Navy Sends Show Of Force To Mediterranean

Three Warships Headed For Region As Tension Grows Between Syria And U.S. Ally Lebanon

(CBS/AP)  The U.S. Navy is sending at least three ships, including at least one amphibious assault ship, to the eastern Mediterranean Sea in a show of strength during a period of tensions with Syria and political uncertainty in Lebanon.

Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Thursday the deployment should not be viewed as threatening or in response to events in any single country in the volatile region.

"We did not request any warships from any party," U.S.-backed Prime Minister Fuad Saniora said, hours after the U.S. military announced it was sending ships off Lebanon.

He insisted the U.S. ships would cruise off the coast, not in Lebanese territorial waters.

Saniora, who has been accused by the opposition of following U.S. policy, spoke in front of Arab diplomats at government headquarters in Beirut after his Hezbollah opponents denounced the deployment.

"This is an area that is important to us, the eastern Med," he said when asked about news reports of the ship movements. "It's a group of ships that will operate in the vicinity there for a while," adding that "it isn't meant to send any stronger signals than that. But it does signal that we're engaged, we're going to be in the vicinity, and that's a very, very important part of the world."

Another military officer, speaking on condition of anonymity because full details about the ship movements are not yet public, said a Navy guided missile destroyer, the USS Cole, was headed for patrol in the eastern Mediterranean and that it is accompanied by two refueling ships. The Cole is equipped to engage in a variety of offensive actions, including anti-aircraft and land attack missions.

Another group led by the USS Nassau, an amphibious warship, is headed in that direction on a normally scheduled deployment and some or all six ships in the Nassau group might operate in the eastern Mediterranean also, the official said.

The officer said a third ship would go later, but he did not identify it by type or name.

A Navy news release said the Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group entered the 6th Fleet's operational area on Monday. Besides the Nassau, the group included a guided missile cruiser, two guided missile destroyers and two other amphibious warfare ships. The amphibious warfare ships can carry thousands of U.S. Marines.

The U.S. 6th Fleet, whose area of operations includes the entire Mediterranean, is based at Naples, Italy.

The decision to send the ships appeared to be a not-too-subtle show of U.S. force in the region as international frustration mounts over a long political deadlock in tiny, weak Lebanon. The United States blames Syria for the impasse, saying Syria has never given up its ambitions to control its smaller neighbor.

The presidential election in Lebanon has been delayed 15 times. Just this week the date was pushed back to March 11.

Several senior Lebanese officials have been assassinated during the past year, with anti-Syrian officials blaming Hezbollah - the militant Islamic organization based in Syria which the U.S. and most allied countries have long-considered a terrorist group.

Hezbollah has for years been a potent political force in Lebanon and Syria, with members of the legislatures in both countries. Its popularity and clout were increased by the stalemate war fought between its militants in Lebanon and the Israeli military in the summer of 2006.

Friday, Hezbollah rejected the deployment of the U.S. warships off Lebanon, calling it a threat to the country that will not affect the militant group.

"We are facing an American threat against Lebanon," Hezbollah legislator Hassan Fadlallah said. "It is clear this threat and intimidation will not affect us," he said on local television.

The group is believed to be linked to Muslim militants who attacked U.S. forces and diplomats in Lebanon in 1983-84 during the Lebanese civil war, killing about 270.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to visit the Middle East next week.

Michel Aoun, a major opposition leader to the U.S.-backed government in Beirut, said the ship movements looked like a calculated show of force by the United States.

"There is no need for it," Aoun was quoted as saying by the Al-Manar television of his Hezbollah allies.

Other Arab countries appear to be becoming involved in the Lebanese impasse.

Syria is to host an Arab summit in Damascus in late March, and pro-U.S. Arab states such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt reportedly are threatening to boycott if no president is elected in Lebanon by then. This could be a tactic by the Saudis and Egyptians to force Syrian concessions in Lebanon to save the summit. The Syrians so far have said the summit will go ahead as planned, regardless of who refuses to attend.

