US sends aircraft carrier group to Mediterranean as Russia threat looms

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: The Hill

The U.S. military has sent the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier strike group to take part in a NATO naval exercise in the Mediterranean amid tensions between the West and Russia, the Pentagon's top spokesperson announced Friday.

Neptune Strike 22 exercises, which are set to begin Monday and run through Feb. 4, will "demonstrate NATO's ability to integrate the high-end maritime strike capabilities of an aircraft carrier strike group to support the deterrence and defense of the alliance," press secretary John Kirby told reporters.

He added that the strike group, along with several other NATO allies he did not name, "will participate in coordinated maritime maneuvers, anti-submarine warfare training, and long-range strike training."

Kirby insisted the war games had been "long-planned," since 2020, and were not in response to the recent Russian military buildup near the Ukrainian border, though the drills are not listed on NATO's website among exercises slated for this year.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-sends-aircraft-carrier-group-214927565.html

[hedda_foil]

1. This is starting to feel a little too First World War-ish.

[Mysterian]

19. NATO would rout Russia in one week

if it came to an all-out war.

[marie999]

23. If it comes to all-out war, we all lose.

If not a strategic nuclear war but with tactical nuclear weapons you might want to look up the strength of the Russian and Belarus military. Russia has the second-best military in the world. And if Nato including the U.S. went to war against Russia and Belarus, China would own the Pacific unless the U.S. wanted a war on 2 fronts.

[Mysterian]

24. Yes, war is bad for everyone. No argument there.

NATO has an overwhelming advantage in conventional military strength over Russia and it's not even close. Which makes me believe Russia is simply strategic saber-rattling. If nukes come into play, nobody knows where the devastation would end.



Russia is a regional power only. You might want to look that up.

[marie999]

27. The problem with NATO is not all of its countries will go to war against Russia

if Russia attacks a country that does not belong to NATO. It takes a unanimous vote to join NATO. Where are you getting your information? armedforces.eu states Russia has 12,270 tanks and 26,831 armored fighting vehicles. And I know quite a bit about Russia having begun my studies of it as a Russian linguist and in the 528th Military Intelligence Company. I know how much Russia distrusts Europe and how it won't let NATO have a 3122-mile border with Russia-Belarus. This war will last a long time, long enough for China to play out its hand in the Pacific.

[Mysterian]

28. I didn't claim a Russian invasion of Ukraine would cause a war with NATO

I posted that NATO would win a war against Russia, if it ultimately comes to that. My information comes from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

https://www.csis.org/programs/emeritus-chair-strategy/military-balance

A Russian linguist! Thanks for your service. I'm a retired Army infantry officer with several years of service on brigade/division/JTF planning staffs.

[marie999]

30. Thank you for you service.

To tell the truth, I only like getting it from military or former military personnel, but that's just me. As far as war goes, I don't know who would win if Russia invades Ukraine, what I worry about is if Russia doesn't invade Ukraine but NATO attacks it which I doubt it would do. That would be a mistake. I would still like there to be a treaty where Ukraine becomes a buffer country, not joining NATO and not becoming a part of the Russian Federation. A lot of things like troops would have to be worked out. Thanks for the link.

[Ghost Dog]

33. May I ask, how would you define "winning"

such a war against Russia?

[Mysterian]

36. Having all Russian troops and paramilitaries un-ass Ukraine including Crimea

That would be winning.

[former9thward]

37. No one wins a land war against Russia

Napoleon and Hitler (both had a superior military to Russia) found that out.

[Mysterian]

38. Both of those leaders attempted to conquer the entirety of Russia

Quite a bit different from forcing Russian forces out of a neighboring nation.

Regardless, adhering to simple rules when times and situations change is the business of simpletons. In the event of an all-out war between Russia and NATO, NATO would rapidly achieve air superiority and air supremacy. At that point, there would be no re-grouping in the wilderness for the Russians and the conquest of Russia would follow. Of course, Russia would launch nukes before a ground invasion seized any major city.

[former9thward]

39. A lack of history knowledge I see.

Neither attempted to conquest the entirety of Russia. Both wanted the Ukraine region which was part of Russia at the time,

[EX500rider]

34. "armedforces.eu states Russia has 12,270 tanks"

What they have is 2,800 active main battle tanks and 16,000 "reserve" tanks, which means old, rusty, missing parts and batteries, haven't been started in years or decades and unlikely to be of any use, except as scrap.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Ground_Forces#Equipment

[Evolve Dammit]

2. Here we go.

[Traildogbob]

7. My exact thought

As I read the headline. Guess Manchin and ALL GQP will instantly find money for that, and other’s sons and daughters to go.

