....
Call me skeptical, but after reading Bush’s secret dealing with the Muslim Brotherhood, another terror org on Pamela’s Atlas Shrugs, it appears that Pres Bush has pretty much changed his mind to attack Iran. In that interview, it was also revealed that Bush vs Condi promised Iran it would not strike in return for exit from Iraq with Iran’s help. Not sure whats going on behind the scenes, but observing that the Whitehouse supports Abbas, another terrorists, and these secret negotiations, I am actually speechless.
God Speed guys (and gals).
Here’s hoping that iran doesnt have nukes. Even a badly aimed nuke over the gulf would put us in a bad place. Its not a big pond for a lot of carriers to work in.
You are “misunderestimating” the President when it comes to protecting the U.S.
We are a military family. It is extremely painful to hear conservatives undercutting the CIC.
Sorry, I don't buy it. He's many days late and dollars short on this one. Personally, I wouldn't count on him for anything right now.
Here’s hoping that iran doesnt have nukes. Even a badly aimed nuke over the gulf would put us in a bad place. Its not a big pond for a lot of carriers to work in.
They better make their first shot count because I guarantee they will not get a second.
Fine! You are dead wrong!
No doubt the response would be horrific—but the damage would be done and the entire Pacific would be open and vunerable. I always get nervous when a great percentage of our strategic forces are concentrated in a small area.
Length: 1,092 feet (332.85 meters).
Beam: 134 feet (40.84 meters); Flight Deck Width: 252 feet (76.8 meters).
Displacement: Approximately 97,000 tons (87,996.9 metric tons) full load.
Speed: 30+ knots (34.5+ miles per hour).
General Characteristics, Enterprise Class
Length: 1,101 feet 2 inches (335.64 meters).
Beam: 133 feet (39.9 meters); 252 feet (75.6 meters).
Displacement: 89,600 tons ( 81,283.8 metric tons) full load.
Speed: 30+ knots (34.5 miles per hour).
General Characteristics, Kitty Hawk Class
Length: 1062.5 feet (323.8 meters).
Beam: 130 feet (39 meters); Flight Deck Width: 252 feet (76.8 meters).
Displacement: Approx. 80,800 tons (73,300.5 metric tons) full load.
Speed: 30+ knots (34.5+ miles per hour).
Well, I certainly hope that you're right and I am wrong. IMHO, GWB has piddle-diddled with Iran and Syria for too long, beginning with letting that Iranian stooge al Sadr go. As far as protecting us is concerned, people should just look at our southern border and get concerned.
while 3 of our carriers does represent a large concentration of U.S. strategic forces, we still would have upwards of 7+ carriers at our Navy’s disposal.
I like the analogy someone else threw out there. Sending 3 carriers to the region is like throwing a high inside fastball to Iran in the hopes they are going to take a swing for the fence
I get the rest of them, but not this one - can you explain?
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