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Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Suez Canal ships update
2010-06-20
Posted by:tipper

#5  ION CNN + FOX NEWS > Although the USDOD hasn't made a final decision about sending the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON to the YELLOW SEA = SEA OF JAPAN, most of the NEWS PERTS believe the USDOD will eventually decide to send the GW or other CVN BG.

NUCLEARIZING IRAN + RADIC ISLAM will likely be content iff KIMMIE UNILATER SENDS A CHINESE-MADE TLCM OR IRBM AGZ THE USS "GW" or other HIGH-VALUE US-ROK, OR USFJ MILBASES [Yokusuka, Sasebo] BECUZ IT WILL KEEP THE US PRE-OCCUPIED WID A POTENTIAL CHINA + RUSS GEOPOL CONFRONTATION ON THE KOREAN DMZ, i.e. THE FAR SIDE OF ASIA AWAY FROM IRAN + ME???
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2010-06-20 20:05  

#4  Barb, While my experience is history ( like early-90's) when we went thru the Suez on a CV, not only were there ground troops lining both sides, but we had 2 F-14's on the cats, manned and engines turning, ready to launch if a threat was detected. and also some H-3 helicopters with various configurations of Marines for quick response. I also think ( never confirmed) that other CV's ( not in the canal) had airborne assets in place to provide another layer of defense.
[As an aside, being a metalsmith I often wondered what sort of additional load the catapult lauch gear on the Tomcats would see without having the benefit of any sort of wind-assisted lift ( hard to turn into the wind in a closet).]
Posted by: USN, Ret.   2010-06-20 19:46  

#3  Our ships ALWAYS transit the Suez on the way to the gulf. There is absolutely nothing unusual or strange or different about this deployment. In fact, having gone back in the archives and noticed this:

http://hamptonroads.com/2010/01/carrier-eisenhower-leaves-sixmonth-deployment

I am convinced that this is simply Ike's relief and some paper somewhere is beating the drum to make it sound more ominous.


Carrier Eisenhower leaves for six-month deployment
(six months is up!)

By Kathy Adams
The Virginian-Pilot
© January 3, 2010

NORFOLK

Despite freezing temperatures, several thousand sailors with the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower received a warm send-off Saturday morning as they departed for a six-month tour at sea.


That was in January ... fast forward 6 months and you come to July. It is almost early July. It is time for Ike to come home.

Move along, nothing to see.
Posted by: crosspatch   2010-06-20 16:17  

#2  Ok, I'll ask a stupid question.

What the hell are our ships doing going through the Suez Canal?

Strikes me they're sitting ducks there. I wouldn't trust Egyptian or any other foreign troops to protect them.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2010-06-20 16:11  

#1  Eisenhower relieved Nimitz after 4 months in the region. Eisenhower has been there since January. This is probably Ike's relief.

Posted by: crosspatch   2010-06-20 16:08  

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