U.S. Aircraft Carrier Enters Gulf Without Incident

[Purveyor]

By David Alexander

WASHINGTON | Sun Jan 22, 2012 6:07pm EST

(Reuters) - A U.S. aircraft carrier sailed through the Strait of Hormuz and into the Gulf without incident on Sunday, a day after Iran backed away from an earlier threat to take action if an American carrier returned to the strategic waterway.

The carrier USS Abraham Lincoln completed a "regular and routine" passage through the strait, a critical gateway for the region's oil exports, "as previously scheduled and without incident," said Lieutenant Rebecca Rebarich, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Fifth Fleet.

The Lincoln, accompanied by strike group of warships, was the first U.S. aircraft carrier to enter the Gulf since late December and was on a routine rotation to replace the outgoing USS John C. Stennis.

The departure of the Stennis prompted Iranian army chief Ataollah Salehi to threaten action if the carrier passed back into the Gulf.

MORE...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/22/us-iran-usa-carrier-idUSTRE80L0YH20120122

[WCGreen]

1. They would have to be insane to attack the US....

It's one thing for terrorists to attack and let the chips fall where they may, it's a big difference for a country to openly challenge another...

[denbot]

2. Back in the day, we would keep our carriers out of the gulf.

I was in the Navy in the late 70's - early 80's. The carriers would stay in open waters to minimize vulnerability of an attack. If they are running carriers in and out of the gulf, they don't believe that an attack is probable

[SadPanda]

12. They've been running carriers in and out of the gulf since the first Gulf War....

Hundreds of deployments at this point.

[humblebum]

31. The defensive systems are so much more advanced today for carriers

than back in the 70's and 80's. Much more protection now, but still vulnerable if caught off guard.

[Angleae]

32. They generally still do.

They're usually in the Arabian Sea. I suspect they're issuing a suble challenge to Iran with this move, something to the effect of "We go where we want, when we want.".

[seeviewonder]

3. My brother-in-law is on that ship.

I hope everything will be OK.

[bananas]

4. China gave Iran a stern warning, and Iran backed down

"China Leader Warns Iran Not to Make Nuclear Arms"
"He also explicitly warned Iran not to close the Strait of Hormuz"

See http://democraticunderground.com/101431110

and reply #24 http://democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=31215

"Iran's Revolutionary
Guard Corps said on Saturday it considered the
likely return of U.S. warships to the Gulf part of
routine activity, backing away from previous
warnings to Washington not to re- enter ..."

[seeviewonder]

30. Sort of makes me wonder

how much China and Iran are in bed together...

[msanthrope]

13. I wish him a safe tour. nt

[pangaia]

5. Regular and routine..??

Suppose the Chinese navy made a regular and routing passage between,say, Cuba and Florida. And what if the Chinese navy had a "strike group of warships" stationed there. What would happen? What would we do? I rather think 'we' would not take kindly to it.

[Posteritatis]

7. Such things happened routinely over the last half-century and yet nothing came of it. (nt)

[Ash_F]

34. I guess it would be kind of like the Cuban missile crisis.

The US threatened war there too. Can't have double standards. We do not need our war machine sailing all over the globe 24/7 in the first place.

[Blacksheep214]

6. It's not the ships you see!

It's the boats you don't!


Sailors know what I mean!

[Remmah2]

9. Two types of ships!

Submarines and targets.

[Blacksheep214]

10. Submarines are called boats.

Targets are called sunk!

[Diclotican]

17. Blacksheep214

Blacksheep214

I have not been in the Navy, but I do understand what you mean.. And I guess under the current sircumstances the US have at least a couple of SSN in the Golf region, ready to make some noice if nessesary.. Not to say spy on Iranian assets in the region... The US SSN have a lot of posibilites with their "tool" to take a reall discent look at whatever Iran have in their arsenal, when it came to whatever could float..

Diclotican

[Blacksheep214]

19. We've even got porpoises equipped to recon

and maybe even kamakaze.

Being an older Marine I would get ragged on by the Navy if I made some simple mistakes like calling a sub a ship.

Navy humor, go figure!

Now I need a head call. Then look for some pogey bait in the whisky locker.

[Diclotican]

20. Blacksheep214

Blacksheep214

Heeh, wel it is easy to make mistakes I guess - and get hammered on it when posible

Please go do the head call, that is important business so to speak

Diclotican

[BadtotheboneBob]

29. Yes, there are two kinds of ships...

Submarines and targets...

[jimlup]

8. Iran does act like a little dog...

Lots of threats but they can't back them up.

They are crazy and sometimes act irrationally but they are not stupid.

[Diclotican]

16. jimlup

jimlup

A small dog barks alot, and in 99 percent of the time dosen't back them up with anything.. But 1 percent of the time even a small dog can back up what he bark, and bite.. And suprise everybody..

But, the same can't be saying for a country I guess.. And in the game of shess I guess USA won the battle this time, as Iran was in no shape to attac the aircraft carrier... They are smart enough to understand that a attac on a aircraft carrier would be the end of the Islamic Republic of Iran.. And the current regime, so they was smart backing down..

And also, PRC was rather clear in their objections to making a mess in the Hormus..

Diclotican

[Ghost Dog]

25. Yes. PRC is now

the No. 1 player in this and many other fields, it appears.

[Doc Holliday]

27. Hmmmm.....

"They are crazy and sometimes act irrationally but they are not stupid."

Sounds a lot like my ex-wife and ex-in-laws.

Seriously.

Iran-- the Chihuahua of weltpolitik.

[hector garcia rivera]

11. I hope not

I hope not to start a new war,can be a neuclar.

[msanthrope]

14. Welcome to DU! I have no idea what 'neuclar' war is, but sounds series!!!111!!!

[gateley]

15. They don't have nuclear weapons, so I think the world is safe

for now.

Welcome to DU!

[TheMadMonk]

18. Why on Earth would they block entry?

Blocking exit (and a good chance at fleet decimation) is much more effective in the event of overt agression against Iran.

Iran is highly unlikely to be an agressor, but it is well and truly positioned to REACT with devastating effect if poked hard enough.

[Ghost Dog]

26. The posture is entirely defensive, of course.

Iran's, I mean, not that that should require any clarification here.

[TheMadMonk]

33. No matter how provocative. Iran is not stupid.

Nor excessively suicidal.

However, if threatened with obliteration, it will get defensive with extreme predjudice.

You might note, someone is doing their damnedest to provoke Iran into making a "rash" move. Killing off nuclear scientists, introducing computer viruses to nuclear facilities, destroying infrastructure.

[ellisonz]

21. So much for Iranian tough talk...

[Blacksheep214]

22. Yeah!

Like N. Korea, launch your junk or STFU!

They know much of their stuff is broken potemkin toys so they will never play a deuces over treys full boat

We're holding THEIR dead mans hand.

[legin]

23. This carrier group is probably as big as the entire Iranian navy

Average carrier group = 9 -15 ships

http://science.howstuffworks.com/carrier-group2.htm

Iranian navy =
28,000 personnel
65 aircraft
5 Frigates
3 Corvettes
26 Submarines
24 Fast Attack Craft
98 Large Patrol craft
+100 light missile boat
16 Hovercraft

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Republic_of_Iran_Navy

[legin]

24. picture of carrier group

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrier_battle_group

[Hugabear]

28. EMPIRE!