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Obama Withdraws Aircraft Carrier Support From Middle East Just As Russia Unveils Its Syrian Airbase

Tyler Durden's picture




 

One glance at the map below, showing the current distribution of U.S. naval assets, reveals something that has almost never happened at any time in the past decade:

 

As the map shows, US aircraft carrier, CVN 71 Theodore Roosevelt is currently on its way out of the Persian Gulf, leaving just the LHD-2 Essex Amphibious Warfare ship group to defend the Persian Gulf and more importantly, leaving the hotly contested middle east without U.S. carrier-based air support for the first time in years.


How did this happen?

According to USNI News, the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group left U.S. 5th Fleet on Tuesday with no public timeline for when its replacement will reach the Middle East to continue U.S. air strikes against Islamic State in Iraq in Syria (ISIS) targets. While the CVN 71 The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is slated to be the next CSG bound for the Middle East, but the Navy would not specify a deployment time other than later this year, a service official told USNI News on Tuesday.

“We’re not going to talk to future operations,” the official said.

That said, the redeployment of the Roosevelt is not a surprise: two months ago the CNN Pentagon correspondent warned that this was coming:

The U.S. Navy will not be able to keep an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf for much of the fall season, according to a Navy official.  The official said that's because the Navy has to schedule needed maintenance after years of extended deployments and because of reduced spending due to mandatory budget cuts.

 

While there have been so-called "carrier gaps" in the Persian Gulf before, this one will leave the Navy without the presence of a high-profile aircraft carrier just as a proposed nuclear deal with Iran is at center stage. It also comes as Iranian naval forces have conducted low-level harassment of U.S. and other shipping in the region.

 

U.S. military officials insisted that there would be no impact on U.S. operations in the gulf because the Air Force can briefly send additional, land-based aircraft to the region if needed. Airstrikes against ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria are also largely undertaken by the Air Force. The Navy accounts for only about 20% of the ISIS strike missions.

Whatever the reason, the Roosevelt is out of there, and the ship is now said to be bound for its new homeport at Naval Station San Diego, Calif.

While in 5th Fleet, the Roosevelt CSG was the largest symbol in the U.S.-led anti-ISIS collation responsible for "1,812 combat sorties totaling 10,618 combat flight hours, taking on 14.5 million gallons of jet fuel and expending 1,085 precision-guided munitions," as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, according to a Tuesday statement from the service.

Which probably does not explain why in over a year, the US did less damage to ISIS then the Russian airforce has achieved in less than a month.

As for the reason why suddenly the Persian Gulf has an unprecedented US carrier support gap in the middle east - one which could last for two months or well longer - it is because the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, which is slated to be the next CSG bound for the Middle East, has been delayed and the Navy would not specify a deployment time other than later this year, a service official told USNI News on Tuesday.

Earlier this month the Truman CSG completed its Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), the complex training exercise that certifies the strike group for deployment.Previous CSG and three-ship Amphibious Ready Group deployments were often extended to meet the demand of U.S. geographic combatant commanders (COCOMs) at the expense of maintenance setbacks and crew fatigue.

Furthermore, this may be just the beginning of key US naval "gaps" across critical geographic regions:

As the Navy continues to implement stricter deployment tenants, more gaps in Middle East carrier presence may emerge, several service leaders told USNI News in September. Last month Rear Adm. Jeffrey Harley, assistant deputy chief of naval operations for operations, plans and strategy (OPNAV N3/5B) told the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) that it would take a directive from the Secretary of Defense to the Navy to extend the deployment of a carrier to longer than seven months.

 

While extending a carrier is always an option, another option would be “to reduce our global input as to what we can provide [to the combatant commanders] for a designated period of time, and mitigate that presence, that carrier presence, in some other way using our joint partners, using joint aircraft to cover a gap in time in which we may not have a carrier present,” Harley told the panel.

Whatever the future of US naval "gaps" may be, one thing is clear: the departure of the Roosevelt comes at a particularly awkward time - just as Russia is setting up its own aicraft base in Syria.

As we reported yesterday, "The start of Russian airstrikes in Syria has given new hope to loyalist forces in their battle against a host of rebel factions, including the Islamic State. Now Russia may expand these operations into Iraq if requested to do so by Baghdad. Indeed, from its position in Latakia, Russia has the range to strike Islamic State targets in Iraq, although further deployment of resources may be required to do so effectively."

More importanly, Russia can now also reach the all important global "choke point" of the Suez Canal within minutes, not to mention Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Baghdad, and - if propertly equppped - Bahrain, the headquarters of the U.S. Fifth fleet.

In conclusion ,we take one final look at the map up top, and ask if on its way back to San Diego the Roosevelt will be the ship that Obama uses to send China a message as he has threatened to do, by sailing around the contested islands in the South China Sea, a move which China has warned twice it will be forced to retaliate against. Recall that yesterday China's Global Times said that should Obama carry this out, it would be a "breach of China's bottom line".

"If the US encroaches on China's core interests, the Chinese military will stand up and use force to stop it," the paper warned.