Mustafa Alloush, a member of the Lebanese Parliament from the U.S.-backed majority, told the majority's Future television that neither the government nor the anti-Syrian majority had any links to the dispatching of the Cole.

"But we remind what caused the situation to bring the American equation into the arena," he said, blaming Syria indirectly for inviting such American intervention. "It (the deployment) could be aimed directly at Syria or a declaration by the United States of America that it could be part of this equation that could develop if conditions remain the way they are," Alloush said.

Mullen was asked whether the deployment of the ships was linked to the timing of the Lebanese election.

"To say it's absolutely directly tied would be incorrect, but we are certainly aware that elections out there are both important, and they are due at some point in time," he replied.

And when asked whether Syria is the reason for the deployment, he said, "It's not specifically sent to any one country, as much as it is to the region itself."

The Cole was rebuilt after being almost sunk in a terror attack in Aden, Yemen, in October 2000. It was recommissioned in April 2002 and went on its first post-attack deployment in November 2003.

National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said the deployment of the Cole is meant as "a show of support for regional stability." He added that President Bush is concerned about the situation in Lebanon.

The Cole is sailing to the region from Malta.

[wolf563]

sweetreeeed :IT is time to go home . The mother ship wants thier IDIOT back on board .Have a nice trip .LOL

[guadalcanal3]

To denn034: How can the Navy do anything when they are "docked"??? (reminds me of Pearl Harbor) The slogan of the U.S.Navy is: "To go in harms way"...GO NAVY!

[denn034]

Extra ships in the region makes sense but, they should be docked in a European country not cruising along Lebanon and making a bad situation worse. Such reasoning is questionable to say the least.

[jwind11]

What''''s the big deal with Bush sending a battle group over there now. They''''re over there all the time!

It''''s just more Bushit horsehockey to make you wet your pants over nothing!

Posted by RowdyTexan2 at 01:47 PM : Feb 29, 2008

tell that to your wackjob buddy mcvet...he went nuts with this one

[caliengineer]

Huckabee is by far the best candidate. Everyone I know, when I show them his credentials, his accomplishments and his platform, they all become supporters of Gov. Huckabee.

[fuzzybear9]

Hello Scaredy Cats

`` All we are saying
Is give Nukes a Chance.

Hold Hands Everyone.

All we are saying
Is give Nukes a Chance.
All we are saying
Is give Nukes a Chance.

Come on Sister and Brother.

All we are saying
Is give Nukes a Chance.
All we are saying
Is give Nukes a Chance.

``


Sincerely waiting for the Big One Bear
Fuzzy

[newsjunky5]

"We should have our military out of sight and mind when pursuing political and diplomatic resolutions for our conflicts."
--------------------------
We should. But diplomatic resolutions require compromise, often brilliant plans, and seasoned diplomats to make them. All these things were replaced by the Commandier in Chief.

[newsjunky5]

demslie spews: "The Christian Sector is almost 80% Catholic, the people that Democrats hate most in the world."

JFK was a Catholic. I''m pretty sure his brother Bobby was. Ted Kennedy probably is too. **** They''re Everywhere!!! (I''m OK with that)

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by demslie at 01:37 PM : Feb 29, 2008

You are full of krap. Who''s upset. We keep a battle group at all times in the Med...this is not news! My son toured the Middle East coast as a tourist twice during his 9 years of service.

What''s the big deal with Bush sending a battle group over there now. They''re over there all the time!

It''s just more Bushit horsehockey to make you wet your pants over nothing!

[pensacola88]

The "Show of Force" is totally ridiculous and self-defeating. We practically fall into the trap set by our adversaries and display targets for them to hit.

This isn''t the Cold War any more. Those days and those ways are long gone.

We should have our military out of sight and mind when pursuing political and diplomatic resolutions for our conflicts.

No country will ever trust us if we keep exhibiting "Show or Force" during a process of diplomatic conflict resolution.

We are supposed to be a bigger and better country than that!

