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NEWSWIRE Could the U.S. Face a Cruise Missile Threat from the Gulf of Mexico?
National Journal ^ | Friday, March 21, 2014 | Diane Barnes

Posted on 03/22/2014 8:40:24 AM PDT by Star Traveler

The United States is puzzling over how to block cruise missiles that theoretically could be launched from the Gulf of Mexico, even after throwing some of its most advanced technologies at the problem.

Russia and Iran have been cited as possible threats that might, at some point, lurk in the waters just off U.S. shores.

A 2013 military exercise pitted systems such as Patriot interceptors, Aegis warships and combat aircraft against potential cruise-missile or short-range ballistic missiles fired from the Gulf. But the drill highlighted a particular vulnerability to cruise missiles lobbed from that region, U.S. Northern Command head Gen. Charles Jacoby indicated in congressional testimony last week.

He said the Pentagon has "some significant challenges" in countering these missiles, but is exploring "some opportunities to use existing systems more effectively to do that." Many detailed results of the Oct. 11 drill conducted near Key West, Fla., remain classified, Jacoby said.

"The cruise-missile threat portion of that we are working on very hard," the general added at the March 13 Senate Armed Service Committee hearing, in response to a question from Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas).


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: russia
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Well ... the Russians are making moves into Latin America.
1 posted on 03/22/2014 8:40:24 AM PDT by Star Traveler
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To: Star Traveler

Russians and islamderthals.


2 posted on 03/22/2014 8:42:09 AM PDT by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: Star Traveler
Story from 2012.

Iranian Missile Engineer Oversees Chavez’s Drones
3 posted on 03/22/2014 8:47:16 AM PDT by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: Star Traveler

So are the Chinese.

China is rapidly gaining power against America.

China has five times America’s population.

China is communist.


4 posted on 03/22/2014 8:49:36 AM PDT by Cringing Negativism Network ( http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html#2013)
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To: Cringing Negativism Network

I shudder to think what our “defense” spending overseas looks like compared to our backyard.

Seems that our defense here consists mostly of spying on us.


5 posted on 03/22/2014 8:59:58 AM PDT by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: cripplecreek

“Seems that our defense here consists mostly of spying on us.”

The best political read of all time is Tomas Lippmann’s “Public Opinion.” He would say the communist sees the same facts but interprets them entirely differently than others. To the liberals now in command of our government the American people, the first amendment and the second amendment are truly the enemy. They are sincere in their beliefs. Even when Islamists or other enemies butcher Americans the liberal leaders see it as payback for all the evils done by America. Our present leaders would look at what we consider good, say, The Marshall Plan, and consider it just another example of using our position to dominate and control others.

To us there is no logic or reason in their actions. To them everything done by America before them was pure imperialism or racism or corporate exploitation.


6 posted on 03/22/2014 9:08:36 AM PDT by Gen.Blather
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To: cripplecreek

I would be their last strike!


7 posted on 03/22/2014 9:09:51 AM PDT by DocJhn
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To: Star Traveler

The Russians apparently had a nuclear attack sub in the Gulf of Mexico in 2012. Unless there was time travel, that event had nothing to do with the current events in the Ukraine.

The gay lesbo pentagon has denied the reports of course.

http://news.usni.org/2012/08/20/pentagon-denies-russian-sub-patrolled-gulf-mexico


8 posted on 03/22/2014 9:15:11 AM PDT by Grampa Dave ( Herr Obama cannot divert resources from his war on Americans!)
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To: Star Traveler

Seems like you could cheaply cover a lot of ground using offshore oil platforms to carry anti missile assets networked into a few central radar systems.


9 posted on 03/22/2014 9:21:04 AM PDT by Axenolith (Government blows, and that which governs least, blows least...)
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To: Cringing Negativism Network

Don’t forget the central motivator too, 200 million guys with no prospect of ever having a girlfriend/wife...


10 posted on 03/22/2014 9:22:21 AM PDT by Axenolith (Government blows, and that which governs least, blows least...)
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To: Cringing Negativism Network

China cannot project their force, beyond ICBMs. China is a threat to S Korea, Japan, and India. They are an indirect threat to us. But that is all they are.

Take a look at their economy. It’s a wreck. They are not picking a fight with us anytime soon.


11 posted on 03/22/2014 9:28:48 AM PDT by Vermont Lt (If you want to keep your dignity, you can keep it. Period........ Just kidding, you can't keep it.)
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To: Vermont Lt

I do look at their economy, that is precisely my point.

For the last 20 years we have been shipping US factories and jobs to China.

China has had a 10% annual growth rate for an entire generation. China now exports more than America exports.

China is huge, and all of it belongs to China. America “owners” only have a minority interest.