In light of this upcoming showdown, one hopes that the USS Rosevelt won't be known in history as the second coming of the USS Maddox.

 

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Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:35 | 6675500 Bumpo
Bumpo's picture

Maybe he doesn't want the embarrassment of having it sunk

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:38 | 6675513 Deathrips
Deathrips's picture

He tucks reggies balls in his mouth and runs...good. Bring all troops home defend the borders.

 

RIPS

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:43 | 6675522 quintago
quintago's picture

This is all smoke and mirrors. We were not caught off-guard, and knew exactly what Russia was going to do. It was obvious as soon as both the US and Germany pulled out Patriot missiles and other SAM assets out of Turkey weeks before Russia announced they were going in. Just look at the excuses they used to pull the assets out and you knew what was coming.

 

http://www.todayonline.com/world/after-delicate-negotiations-us-says-it-...

 

 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:43 | 6675538 Deathrips
Deathrips's picture

" All right troops, pack it up. Operation freedum was a sucess. You didnt win that."

 

 

RIPS

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:49 | 6675559 Money Counterfeiter
Money Counterfeiter's picture

Bait.  Doubt if Russia bites.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:54 | 6675571 knukles
knukles's picture

Ain't like none of this shit planned is it?
Regardless of my economic, political and social views, this guy couldn't do a better job of fucking up Western Culture.
Allah Ackbar!

Fill disclosure... Methinks all US troopies should be brought back home, but what the fuck do I know?
The Swiss do very well for themselves just minding their very own business.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:58 | 6675594 FreeMoney
FreeMoney's picture

Now we should withdraw all the rest of troops, ships, and foreign aid.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:08 | 6675641 Deathrips
Deathrips's picture

"Forward, to defend the white house from homeland extremists! National Security!!"

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:13 | 6675664 Four chan
Four chan's picture

obama "fuck it"

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:23 | 6675724 Ignatius
Ignatius's picture

Aircraft carriers are launching platforms to beat the fuck out of countries who can't fight back.  In the missile age they're dinosaurs.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:35 | 6675774 Tom Servo
Tom Servo's picture

Is this the group that is going to roll through the "contested" waters in the Spratley islands?

 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 14:02 | 6675887 The Limerick King
The Limerick King's picture

 

 

An ode to the South China Sea /  And Events that could start World War 3 /  The Roosevelt group /  On Spratly may snoop /  The group may end up as debris
Fri, 10/16/2015 - 14:27 | 6676039 Bastiat
Bastiat's picture

Obama has more flexibility in his second term.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 15:45 | 6676478 macholatte
macholatte's picture

 

Fundamental Transformation

Change You Better Believe In.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 15:33 | 6676386 Tall Tom
Tall Tom's picture

Carrier Groups cost MONEY

There is NO BUDGET AGREEMENT.

There are NO FUNDS THAT WILL BE BORROWED as there is NO AGREEMENT.

 

The forecast is that the US Government runs out of cash in less than FOUR WEEKS.

 

If you had bothered to take a really good look at that map...MOST TASK GROUPS are in their HOME PORTS presently.

 

The US Government is RUNNING OUT OF MONEY.

 

That is what this IS ABOUT. It is nothing more than that.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 15:37 | 6676423 Overfed
Overfed's picture

Do not worry. The Fed will be happy to loan them more.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 17:42 | 6677057 Tall Tom
Tall Tom's picture

They cannot borrow MOAR unless there is legislation which allows for it.

 

I am not too worried about that...at all.

 

Got Gold?

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 17:35 | 6677033 carlnpa
carlnpa's picture

TT Possibly.

Another thought might be that the naval "assets" and their leadership may not be fully onboard with a planned future "event".

I see this as reigning in possible resistance to that "event".

Too many boats in port right now.

Just leaves the boomers out there.

 

Sat, 10/17/2015 - 06:22 | 6678627 newbie vampire
newbie vampire's picture

"The US Government is RUNNING OUT OF MONEY."

Hmmm..... that being the case, perhaps King Obammy should pick another time WHEN he's got the funds to pick a fight with the Chicoms.

Sat, 10/17/2015 - 04:08 | 6678482 researchfix
researchfix's picture

Makes sense to send a carrier there, which is up to big maintenance. Could save some money if it´s lost.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:24 | 6675727 JRobby
JRobby's picture

There are many intricacies in setting up a false flag event. Sometimes months in advance. Sometimes weeks.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:33 | 6675767 toady
toady's picture

...to defend the Persian Gulf ...

...to attack the Persian Gulf ...

FIFY

why keep attacking them when the Russians are spending their money to attack them? save a buck (or a trillion)

Sat, 10/17/2015 - 06:26 | 6678632 newbie vampire
newbie vampire's picture

"why keep attacking them when the Russians are spending their money to attack them? save a buck (or a trillion)"

Yeah, thats all well and good.  But who's gonna be protecting our CIA assets ?   Dem throat-slitters are shaving off their beards and runnin for dem fookin hills.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:16 | 6675685 Muddy1
Muddy1's picture

"Tell Vlad that after the election I'll be able to work more closely with him."