[demslie]

I can see that Democrats hate the American Military as much as any terrorist group. Democrats are screaming at the prospect of an American Ship sitting 15 miles off the coast of Lebanon. Our evil American Military strikes again. The only people who are mad about it are Syria, IRAN, Al Qaeda and Democrats. They all collectively have the same America Hating Agenda. Syria planned and carried out the assassination of the Prime Minister. IRAN trained and financed Hezbollah in its war with Lebanon and Israel and IRAN financed Al Qaeda so they could Homicide Bomb everything Lebanon just like they do in IRAQ. Democrats support all of them with Anti-American speech like %u201CThe War is Lost%u201D and %u201CThe War is illegal%u201D all designed specifically to motivate the Terrorists and kill Americans. You would never hear a Democrat or a Democrat Controlled News outlet mention that the only peaceful part of Lebanon, where tourists can go, is the "Christian Sector". Nope, while Bush fights a war on terror, Democrats fight a war on Christianity right here at home. And even worse, The Christian Sector is almost 80% Catholic, the people that Democrats hate most in the world. And Democrats, lead by Saddam Hussein OBAMA promise us a "New Change for America".

[fuzzybear9]

Hello Excited Viewers

I really hope we don''t miss the night launches of the scuds. It looks so cool when they go whizzing off the deck in the dark. and to have the night aglow with
bombs bursting above Damascus !
If they could just have waited till the fourth.
anyway hopefully it won''t be another dud no show.

Sincerely I like big ships even if I never been on one Bear
Fuzzy

[newsjunky5]

Sorry enlightenu, I meant to add to my last post that he WAS denouncing it as you said, by his deeds.

[gunnerv1]

clestes- and the entire list is either left of center or so far left, it''s almost right. Iright both sides as much as poss., but I don''t have all day to do it. I do have to work sometime, millions on welfare depend on me.

[newsjunky5]

Enlightenu notes: "No one has denounced the Constitution more than he."

No, he said we are a nation of laws. He wasn''t denouncing, he was lying.

[talkingham]

cats1 you''ve posted your usual moronic charges of anyone who says anything u don''t like is a traitor. don''t you realize that the Ruskies and Red China send our ships movements observed probably using our own satellites to anyone who pays them to do so. By the time we hear of it on CBS News it''s old news to anyone who''s really interested moron.

let''s put another 50 million Americans in jail if you''re willing to pay for it or their executions right? because they''re all traitors who oppose these wars of adventure and economic intrigue that everyone from the "founding fathers'' to President Ike saw coming when you let a moron, "ex" alcholic with a political agenda axe to grind drive our military in to the ground just like every comapny he ever ran or car he ever drove for that matter.

[gunnerv1]

avoice-It dosen''t matter if the grammer was poor or the spelling is incorrect-YOU GOT THE POINT!

[jennasmith2]

The U.S. 6th Fleet, whose area of operations includes the entire Mediterranean, is based at Naples, Italy.


My brother is stationed in Naples.
Kick-butt bro!!!

[newsjunky5]

ilikecats1 -
The "unofficial" announcement that the USS Cole is going with two refueling ships may not be so important. I don''t think you can hide ship movements, although I guess you don''t know where they are going before they get there.
Also, mentioning "two refueling ships" allays fears of a repeat attack on the Cole. It was docked for refueling when it was hit the first time, a very vulnerable position, because the enemy can get close.

[newsjunky5]

The story here is that it has been released as a news story. We always have ships stationed there. Announcing this deployment serves multiple purposes.

1)It is a warning/threat (your call) against Iran. This week, things have been "heating up" in the UN over their nuclear program. Bush has been pushing for a new UN resolution against them. It was UN resolutions, in part, that Bush (mis)used to go to Iraq.

2)They are telling us, and showing a photo, of a carrier. They could fly a mission off that carrier, and the aviators may fight their way through AAA and SAMs bravely (and they are). No matter what the mission is, as long as the naval aviators are showcased, it would be a great big plug for McCain, who was one.

So I guess he is using federal money in his campaign, after all.