Article

2012-07-11 Caribbean-Latin America

Reagan planned to loan Brits the USS Iwo Jima

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Posted by Steve White 2012-07-11 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views ] Top

#1 Should things take a turn, owing to his obvious distate for Bangers and Mash anything British, and of course out of fairness, the Champ will probably give the Argies CVN 76, the USS Ronald Reagan. The classic Obama, twofold stick in the eye.

Posted by Besoeker 2012-07-11 02:24|| 2012-07-11 02:24|| Front Page Top

#2 'We would leave the State Department, except for [Secretary of State Al] Haig, out of it.

Now that's showing some real sense.

Posted by AlanC 2012-07-11 08:54|| 2012-07-11 08:54|| Front Page Top

#3 State Department, an unregistered foreign lobbyist.

The Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) was enacted in 1938. FARA is a disclosure statute that requires persons acting as agents of foreign principals in a political or quasi-political capacity to make periodic public disclosure of their relationship with the foreign principal, as well as activities, receipts and disbursements in support of those activities. Disclosure of the required information facilitates evaluation by the government and the American people of the statements and activities of such persons in light of their function as foreign agents.

Posted by Procopius2k 2012-07-11 09:46|| 2012-07-11 09:46|| Front Page Top

#4 Possibly the same thing will happen with the PI.
'Loan' them aging vessels to get them out of DoD inventory as a operational cost reduction, then charge the PI for upgrades, which will be paid for thru State Dept. aid programs.

Simple double entry bookkeeping.

Posted by Skidmark 2012-07-11 12:02|| 2012-07-11 12:02|| Front Page Top

#5 Not a bad thought but the PI needs, more than even the ships or planes, the training to handle same. I don't doubt the intelligence or bravery of the average Filipino solider or sailor, but one doesn't create a modern military overnight.

Posted by Steve White 2012-07-11 12:51|| 2012-07-11 12:51|| Front Page Top

#6 Takes alot to run a carrier. The Iwo Jima was close to what the Brits had at the time. If the Argies got the Reagan they probably couldn't get it out of port without a full american crew.

Posted by rjschwarz 2012-07-11 14:43|| 2012-07-11 14:43|| Front Page Top

#7 Not saying that would slow the President's decision making process an iota. Just saying.

Posted by rjschwarz 2012-07-11 14:44|| 2012-07-11 14:44|| Front Page Top

#8 dad reminded me about the first warship the US gave Taiwan. Before their navy could secure it mobs stole all the brass and copper out of it. The PI today is in even worse shape. Perhaps ultra-lights would be a better gift?

Posted by Water Modem 2012-07-11 15:34|| 2012-07-11 15:34|| Front Page Top

#9 "Mr Reagan would have loaned Britain the use of the amphibious warship USS Iwo Jima should harm have come to either HMS Invincible or HMS Hermes, which the Royal Navy had deployed to defend the islands from Argentinian forces."

So ... if the British had lost just one of these ships - they had no backup? None??

Posted by Raider 2012-07-11 16:34|| 2012-07-11 16:34|| Front Page Top

#10 Raider, yes. They really took a chance. Which is why when the Gnrl Belgrano was in the sites they took the shot despite it being outside the UKs declared exclusion zone.

Plan b was probably (this is a guess) to land Harriers on the Falklands and attack more directly than intended to secure a runway there to bring in aviation fuel.

Posted by Rjschwarz 2012-07-11 16:58|| 2012-07-11 16:58|| Front Page Top

#11 There were plans to convert merchant ships to sort-of carriers, but they were just that- plans.

As it was, there were enough issues dealing with the few merchants that were requistioned.

Posted by Pappy 2012-07-11 18:39|| 2012-07-11 18:39|| Front Page Top

#12 Raider, they had backup.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/nov/22/books.france

Military operations are about risk management while pursuing the intended goal. Did the British send one carrier? No, they sent two. Did they make a deal with the U.S. to get a third if needed? Yes. Did they send one nuke submarine south? No, they sent a bunch. Could they at any time nuke everyone? Yes.

The Argentinians were fools to fight. They were doomed to lose. And the better they fought the more horrible the forces would have been to crush them. Thank God for the perfidy of the French, which may have saved the lives of millions.

Posted by rammer 2012-07-11 19:56|| 2012-07-11 19:56|| Front Page Top

#13 IIRC the ATLANTIC CONVEYOR was converted to carry a couple of RN Harriers - what in WW2 were labeled as "Merchant Aircraft Carriers" for the air, anti-sub defense or support of organz Allied convoys in the ATO.

Once it became clear that a shooting war between the UK + Argies was inevitable, the US' priority became making sure NATO principal UK emerged victorious ASAP, albeit at minimal losses AMAP to the Argies, due to the then-Soviet threat [ Western Europe + Afghanistan + Africa]. This made an active USN Carrier [wid non-USN Crews] paramount, NOT a MARAD RR/IFR vessel.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2012-07-11 20:23|| 2012-07-11 20:23|| Front Page Top

23:04 JosephMendiola
23:03 JosephMendiola
22:39 USN, Ret.
22:14 Barbara
22:12 Barbara
22:10 tu3031
21:58 Nimble Spemble
21:58 Thing From Snowy Mountain
21:47 tu3031
21:46 Redneck Jim
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20:48 Frank G
20:42 JosephMendiola
20:34 rammer
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20:23 JosephMendiola
20:23 rammer
20:03 Barbara
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19:52 rex havoc
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19:20 Secret Asian Man