 

HeyVlad,

This is Barry.  The Middle East is all yours.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:52 | 6675857 DanDaley
DanDaley's picture

Exactly. Remember how Obama was seen reading The Post-American World upon his first selection...well, he's getting his wish.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 14:19 | 6675997 waterwitch
waterwitch's picture

If you like your pipeline, you can keep your pipeline.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 14:04 | 6675915 slammin_dude
slammin_dude's picture

Ya especially for fucking israel....Trillions of dollar$ and free shit, israel is our true FSA....

Sat, 10/17/2015 - 07:33 | 6678695 338
338's picture

 

slammin,

 

I guess your not looking for the isreal first vote when you run for the house of thieves???

 

USS Liberty

all I ever needed to know about allies in the middle east.

 

 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:35 | 6675765 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

Knuks, anyone including me, thats been watching the carrier rotation get strectched beyond

its limits, knew this was coming.I'm sure the Russians did.

Shit breaks, or wears out fast, on a carrier.You have to tear the bitch apart to replace those things..

Penny wise, dollar foolish writ large.Instead of keeping eight operational at all times, four looks

more likely in a couple of years.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:39 | 6675787 El Vaquero
El Vaquero's picture

In my expected lifetime, I'd say there will be a day that zero are operating. 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:44 | 6675816 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

Next year is the 100 year anniversary for operational carriers,.longer than battleships lasted,

and just as much an anocrinism now,

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:47 | 6675832 El Vaquero
El Vaquero's picture

However, pungi sticks and similar things are still effective.  They played a role in wearing the US out and they played a role in defeating the Mongols. 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 14:20 | 6676000 monk27
monk27's picture

... longer than battleships lasted...

That's only because they haven't been tested in any real battle for the last 50 years. If I remember properly, the true end of the battleship was the sinking of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse in 1941, after a quick engagement by the Japanese planes. That's when the Brits realized that their naval military "investments" of 20 years, didn't pay off...

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 14:35 | 6676084 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

Close, but no banana. That was the final nail.

5 months before Pearl Harbor, RN carrier aircraft sank  the Italian fleet in its home port,

in full wartime conditions, not a 'surprise" attack.The battleship died then, but admirals were slow

to realize it.Various sub and mini sub attacks into 'submare proof' harbors followed.

The flag quarters on pigboats don't befit the lifestyle admirals wish to lead.

Wars are lost for less.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 15:09 | 6676240 TheObsoleteMan
TheObsoleteMan's picture

Battleships armed  with large bore guns as their main armaments is obsolete. But replace those turrets  with missile cell launchers and now you have quite a different animal. As for carriers, they are still effective, just not in the configuration that the USN has them in. You don't have a dozen or so "super" carriers, you have forty "jeep" carriers like the USN had in WW2. There will be a high attrition rate, that is why it is better to have many. And because of their smaller size, they will have a much smaller sonar signature. Super carriers are great as long as your opponent doesn't have a modern navy, something the USN hasn't had to face since 1945. As for your Italian Navy mention, what did you expect from a country that had it's hands full with such a backward country as Ethiopia? They had beautiful ships. The last place they belonged was holed up in port during wartime. Italians are for loving, not fighting!

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 15:46 | 6676485 monk27
monk27's picture

That would work only if your "jeep" carrier will end up being cheaper to build than 50 high speed missiles intended to kill it. Somehow, I doubt that the price between the two will ever get close...

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 21:36 | 6677783 Abbie Normal
Abbie Normal's picture

That's when the Brits realized that their naval military "investments" of 20 years, didn't pay off...

Then they must have forgotten that lesson during the Falklands war.  A $100,000 Exocet missile takes out a $100,000,000 destroyer, both borne of NATO countries.

Sat, 10/17/2015 - 00:17 | 6678237 monk27
monk27's picture

A country with a half decent military would have had sunk at least half the British ships in Falkland. You won't believe how many Argentinian bombs hit their intended target without exploding...

http://www.naval-history.net/F62brshipslost.htm

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 23:52 | 6678177 HardAssets
HardAssets's picture

Isn't it amazing that the carrier named after a gas bag warmonger who helped put the US on the road of imperialim, is high tailing it out of there ? Yes, that was Teddy Roosevelt.

Sat, 10/17/2015 - 00:46 | 6678289 daveO
daveO's picture

Yea, there's more to the story. Provoking China probably up next.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:13 | 6675657 Renewable Life
Renewable Life's picture

Interesting how all the Naval air and Marine assets are coming back home, just in time for what major announcement or development????

I wonder??

All I do know is this, the debt math doesn't add up, the dollar is no longer the Sole WRC, and 2/3's of this Country is unemployed or under employed and living day to day with no savings (and armed to the teeth)

The short term horizon in America doesn't look good to put it mildly!!

I'd be getting those billion dollar toys back close to home if I where in charge of this socialist oligarchy too!