[IronLionZion]

3. I guess GOP can't say Biden is soft on defense

[Xipe Totec]

4. Why? Are they suddenly tethered to reality in some way? nt

[IronLionZion]

9. Right, Biden is killing jobs and establishing a Marxist economy

[Polybius]

12. I wish he was

n/t

[pecosbob]

5. A little reality, a little saber rattling.

I was on Nimitz in the mid-seventies when the ship was still based in Norfolk. We usually did a med cruise every other year, as well as numerous NATO exercises. This is a fairly routine occurrence, but times aren't exactly normal. A large number of U.S. naval assets left their bases this week. Lots and lots of amphibious assault craft like helo carriers. Enough to put several rapid deployment divisions on the ground. Oh...and a number of submarines left port as well and they let everybody see them doing it.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

11. Yes, sir. Normal sabre rattling noises of $800 billion a year machinery.

Someone’s got to shake all that rust out and look impressive or the dough stops rolling in.

[BadgerKid]

6. Would explain Celebrity cruises cancelling

Mediterranean cruise for a good part of this year. That or covid. Or both.

[orangecrush]

26. ....

[Traildogbob]

8. Did 3 med cruises

In 8 years on a tin can, Guided Missile Destroyer. We called em kissing ass for gas shows. Sell us your gas and we will defend you with all these toys. But this timing and Putin wagging his dick is concerning. Watching Nicole today and the experts, Vindman and another foreign policy guy said it is inevitable and will be a bloody huge lose of life. We could bring trump back as a liaison to Putin. He has spare time. Not golfing as much since we aren’t paying for it.

[OnlinePoker]

10. It's already there. It's just been ordered to stay.

The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (CSG) remains in the Ionian Sea. The CSG departed for its deployment on Dec. 1. Along with the U.S. ships, Royal Norwegian Navy frigate HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen (F310) joined the strike group under the Cooperative Deployment Program.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the strike group to remain in the Mediterranean Sea, rather than travel to U.S. Central Command, USNI News reported last month.

https://news.usni.org/2022/01/18/usni-news-fleet-and-marine-tracker-jan-18-2022

[Sewa]

13. What's the point

Biden already mistakenly told Putin the U S military wouldn’t get involved. Do they just want a front row seat to the destruction of Ukraine.

[Ray Bruns]

20. Agreed. You don't tell someone like Putin that we won't respond.

That guarantees war. See April Glaspie and the 1st gulf war.

[cstanleytech]

14. Putin wants the Ukraine as his long term goals are to build oil and gas pipelines to enrich himself

oil and gas to varies countries in that part of the world.

[paleotn]

18. He also wants to rebuild the Russian / Soviet empire.

I get the historical sore spot when it comes to a buffer region with Western Europe. But in the age of strategic nuclear weapons, they can't seriously think that's a real threat anymore. More a case of territorial dick wagging than a response to vulnerability on their western flank.

[cstanleytech]

22. Aye really neither Ukraine or NATO have any intention to

invade Russia so Putin’s actions are bullshit.

[bucolic_frolic]

15. Which side

will maga fight on?

[apnu]

16. Putin's side

They love him. They have loved Putin since the Obama days.

[Ray Bruns]

21. I predict a large number of them will suddenly develop "bone spurs".

[paleotn]

17. Nothing new really....

Ike's strike group did some integrated ops with USAF Europe and various allies in the eastern Med back in March 2021. Elements of Ike's group even entered the Black Sea for those operations. USS Monterey and USS Thomas Hudner.

Complicated place to work for the Navy given the geography. It's a haul from carriers in the Aegean, across the Black Sea to any part of Ukraine.

[orangecrush]

25. Shit, meet fan.

[Emile]

31. This is routine Naval operations.

[Linda Ed]

32. It's getting real now

US orders non-essential staff evacuations from Kyiv embassy. The US State Department has ordered families of its embassy staff in Ukraine to start leaving the country as soon as Monday, according to media reports.

[orangecrush]

35. Truth