Evidence of some sort of military build-up - shot today in Santa Cruz CA.

[Deborah K]

Props. The author of this thread title is fear-mongering.

Wrong. The author of this thread title - that would be me - was genuinely concerned. Fear-mongering implies that my goal was to create fear in order to influence opinions. Give me a break! -rep!

 

[Pericles]

FWIW, word is that National Guard heavy brigades being converted to light infantry brigades are having their Bradleys and tanks being shipped for storage, and one of the storage depots is in southern CA.

Example, TXNG was the 49th Armored Division, which got converted to the 36th Infantry Division - and went from Armor to light infantry.

 

[RPsupporterAtHeart]

Look, movement of military vehicles is common. It COULD mean something if those are reserve units on their way to be prepped, but it could be a re-organization.

Now, if you want to look at a real military buildup, just consider how many Aircraft carrier battlegroups are in or heading to the Gulf right now. There are 4 now with the latest announcement that HW Bush is on its way to join the Vinson and the Lincoln. What has not been more widely announced is that the Enterprise is also already headed there.

Consider that there were 6 Carriers during the original Desert Storm, this is major assortment of firepower gathering here.

 

[Chainspell]

Wrong. The author of this thread title - that would be me - was genuinely concerned. Fear-mongering implies that my goal was to create fear in order to influence opinions. Give me a break! -rep!

oh i cant believe he said that about you -rep too... (dont wanna do it)

 

[klamath]

Look, movement of military vehicles is common. It COULD mean something if those are reserve units on their way to be prepped, but it could be a re-organization.

Now, if you want to look at a real military buildup, just consider how many Aircraft carrier battlegroups are in or heading to the Gulf right now. There are 4 now with the latest announcement that HW Bush is on its way to join the Vinson and the Lincoln. What has not been more widely announced is that the Enterprise is also already headed there.

Consider that there were 6 Carriers during the original Desert Storm, this is major assortment of firepower gathering here.

Right. That is a ominous build up.

 

[Zippyjuan]

Look, movement of military vehicles is common. It COULD mean something if those are reserve units on their way to be prepped, but it could be a re-organization.

Now, if you want to look at a real military buildup, just consider how many Aircraft carrier battlegroups are in or heading to the Gulf right now. There are 4 now with the latest announcement that HW Bush is on its way to join the Vinson and the Lincoln. What has not been more widely announced is that the Enterprise is also already headed there.

Consider that there were 6 Carriers during the original Desert Storm, this is major assortment of firepower gathering here.

Any link on the HW Bush going over there? I can't find the info. According to their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/USSGeorgeHWBush they are in the Atlantic undergoing Qualifications Training. The Vinson and Lincoln are in the region on normal scheduled deployments. The Vinson replaced the USS John C Stennis.
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/01/iran-aircraft-carriers/

How’s this for timing: by accident of Navy schedules, the U.S. military now has two aircraft carrier battle groups near Iran’s shores, with a third on her way, right as a bomb killed an Iranian nuclear scientist and Iran threatens to close off a key waterway. But while there was just one carrier in the region for weeks, the Pentagon insists that its ship movements aren’t a response to Tehran’s recent bellicosity.

The U.S.S. Carl Vinson has linked up with the Navy’s Fifth Fleet, and is somewhere in the northern Arabian Sea. It’ll replace the U.S.S. John C. Stennis, which recently sailed out of the Strait of Hormuz, the water lane through which 20 percent of the world’s oil passes — and which Iran is rattling its saber about closing to protest new sanctions.

That means that during this latest period of tension with Iran, the U.S. military has two aircraft carrier battle groups in the region, the Vinson and the Stennis, neither of which is actually in the Arabian Gulf at this point. And on her way is the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln, the Navy confirms, which is sailing from the Pacific to join with the Stennis. But it’s unclear how soon the Stennis will depart the region, as it’s scheduled to do — meaning there could, however briefly, be three carrier groups near Iran.

Typically, there are two carrier battle groups in the area. (U.S. Central Command’s official naval posture is to have an average of 1.7 battle groups in the region annually.) It just so happened that the Stennis was the only one nearby when the Iranians began making threats about the strategically vital strait. The deployments of both the Vinson and the Lincoln have been in the works for months.

Perhaps you meant the USS Enterprise which is the oldest and smallest US carrier but that is not due in the region until March- it is currently docked in Virginia. But that would be three- not four. In the past, the Enterprise has relieved the Lincoln in rotation so that is probably happening again.
http://www.wavy.com/dpp/military/panetta-addresses-enterprise-sailors

Panetta addresses Enterprise sailors

Updated: Monday, 23 Jan 2012, 6:49 AM EST
Published : Monday, 23 Jan 2012, 6:37 AM EST



NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta addressed a group of sailors aboard the USS Enterprise this weekend.

Panetta reassured the troops the U.S. will not cut its fleet of 1,100 warships despite the Pentagon slashing $487 billion from its budget.

The USS Enterprise will be deactivated and then replaced about a year and a half later with the brand new USS Gerald R. Ford.

Secretary Panetta explained why it's important for our country to stay strong at sea.

"Our view is carriers, because of their presence and the power they represent. It's an important part of our ability to maintain power in the Pacific and Middle East," said Panetta.

The Enterprise Carrier Strike Group is scheduled to head to the Middle East in March.