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 21:30 | 6677760 jcdenton
jcdenton's picture

all the Naval air and Marine assets are coming back home

 

 

Who is the new CJCS? And only the second of his branch at that post?

Me thinks, we are beginning to see practice of the [Smedley] Butler Doctrine ..

Have you read War is a Racket?

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:47 | 6675549 LawsofPhysics
LawsofPhysics's picture

Correct, the global oligarchs do like to put on one hell of a show though.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 16:06 | 6676618 roccman
roccman's picture

Yup

More global 2 step.

All on the same side. All of them.

No-one knows the names of the true power brokers. Only their slaves.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 23:51 | 6678178 Motasaurus
Motasaurus's picture

Are you suggesting that the Red Shield family is working for someone else?

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:49 | 6675558 Perimetr
Perimetr's picture

Maybe it might not be so bad to cut the defense budget and start rebuilding our infrastructure?

They can have the Middle East as far as I'm concerned.  After all, we have already destroyed much of it.

Plus maybe it's not a bad idea to avoid a direct military confronation wtih Russia that could lead to, you know, nuclear war?

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:14 | 6675673 Socratic Dog
Socratic Dog's picture

As for the oil, there's not a lot you can do with an excess, outside of selling it.  We'd get it a helluva lot cheaper if we did bail out of the ME, when you add in the costs of the empire.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 15:01 | 6676222 Jack Burton
Jack Burton's picture

Excellent catch! I missed that one totally.

Sat, 10/17/2015 - 01:00 | 6678312 daveO
daveO's picture

A statement issued by the US Embassy in Ankara from the American and Turkish governments said the Patriots would be sent back to the United States for "critical modernisation upgrades".

Reminds me of the Aegis jamming rumors about the Roosevelt.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:46 | 6675533 CheapBastard
CheapBastard's picture

He's too busy detroying the mdidle class at home, making illegals comfortable in the "Safe Zones" and inviting thugs over "for a beer" to be bothered with trifles like world politics.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:04 | 6675621 _ConanTheLibert...
_ConanTheLibertarian_'s picture

You forgot his main activity. Something with a ball and a club.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:18 | 6675693 sandman.s
sandman.s's picture

What, sucking dick?

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 14:45 | 6676131 Anonymous User
Anonymous User's picture

Exactly !

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:41 | 6675524 BullyBearish
BullyBearish's picture

Good...get all US assets out of the M.E.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:08 | 6675644 Badsamm
Badsamm's picture

You're missing the fine print. We are going to build our own artifical island in the Spratlys with it.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:18 | 6675690 invest3
invest3's picture

Looks like Zero's kicking the military support out from under the petrodollar.  Mission accomplished.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 15:38 | 6676114 Paveway IV
Paveway IV's picture

The DoD, Congress and Fox News contain many dangerous chickenhawks. They may start acting erratically without a flat-top in the Gulf and become a danger to you and your family.

I've prepared a brief list of tips should you or your country encounter one (works for crackheads, too):

 

1. Don't ever lend a chickenhawk money. Ever.

2. Don't believe anything a chickenhawks says, even if they present satellite imagery and YouTube videos.

3. Don't leave valuables around the house or anywhere in your republic when a chickenhawk is present.

4. Don't believe your national security is the reason they are a chickenhawk - it's not your fault, you are the victim of their disease.

5. Don't call your congressman or representative to make excuses for the chickenhawk (they could be one, too!)

6. Don't dismiss chickenhawk behavior as mere neo-conservatism. It is a serious mental disease - treat it like one.

7. Don't give them access to any vehicle, riding lawn mower, Uber or other mode of transportation. These are enablers.

8. Don't buy arms shipments for a known chickenhawk no matter how strongly they warn you of imminent attacks on your nation.

9. Don't allow anything but direct deposit to a defense budget account they cannot access. Never give them spending authority.

10. Don't be afraid to SAY chickenhawk. They must accept what they are and others must be made aware.

11. Don't pay for any bills, rent, food, ammunition, arms-dealer debts, animal tranquilizer bills - NOTHING!

12. Don't be afraid to confront their chickenhawk behavior with facts, surveillance footage and reliable satellite imagery. 

13. Don't allow a chickenhawk free rent if you choose to let them live with you. Never give them their own key to your house.

14. Don't protect a chickenhawk from the consequences of their violent imperialism or armed interventions. 

15. Don't offer anything more than the U.S. Constitution or "rehab" if you truly want them to get better.

16. Don't back them if they head off to another foreign country to force regime-change. Pray for their safe return.  

17. Don't be afraid to call the Russians or Chinese for help. You can't do it on your own - it's bigger than any one of us.

18. Don't accept their secrecy, black sites or covert ops - these are chickenhawk enablers and only makes their problem worse. 

19. Don't be inconsistent - tell them to "Calm the fuck down, nobody is planning to attack us" as many times as it takes.

20. Don't focus on perfection - focus on progress. Three days without a carrier in the Gulf? Let's try for four.

21. Don't expect immediate 100% acceptance. They WANT to attack some defenseless nation - it's their nature.

22. Don't believe ANYTHING said from a chickenhawk whose mired themselves in a foreign war and is begging to get out gracefully. 

