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U.S. Navy ships move closer to Lebanon ( 9 ships )
CNN ^

Posted on 02/29/2008 12:29:16 AM PST by maquiladora

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Navy has moved the guided-missile destroyer USS Cole and other ships to the eastern Mediterranean Sea off Lebanon, Pentagon officials said Thursday.

(snip)

The destroyer and two support ships are close to Lebanon but out of visual range of the coast, Pentagon officials said.

Another six vessels, led by the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau, are close to Italy and steaming toward the other three, the officials said.

(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Israel; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: israel; lebanon; mediterraneansea; mugniyah; navy; shipmovement; syria; usn; usscole
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To: Cindy; Lijahsbubbe
Don't need no stinkin' Hezbollah opening a second front.

Meanwhile, it seems Syria has opened backdoor channels to talk to Israel.

yitbos

21 posted on 02/29/2008 1:12:23 AM PST by bruinbirdman ("Those who control language control minds. - Ayn Rand")
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To: bruinbirdman

When you think of Hezbollah and Hamas; think of Iran and Syria.


22 posted on 02/29/2008 1:13:48 AM PST by Cindy
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To: maquiladora

Ok this is actually quite serious. First of all, the Russians have 3 ships to the north at the Syrian port. Its something to consider.

Second, Israel is going to put the hurt on in Gaza.

Clearly, these ships are there as a deterrent to prevent Hezbullah from opening up a second front while Israel mops up Hamas in Gaza. But, Iran may have no choice. We (US, Israel, NATO to a degree) are going to systematically remove Iran’s chips from the ches board.

Israel is going to wipe out Hamas. In return, Iran almost has to activate Hezbullah to open fire. That is when the US will be ready to pound them, or Israel will pound them. If not, then Iran loses Hamas and is left only with Hezbullah, who will get pounded later.

The wildcard is Russia. But if we (or Israel) are on the road to attack Iran in the next year or two or 3, we/they need to remove Hamas and Hezbullah first so that they cannot open up new fronts in the war against Islamic terrorists and their supporters.


23 posted on 02/29/2008 1:29:01 AM PST by monkeyshine
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To: Lijahsbubbe

See my post above. Israel is on the move. I think our ships are there just as a deterrent but could come under fire from Hezbullah. In 2006 they fired a silkworm missile at an Israeli ship. Seems our ships may get into harms way if Hezbullah is activated when Israel enters Gaza, which it is almost likely to do. Iran/Hamas are goading them into doing it. Gotta act now while Israel is still strongest and before Hamas gets any more fortifications and advanced weaponry. Israel, nor the US, wants Hamas to get as weaponized as Hezbullah and Fatah wants them dead too.


24 posted on 02/29/2008 1:31:45 AM PST by monkeyshine
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To: monkeyshine
Russians have 3 ships to the north at the Syrian port

Do you have a source for that?

25 posted on 02/29/2008 1:39:53 AM PST by maquiladora
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To: monkeyshine
"before Hamas gets any more fortifications and advanced weaponry."

Or more Al-Qaida who came through the Gaza/Egyptian border breech recently.

AQ infiltrates to Gaza, poof, largest rocket attack on Israel.

yitbos

26 posted on 02/29/2008 1:41:38 AM PST by bruinbirdman ("Those who control language control minds." - Ayn Rand)
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To: maquiladora

AS usual Nutjawb and his terrorist cronies get very very silent right now, lots of terrorists walking around with umbrellas and hiding in basements of schools as usual.


27 posted on 02/29/2008 1:42:19 AM PST by Eye of Unk
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To: Lijahsbubbe; maquiladora; Cindy; Rummenigge; bruinbirdman

Some of you probably know bits and pieces of what’s going on. But the more amenable Arab nations have been trying to talk Syria into compromising on the Lebanese presidential stand-off. Some buildup of military positions sponsored by Syria and Iran has also been noted.


28 posted on 02/29/2008 1:44:19 AM PST by familyop (cbt. engr. (cbt), '89-'96)
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To: familyop
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — Hezbollah on Friday rejected the deployment of U.S. warships off Lebanon, calling it a threat to the country that will not affect the militant group.

"We are facing an American threat against Lebanon," Hezbollah legislator Hassan Fadlallah said. "It is clear this threat and intimidation will not affect us."

29 posted on 02/29/2008 1:46:27 AM PST by maquiladora
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To: maquiladora

“Russia recently decided to reestablish its naval presence in the region at Tartus, Syria. In recent months, Syria has begun renovations at the port to facilitate the docking of large Russian Navy ships.”

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1202064573279&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

I’ll dig for more sources...

Actually from what I can find, I may have been mistaken - the 1 ship appear to have gone listing off to sea... I’ll search more later.


30 posted on 02/29/2008 1:46:54 AM PST by monkeyshine
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To: familyop

Thank you familyop for the ping and post.


31 posted on 02/29/2008 1:47:57 AM PST by Cindy
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To: bruinbirdman

You are right about that. Israel is going into Gaza that much seems sure. What will hezbullah do? It appears the US fleet is there to encourage them to do nothing.


32 posted on 02/29/2008 1:48:48 AM PST by monkeyshine
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To: maquiladora

whoa!


33 posted on 02/29/2008 1:52:31 AM PST by txhurl
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To: monkeyshine
I don't think this type of naval deployment is there to deter just Hezbollah. Israel has more than enough military power and of the right type to target and handle Hezbollah.

I think this is to deter Syria and/or Iran.

34 posted on 02/29/2008 1:55:34 AM PST by maquiladora
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To: familyop

Hizballah continued building up its units in South Lebanon since the last round with Israel, BTW. Also, after the recent assassination of Imad Mughniyah (who was behind the bombing of our Marines in ‘83 in Lebanon), Syrian leaders and other Hizballah elements have issued threats.

IMO, the Navy movement is intended to be a demonstration without fire for the purpose of stability in Lebanon. The group will probably be there for at least a whole tour—maybe longer.


35 posted on 02/29/2008 1:55:42 AM PST by familyop (cbt. engr. (cbt), '89-'96)
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To: maquiladora
There's some strange things about the deployment too.

What's strange about it?

36 posted on 02/29/2008 1:57:20 AM PST by GOPJ (Do the editors of the L.A. Times realize that illegal immigration is, you know, illegal? Patterico)
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To: Cindy
You're welcome. I put a little more in comment #35 and forgot to copy that to you all. ...will try to find a link or two.


37 posted on 02/29/2008 1:57:42 AM PST by familyop (cbt. engr. (cbt), '89-'96)
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To: maquiladora
Perhaps they are there in case of another evacuation of U.S. Citizens like back in 2006 . . . .

Not that I would know anything about such situations.

38 posted on 02/29/2008 2:03:43 AM PST by rebel_yell2
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To: Army Air Corps; Dog; jeffers; shield; G8 Diplomat

ping


39 posted on 02/29/2008 2:04:07 AM PST by txhurl
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To: maquiladora

Let’s hope the Cole get’s the first shot.


40 posted on 02/29/2008 2:09:50 AM PST by Westlander (Unleash the Neutron Bomb)
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