China is a threat, and nobody is doing one single thing about it. Not Republicans. Not Democrats. Everyone has bought onto the sell-out of America.

Bring back American manufacturing.


12 posted on 03/22/2014 9:41:22 AM PDT by Cringing Negativism Network ( http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html#2013)
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To: Cringing Negativism Network
China is a threat, and nobody is doing one single thing about it. Not Republicans. Not Democrats. Everyone has bought onto the sell-out of America.

I'm a feared that they're ALL too busy DOING BUSINESS to take the time to discuss and make "put your house in order" decisions. Bring back American manufacturing.

Those jobs would begin to return if we could LOWER tax rates for EVERYBODY.. or BETTER yet.. ABOLISH the IRS.

13 posted on 03/22/2014 9:48:03 AM PDT by VideoDoctor
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To: Cringing Negativism Network
China is a threat, and nobody is doing one single thing about it. Not Republicans. Not Democrats. Everyone has bought onto the sell-out of America.

I'm a feared that they're ALL too busy DOING BUSINESS to take the time to discuss and make "put your house in order" decisions.

Bring back American manufacturing.

Those jobs would begin to return if we could LOWER tax rates for EVERYBODY.. or BETTER yet.. ABOLISH the IRS.

14 posted on 03/22/2014 9:51:22 AM PDT by VideoDoctor
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To: cripplecreek

To wit: National Guard F-16 unit moved. http://www.nationalguard.mil/News/ArticleView/tabid/5563/Article/730/f-16-unit-moves-to-next-chapter-of-distinguished-history.aspx

Who would do such a thing? These imbeciles: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Panel-votes-to-remove-F-16s-from-Ellington-1509969.php

The local word is that the rats specifically killed this Wing because it is Bush’s old outfit. For them, spite trumps all other considerations.

“On the day of September 11th, 2001 when President Bush boarded Air Force One and flew from Florida to Nebraska, the 111th FS flew air cover for his aircraft. This is notable as President Bush was a 111th FS pilot in the 1970s. Shortly after in December of 2001 the 111th FS deployed to Atlantic City, New Jersey and flew Operation Noble Eagle missions over New York City, Philadelphia and Washington DC, once again guarding the President.” (The 111th was a part of the 147th) http://www.f-16.net/units_article42.html

So, the Gulf Coast is unguarded, by direct action of the Usual Suspects, for reasons having little to do with actual defense considerations and everything to do with being spiteful, hate filled weasels. (and I apologize in advance to innocent little furred weasels).

But, you may rest easy. They have replaced the F-16s and their fragile, Republican-voting pilots and staff with Predator drones. I know I feel safer. Don’t you?


15 posted on 03/22/2014 10:19:10 AM PDT by BrewingFrog (I brew, therefore I am!)
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To: Star Traveler

I don’t think a cruise missile is a major threat. I think a EMP attack with crude scud missiles from a launcher in a cargo ship is far worse. Read the novel “One Second After” if you don’t believe me. I’d rather have a nuke land on my head than to go through that scenario.

The Iranian’s have the missiles, launchers, and have been seen off their coastline training for this type of attack. All they need are the warheads.


16 posted on 03/22/2014 10:42:36 AM PDT by RonboTex (Get off my lawn!!!!!!!!)
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To: Cringing Negativism Network

They have empty cities. Their population is aging at an alarming rate. Businesses are failing.

It is a controlled, soon to be bankrupt country. They will have their hands full soon.

Unemployed 25 year old men who cannot find wives is a dangerous place to be.


17 posted on 03/22/2014 10:46:25 AM PDT by Vermont Lt (If you want to keep your dignity, you can keep it. Period........ Just kidding, you can't keep it.)
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To: Cringing Negativism Network

I don’t disagree with you at all, but China has plenty of economic soft spots. I seem to remember that they have little oil/natural gas to feed the machine. Don’t know about coal.

I also remember reading that they don’t have enough raw materials for steel, which is why they search for deals around the world. I think if we got rid of our traitors, and made good choices to turn things back, we could still dominate them economically.


18 posted on 03/22/2014 10:47:06 AM PDT by catbertz
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To: Cringing Negativism Network

Plus, they have been paring their ownership of us treasury bonds. They tend to only buy short term bonds, so the damage they can do by dumping them is significant, but not lethal.

Finally the Chinese are starting to fund factories here. They are building a urban rail car manufacturing plant in MA.


19 posted on 03/22/2014 10:50:20 AM PDT by Vermont Lt (If you want to keep your dignity, you can keep it. Period........ Just kidding, you can't keep it.)
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To: Vermont Lt

I disagree.

China now out-exports America.

China is booming. America sent all of our factories there.


20 posted on 03/22/2014 10:52:25 AM PDT by Cringing Negativism Network ( http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html#2013)
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