23. Don't be afraid to piss off a chickenhawk. They perceive calmness as weakness and will undermine your republic.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 21:19 | 6677715 StychoKiller
StychoKiller's picture

LOL!  Thanks, saved away for reference! :>D

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:35 | 6675501 This is it
This is it's picture

Pussy

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:50 | 6675560 Hippocratic Oaf
Hippocratic Oaf's picture

Not only is prezzie a pussy, anything he says is a lie and you can bank on the alternative.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:58 | 6675601 MansaMusa
MansaMusa's picture

Why is Obama a puzzy?  Because we're not engaging Russia?  Because we're leaving the Middle East tinderbox to explode amongst the willing participants?   You sound stupid, go read another financial graph and get lost. 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:04 | 6675622 Hippocratic Oaf
Hippocratic Oaf's picture

'Leading from behind' is a good start.

Shall I continue?

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:09 | 6675650 This is it
This is it's picture

Pussy

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:28 | 6675744 El Vaquero
El Vaquero's picture

Because he meddles in affairs that are none of our business then stamps his feet like a petulant child when he doesn't get his way.  If we ever wound up in a full blown, total war ala WWII, he would be shit as a CIC. 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:36 | 6675777 fockewulf190
fockewulf190's picture

Although not nearly as powerful as a CVN, the USS Essex does have a ground attack capability with its complement of AV8B Harrier jump jets and Cobra attack helicopters.  Combined with the US Air Force operating out of Turkey, ISIS is far from safe from air attack.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 14:26 | 6676036 FreeMoney
FreeMoney's picture

Isis has been completey safe from an attack by the USA.  Why ever would we attach our own creation?

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:16 | 6675681 Ms No
Ms No's picture

You guys are underestimating him he is a spectacular psychopath puppet who has the worlds largest military at his disposal, he could pull something really stupid at any moment.  In order to keep the red team/ blue team meme intact it would be convenient if they could hold off the war until after the election but as facades are falling quickly they may no longer give a shit about public perception.  He does not make any of these decisions.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:37 | 6675508 wisebastard
wisebastard's picture

send a Russia canoe out there and they will be hauling ass back to the homeland to put on their high heels and let their women run for office

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:39 | 6675517 stant
stant's picture

Maybe it's because we are broke.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:57 | 6675589 monk27
monk27's picture

Bingo ! We have a winner. That, and the possibility of getting it hit by some "stray" Iranian missiles of Russian origin, as result of the latest military coordination between the two countries. Apart from "Top Gun" kind of movies, flat tops are hugely overrated, and they look more like a liability than an asset. This ain't WWII anymore...

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:08 | 6675639 _ConanTheLibert...
_ConanTheLibertarian_'s picture

Can you really be broke when you issue your own currency in a Keynesian world?

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:14 | 6675675 El Vaquero
El Vaquero's picture

When that currency goes to its intrinsic value, yes, we will be dead-ass broke. 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:45 | 6675823 monk27
monk27's picture

Yes, you can ! Plenty of examples if you care to search for them...

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:39 | 6675518 dot.dot
dot.dot's picture

Probably a good thing.  Leaving naval support just gives Odummy another tool to make thing worse (for Americans) in Syria.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:39 | 6675520 Wile-E-Coyote
Wile-E-Coyote's picture

Where's it headed China?

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:39 | 6675521 Teh Finn
Teh Finn's picture

The reasons behind the rare gap in carrier deployments are complicated but at the simplest level boil down to two things: maintenance and money.

But that Rus narrative...

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:13 | 6675666 Bay of Pigs
Bay of Pigs's picture

Horseshit. Keep drinking the Kool Aid though.

Just another BS story designed to scare people and funnel even more money into the defense budget which is gargantuan by any measure you want to use.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:31 | 6675755 sdmjake
sdmjake's picture

Indeed--While reading that article I found myself check on 3 different occassions to make sure it wasn't sourced from "The Onion'. (I'm still not so sure)

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 15:07 | 6676252 Oldrepublic
Oldrepublic's picture

Time to update the old saying: you can never be too rich or too thin, or spend enough money on defense

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:41 | 6675523 Salsa Verde
Salsa Verde's picture

Its not a retreat; its an advance to the rear.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:45 | 6675540 WOAR
WOAR's picture

The only place Obama knows how to advance!

You can take that any way you like. I know he does!

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:46 | 6675548 CheapBastard
CheapBastard's picture

Reggie's watching carefully.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:59 | 6675604 Salsa Verde
Salsa Verde's picture

*DOUBLE rimshot*

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:42 | 6675525 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

 Heading to the South China Sea?

