Ominous Journey

PEARL HARBOR

2 PEARL SHIPS TO SAIL FOR MIDEAST

The Pearl Harbor-based guided missile destroyers USS O'Kane and the USS Paul Hamilton are due to leave the Islands this week to accompany the USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier to the Middle East.

The ships are due to deploy Friday to serve with the Stennis strike group, Navy Region Hawaii said Wednesday in a news release.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said the ships are being sent to show Iran the four-year war in Iraq hasn't made America vulnerable.

The ships' arrival in the Middle East will mark the first time since the U.S.-led Iraq invasion in 2003 that the United States has had two carrier battle groups in the region.

"The presence of two aircraft carriers, while not unprecedented, demonstrates U.S. resolve to bring security and stability in the region," the release said. The ships are expected to arrive in the Middle East in about a month.

thx to an eagle eyed reader of FDL.

Somewhere's down on this list of threads we posted a hint from a buddy of Steve Clemmons which said that if we wanted a good indicator of when to anticipate war with Iran we should keep our eyes open for a deployment of the NIMITZ...click here to read the full NELSON REPORT (Thanks Steve!) This report is not too heartening...