Market seems to like the news...................... DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - The U.S. Navy staged its latest show of military force off the Iranian coastline on Wednesday, sending two aircraft carriers and landing ships packed with 17,000 U.S. Marines and sailors to carry out unannounced exercises in the Persian Gulf. The carrier strike groups led by the USS John C. Stennis and USS Nimitz were joined by the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard and its own strike group, which includes landing ships carrying members of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The Navy said nine U.S. warships passed through the narrow Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday. Merchant ships passing through the busy strait carry two-fifths of the world's oil exports. Aircraft aboard the three carriers and the Bonhomme Richard were to conduct air training while the ships ran submarine, mine and other exercises. The maneuvers came just two months after a previous exercise in March when two U.S. carrier groups carried out two days of air and sea maneuvers off the Iranian coast. Before the arrival of the Bonhomme Richard strike group, the Navy maintained around 20,000 U.S personnel at sea in the Gulf and neighboring waters. U.S. warships have frequently collided with merchant ships in the busy shipping lanes of the Gulf.
Wow, I'm sure the Iranians are shaking in their boots, especially since they know we don't have the money to attack them
The pres. does not need Congressional approval for short term deployment (under 90 days). He does what he (or Cheney) wants anyway. Army is the division where there are not enough troops. US is plenty strong within Navy, Marines, and Airforce.
Considering one of those ships can shove a missle up a camel's ass from 2500 miles away (and pick which camel it wanted to do such act to) I'd be a bit concerned, if I was the Iranians.
I'd be more concerened about North Korea's actual nuke missles...let's deal in reality here We know all the hpye about iran is sheer propaganda. Say, how about we liberate the poor north koreans who live under a brutal dictator who has and threatened WMD? LOL as if. the west is not a charity. We don't liberate, only occupy.