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:42 | 6675527 dot.dot
dot.dot's picture

This is what the decline of an empire looks like.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:45 | 6675544 LawsofPhysics
LawsofPhysics's picture

Yes, the Soviets went through this in the 80's and 90's.  Must be 'merica's turn.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:52 | 6675577 depression
depression's picture

We had a good run there, but clearly it's over. That must have been some meeting between Obama and Putin. Kerry sent to Israel to give them the bad news in person.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:06 | 6675630 El Vaquero
El Vaquero's picture

Yet, we're strong and will prevail if you listen to the government.  That is something that has played out over and over thoughout history.  "We're strong and winning!" will be the chant until either the barbarians are at our doorstep, or until we are economically unable to wage war.  Then it will be a shock to people who believed the unbelievable bullshit that they were fed. 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:17 | 6675686 Salsa Verde
Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:45 | 6675542 roadhazard
Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:51 | 6675575 Dr. Engali
Dr. Engali's picture

"The US Navy would neither confirm nor deny that carriers were en route." 

 

 

If you actually read that article you will see it's pure speculation.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:00 | 6675606 Rock On Roger
Rock On Roger's picture

This is the last paragraph from the linked article;

"Iran has offered them economic and industrial sweeteners, while the US is boosting their defense capabilities. US President George W. Bush and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have paid visits to the GCC states in a bid to win their support."

 

You gotta wonder which decade the article was written.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 23:34 | 6678130 opport.knocks
opport.knocks's picture

It's how they distinguish between the readers and the ranters. You are in the minority ;-)

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:05 | 6675584 Bay of Pigs
Bay of Pigs's picture

That article makes no sense at all.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 23:36 | 6678138 opport.knocks
opport.knocks's picture

Who cares, it's all about pages views and ad clicks.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:45 | 6675545 Bay of Pigs
Bay of Pigs's picture

"The official said that's because the Navy has to schedule needed maintenance after years of extended deployments and because of reduced spending due to mandatory budget cuts."

Budget cuts? LOL...anyone believe that bullshit?

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:51 | 6675570 Collapsed_Elast...
Collapsed_Elastic_Pants's picture

Absolutely. Driving halfway around the world and then back for maintenance is a great way to save a few bucks.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:01 | 6675615 Never One Roach
Never One Roach's picture

How do you expect MIC to function if you don't pork barrel billions? MIC's gotta eat too.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:51 | 6675576 Teh Finn
Teh Finn's picture

So why in the world are we cutting defense spending?

And not by small amounts. The U.S. military—which is smaller today than it was on September 9, 2001—has had to contend with cuts amounting to more than $180 billion over the last four years. And there’s no relief in sight.

In fact, President Obama is preparing to veto a bipartisan bill that would increase the national defense budget by 6 percent. And all because he’s upset that it wouldn’t increase non-defense spending by the same amount.

 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:58 | 6675596 Relentless
Relentless's picture

NSA is getting all the money to increase its domestic spying capabilities

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:02 | 6675617 Bay of Pigs
Bay of Pigs's picture

Give it a rest. Over half of US spending. I guess $600B doesn't go as far as it used to.

"In fiscal year 2015, military spending is projected to account for 54 percent of all federal discretionary spending, a total of $598.5 billion. Military spending includes: all regular activities of the Department of Defense; war spendingnuclear weapons spendinginternational military assistance; and other Pentagon-related spending."

https://www.nationalpriorities.org/campaigns/military-spending-united-st...

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 15:18 | 6676309 Oldrepublic
Oldrepublic's picture

Actual US military spending could very well run over 1 trillion dollars per year if everything was included

TomDispatch ran this story 3 years ago

http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/266-32/11575-americans-pay-1-tri...

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:47 | 6675551 Dr. Engali
Dr. Engali's picture

They can use any excuse they want, but this is just another sign of a collapsing empire.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:57 | 6675593 Relentless
Relentless's picture

Lack of money is the death of all imperial forces. Up next barbarian mercenary limitanei aka those US trained Afghan and Iraqi troops

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:09 | 6675648 El Vaquero
El Vaquero's picture

Fortunately, we have some natural defences against those kinds of invasions that cost $0 to keep in place.  Oceans.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:19 | 6675696 Socratic Dog
Socratic Dog's picture

Dunno about that, from what I hear about the expansion of the floating pile of garbage in the middle of the Pacific you'll soon be able to drive across it.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:48 | 6675733 El Vaquero
El Vaquero's picture

LOL, true, but I'll not panic until I see a Toyota Tacoma driving across the Pacific. 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:20 | 6675700 NoVa
NoVa's picture

so sad but true.  Another example is the attack on US Dollar as the world's reserve currency.

research article from Credit Suisse - the disarray in currency markets starts with our Fed. 

 https://plus.credit-suisse.com/r/6WC2ry


Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:21 | 6675713 arby63
arby63's picture

Unfortunately true. We had many chances but we blew it. The only problem I have with all this is the fact that the average American really didn't blow it. They will care. They still work hard. They were just sold out. Too bad too.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:50 | 6675552 JustObserving
JustObserving's picture

US has 900 military bases in 130 countries.  US has bases all over the Saudi peninsula.  Moving one aircraft carrier makes little difference to US capability in that region.  Besides, Obama-created ISIS is still there to fight the Russians

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:07 | 6675633 Dr. Engali
Dr. Engali's picture

That may be, but the U.S Carrier fleet is a display of might, seeing them retreat speaks volumes about the waning power of the empire.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:22 | 6675718 MadVladtheconquerer
MadVladtheconquerer's picture

You mean like the waning power in 1979 under Carter?  How did that work out for you?

