U.S. increases number of aircraft carriers in Gulf Region in case air strikes against Syria 2908131

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Defence & Security News - United States

 
 
Thursday, August 29, 2013 09:22 AM
 
U.S. increases the number of aircraft carriers in Gulf Region in case of air strikes against Syria.
U.S. officials say the Navy is beefing up its presence in the Persian Gulf region, increasing the number of aircraft carriers from one to two. The USS Harry S Truman has arrived in the Arabian Sea and was scheduled to take the place of the USS Nimitz, which was supposed to head home. The Navy has ordered the Nimitz, which is in the Indian Ocean, to stay for now.
     
U.S. officials say the Navy is beefing up its presence in the Persian Gulf region, increasing the number of aircraft carriers from one to two. The USS Harry S Truman has arrived in the Arabian Sea and was scheduled to take the place of the USS Nimitz, which was supposed to head home. The Navy has ordered the Nimitz, which is in the Indian Ocean, to stay for now.
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) during a live-fire exercise in April. US Navy Photo
     
US officials describe the decision as prudent planning and say it doesn’t suggest the carrier would play a role in any possible strikes in Syria. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss ship movements publicly.

Barack Obama says that no decision has been taken on an air strike on Syria, but warns the Assad regime its actions have 'international consequences'.

Legal experts have said that the United States and its allies are unlikely to build a clear case under international law for a military strike, and may instead make novel arguments about chemical weapons prohibitions.

Britain's resolution to the UN security council condemns the alleged chemical attack last week and calls for the authorisation of "necessary measures to protect civilians" in the country.

In Geneva, the UN special envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, said on Thursday that while inspectors had uncovered some evidence of a chemical attack, "internat­ional law says that any US-led military action must be taken after" agreement at the 15-nation security council.