[willjones4]

Uh oh, is this what I think it is? Strike Group

[ReserveGrowthRulz]

I hope so! I need the opportunity to try out my new Mini-14 against SOMETHING...and masses of homeless people and war wracked Post Peak American citizens is better than potshotting squirrels in the backyard!

[Zardoz]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Crock Of Shit Story', 'T')uesday, the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group heads out to support the War on Terrorism.

[KhanCEO]

I also hear they are good at blowing up innocent people while claiming pinpoint accuracy.

[SoothSayer]

>> I need the opportunity to try out my new Mini-14 against SOMETHING...and masses of homeless people and war wracked Post Peak American citizens is better than potshotting squirrels in the backyard!

For a moment there I thought that I was reading a PolestaR post ...

"Let's kill everyone, then shoot the bodies, and then eat their brains and dance in the entrails"

[BrazilianPO]

That is it, US is taking off its gloves. Iran will be toast before year's end, and TSWHTF very soon. . That wil be the third aircraft carrier group in the region. More than enough to start a consistent bombing campaign.

[benzoil]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('BrazilianPO', 'T')hat is it, US is taking off its gloves. Iran will be toast before year's end, and TSWHTF very soon. . That wil be the third aircraft carrier group in the region. More than enough to start a consistent bombing campaign.

[Zardoz]

Maybe this is why Smilin' Mahmoud wrote that kiss-and-make-up letter to Dubya. Maybe he's starting to realize he's dealing with somebody who's as big an asshole as he is.

[MacG]

We have had this discussion before, and here is another guy who have some extremely relevant input:

U Sank My Carrier!

http://www.exile.ru/2002-December-11/war_nerd.html

Generals and admirals have made huuuge mistakes previously, and might do it again.

[Dreamtwister]

My admittedly hasty calculations shows 2700 troops coming home, and 7500 troops being deployed. For a net gain of 4800 troops.

So much for reducing troop levels.

3 carrier groups in the Gulf? How many are in the South Pacific?

This makes me nervous. Very nervous.

[RonMN]

The USS Ronald Reagan is already in the general area...That is one mother of a carrier!

USS Ronald Reagan Supporting Iraq

[DarkDawg]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he USS Ronald Reagan is already in the general area...That is one mother of a carrier!

[MacG]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('RonMN', 'T')he USS Ronald Reagan is already in the general area...That is one mother of a carrier!

USS Ronald Reagan Supporting Iraq

[benzoil]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MacG', '
')Perfect. Just what you need to fight ragtag bands of insurgents with RPG's and IED's. [/irony]

[thedoge]

USS Ronald Reagan was "killed" by the swedish hi-tech submarine HMS Gotland in a wargame in the Pacific ocean. After the "kill" she (HMS Gotland) managed to escape.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Gotland_%28Gtd%29

[jdmartin]

As a 1st Gulf War era Navy sailor, I would caution you not to read too much into this. There were plenty of us going to the Gulf before Saddam took over Kuwait, and plenty going after it was all well over and done with. Anyone who is in the military right now can describe their role as "supporting the war on terror", because everything you do contributes to the overall mission (whatever that may be).

[benzoil]

I believe it is SOP for the Navy to have the replacement battlegroup onsite before the current one departs. Makes sense. Thus, this is not really a mobilization or anything out of the ordinary.

On the other hand, if you *wanted* to do something the perfect time to do it would be when you have that bonus carrier group around. I don't expect them to do anything different than what the Reagan is doing now.

Here's my pet theory: Best intelligence indicates that Iran is 3+ years away from getting a bomb. This makes it the next administration's problem.

[Specop_007]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('thedoge', 'U')SS Ronald Reagan was "killed" by the swedish hi-tech submarine HMS Gotland in a wargame in the Pacific ocean. After the "kill" she (HMS Gotland) managed to escape.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Gotland_%28Gtd%29

[RonMN]

Benzoil...under "normal" circumstances i would agree with you on the "leave it for the next guy in office" routine...

But the Bush administration has NEVER done that...Bush keeps taking the heat & continues to stand firm. From the "axis of evil" comments...to the iran issue right now today...Bush continues to ignore NOTHING (unlike Mr. "Not In My Term of Office" Clinton).

While i agree there are plenty of topics to knock/critisize Bush...this is one topic that you can't. I have never seen Bush pull a NIMTO (even to the detriment of his public standings) and i doubt i ever will.

[benzoil]

Standing firm on what? That the invasion of Iraq was a good idea? That "signing statements" are as important as the Constitution? That the President is above the law? I think this administration is standing firm because not acknowledging a mistake as a mistake turns out to be a good survival strategy.

Sorry Ron. We'll have to agree to disagree on this. I try not to let politics interfere with my P.O. outlook, because I think both parties are on the wrong track about it. Let me exit rant mode...

I don't see a military solution with Iran that involves a whole carrier air group. In fact, I don't know that I see a military solution by the U.S. I'll bet the Israelis do something about it before we do. They have more to lose and can do it with less repercussions than the U.S. They already did it once to Iraq.

Were the U.S. to do something it would unhinge the situation in Iraq, allowing overt Iran aid or worse. It would affect the price of oil adversely and it would probably screw up whatever relations we had with other Islamic nations. (Note: Iran is Persian, not Arab. That might change things a smidge, but I'm not an expert).

My armchair analysis would be that nothing big (read: no ground troops or extended bombing) will happen until after November. Perhaps because of the election, but more because we'd be seeing significant mobilizations right now.

On the other hand, I've been wrong before.