 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:48 | 6675554 Collapsed_Elast...
Collapsed_Elastic_Pants's picture

Maintenance. Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:04 | 6675624 fallout11
fallout11's picture

"Sorry boss, I can't work today, I gotta stay home and work on the car."

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:43 | 6675808 madmax1965
madmax1965's picture

Sadly, I have actually had an employee call in and use that excuse!  Needless to say, he is now a former employee!

 

END THE FED!

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:59 | 6675903 dustyfin
dustyfin's picture

The withdrawal has been scehduled for months for budegtary reasons. Cheney makes mention of it in his excusam of a book - he thinks the U.S should have printed more money to pay for it to remain on station.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:51 | 6675568 gadzooks
gadzooks's picture

Little known Fact.....Did you know that the Syrian Gov. was backing off from leaning on Lebanon to give them more freedom and independance before Bashar Al-Assad started  falling out of favor  and forced into a war at home?

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:56 | 6675583 Decisive
Decisive's picture

I'm starting to think Obama really is a Manchurian candidate.  I believe he is going to use his last year in office to finally complete the destruction of the American Empire.  He is shifting towards China.  What better way for Russia to come out on top than for China and the Us to go head to head.  Russia is playing both sides.  I cant say that i'm sad to see us put in our place becasue I'm tired of policing the world, but I also dont want us involved with a war against China.  The free shit army wont know what to do when the Wal Mart shelves are empty.  I believe factions of our government know this is happening and are trying to expose him (Accidental conversation when he says he will have more freedom in his second term)  Its gonna get wild!

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:13 | 6675665 arby63
arby63's picture

He is and you better get ready. Some serious shit this way comes.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:23 | 6675711 El Vaquero
El Vaquero's picture

Some serious shit would be coming this way with or without Obama.  The biggest travisty with the current batch of fuckwits in charge is that they have pushed to hold on to what they have today instead of understanding that it is unsustainable and pushing for changes to the very structure of our economy.  They couldn't keep things going the way that they were so they resorted to ever more fraudulent business schemes.  Pushing for globalization so that multinationals and banks can profit is at heart of this, and it is the opposite way of where we should be heading. We don't need to push towards full on local autarchy just yet, but moving a lot closer to it is a step in the right direction.  It will take time to make such a shift.  It takes time for people to learn the skills and to repurpose the land for where we need to go, but we aren't going to get that time because some oligarchs need to make a profit.  Fuck it!  Full speed ahead and damn the iceburgs!

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:58 | 6675889 dustyfin
dustyfin's picture

Of course sanctions against Russia have set in train that which the U.S needs for itself.

Autarky is rarely a win for an economy because of resource shortages in one or more areas. Russia is better set than most in that it has pretty much all needed resources.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:13 | 6675668 Atomizer
Atomizer's picture

BRICS has been a shadowed discussion. 

Read this first. Goldman Sachs is in the play again. 

Information about BRICS

Next:

http://thebricspost.com/

 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:39 | 6675788 gadzooks
gadzooks's picture

Actualy he might be setting you up, knowing you`d react with such predictabilaty, its his mess and he wants somebody else to clean it up for him, with very bad consequences for everybody. wake up buddy , Obama is a spineless scumbag that wants the world to burn. and peaceful relations to stop progressing.

ps: we dont need the outdated colonial global Margin calls , it only feeds old insane Dynasties.

 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:54 | 6675585 Rodders75
Rodders75's picture

Obamarsehole wants to end his presidency without starting a war. But he might get one because he's weak. And the US and its bitch vassals are a laughing stock. 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:10 | 6675652 terex
terex's picture

Relax dude, let the uther guys make a fool uf themselves for once

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 12:59 | 6675602 Consuelo
Consuelo's picture

Whatever the situation of what is going on; lies, deception, etc., shit is sure happening fast these days, is it not...?

 

 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:03 | 6675618 farflungstar
farflungstar's picture

Operation Inherent Resolve

The resolve to support ISIS faded quickly someone outside their little bubble fucked it all up.

 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:06 | 6675634 Conax
Conax's picture

The Brave Sir Robin always knows what to do..

https://youtu.be/BZwuTo7zKM8?t=17
Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:11 | 6675654 wisefool
wisefool's picture

+1,000,000 burma shave placards. I hope they tweet each and every one they see on the way home to all the neo-con twiteer channels. #Dickcheney

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:09 | 6675649 Ms No
Ms No's picture

It would be nice if the empire would just collapse and regroup without some spectacular blood shed and stupidity, fat chance.  As it is these guys probably consider one skirmish lost and may very well head out to China to stir up the hornets nest over there.  They can't make Syria look good right now but they can work on that. 

There was another industrial fire in Russia today, not a catastrophic one but large nonetheless, it was located in a "construction market in a Moscow suburb".

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:11 | 6675656 NoWayJose
NoWayJose's picture

"Only the Teddy Roosevelt could go to China" - old Vulcan proverb

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:12 | 6675658 arby63
arby63's picture

Until we have grown-ups in charge (and not from an Ivy League retard school), perhaps we should vacate everything.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:14 | 6675670 NoWayJose
NoWayJose's picture

Why do we have a carrier group off the coast of Peru? Incan terrorists plan on attacking Spain?

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:28 | 6675743 PrimalScream
PrimalScream's picture

training??  have to agree with you ... the world has a lot of "hot spots" now.  The ops plan seems puzzling, especially when there are a bunch of Chinese captains just salivating at the chance to sink a USN ship near the Spratly's.

Maybe that public map - is completely false???

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:44 | 6675817 o r c k
o r c k's picture

Just inca case

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:44 | 6675818 cheech_wizard
cheech_wizard's picture

Can't bomb Syria anymore, time to switch targets...

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:16 | 6675671 SheepDog-One
SheepDog-One's picture

Our inside the beltway media propaganda is not working...RUN AWAY! !Wow....

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:18 | 6675692 MadVladtheconquerer
MadVladtheconquerer's picture

Or maybe we should hope that Shanghai doesn't become the second Hiroshima. 

That Russia a/c carrier is most likely of the utmost quality and technical innovation having been built  by the same clowns who brought the Indians one of their latest a/c carriers:

http://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2014/09/19/dont_buy_your_aircra...

Much adieu about nada w/ land-based a/c facilities:  finance.yahoo.com/news/us-aircraft-carrier-responsible-1-191004433.html

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:19 | 6675699 Lea
Lea's picture

"The U.S. Navy will not be able to keep an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf for much of the fall season, according to a Navy official.  The official said that's because the Navy has to schedule needed maintenance after years of extended deployments and because of reduced spending due to mandatory budget cuts."

Hear, hear, US taxpayers: They want YET MOAR of you money.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:20 | 6675705 DearLeaderMaobama
DearLeaderMaobama's picture

I wonder why Obama didn't fly in and land on it with a "mission accomplished" banner in the background?

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:24 | 6675725 PrimalScream
PrimalScream's picture

There could be a lot of reasons for the deployment.  But personally I'm happy ... I would rather see our carriers stationed on the open oceans, where our sailors have much better safety.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:26 | 6675735 SmittyinLA
SmittyinLA's picture

Obama ally assrape alert, observe KY precautions 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:31 | 6675753 SillyWabbits
SillyWabbits's picture

Think of the globe as a 3D chess board. 

Then think of the rules committee as a paradox, inside a conundrum, wrapped in a juxtaposition, contained in a puzzle and enclosed within an absurdity, sitting upon a contradiction.

You have a game of manifold complexity, where the rules change at every level depending upon the duplicity and lack of integrity of the rules committee.  The rules committee takes its cue from the value of valueless objects like currency and currency based assets.

Equilibrium is abhorred and tranquility is distained.

The goal of the game is to control whatever sphere is deemed most important (profitable) to your group (state, cabal, country, etc.) at any given time.  These spheres change constantly and radically, given the illogicality of the rules committee.

The unknown is – who controls the rules committee?

Until the controllers of the controllers are ferreted out and made known as to goals and predilections, it is unknowable as to which “queen” to capture.  Checkmate is impossible if you don’t know who or where the enemy camp is.

So, ships leaving with ships arriving means nothing unless you know why and what for.

Who controls the ships on the board, not just the ships of one flag or another?

Nothing makes sense because it is not supposed to until it does and then it is too late.

The endgame is the unknowable.  The moves on the chess board don’t matter as a matter of logic.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:43 | 6675813 taopraxis
taopraxis's picture

There is no endgame...it is an infinite game.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:37 | 6675780 pathosattrition
pathosattrition's picture

The way I read the map, CVN-71 is en route to the Persian Gulf, not leaving it. Present location indicator is in the Indian Ocean, and the 1-week location indicator is in the Persian Gulf.

Am I missing something? 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:40 | 6675795 BlackVoid
BlackVoid's picture

Large slow target fleeing russian missiles. LOL.

Carriers are beyond useless in a modern war. They are quite good at blowing up weddings and hospitals though.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 15:00 | 6676213 vincenze
vincenze's picture

Arabs have been calling Putin with inquiries since he launched 26 anti-ship Caliber missiles on his birthday.

They fit in a regular shipping container.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3M-54_Klub

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:42 | 6675799 Glassport
Glassport's picture

Maybe I'm just a dumbass or something, but doesn't that map show CVN-71 at sea and arriving in the Persian Gulf in one week?

 

EDIT - I see Pathos beat me to the question.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:41 | 6675800 New_Meat
New_Meat's picture

Admiral: "So Colonel, with all of our carrier striking force, exactly do you need the Harrier?"

Colonel: "Admiral, please pardon my blunt answer, but you've left us before and you'll leave us again."

- Ned

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