Pentagon Sends Third Carrier Group to Middle East
Would escalating against Iran weaken U.S. readiness or give diplomacy the leverage needed to avert a wider war?
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Above: The USS Theodore Roosevelt at its home port of Naval Air Station North Island, in San Diego, on Oct. 15, 2024. Image credit: Kevin Carter/Getty Images
The Facts
- The Pentagon is sending the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group and the USS Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group to the Middle East, moving roughly 9,000 to 10,000 sailors and Marines, U.S. officials said Thursday.
- The Roosevelt left San Diego on Sunday with three destroyers, followed a day later by the Makin Island group carrying the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The ships are expected in the region by the end of November.
- The carriers USS George H.W. Bush and USS George Washington are already deployed, though the Washington could return to its home port in Japan once the Roosevelt arrives, which would leave just two carrier groups in the region.
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The Spin
Anti-Trump narrative
Burning through ships, money and sailors for a conflict lacking public support weakens readiness rather than security. Escalation after the midterms would deepen a costly strategic blunder.
Pro-Trump narrative
A stronger U.S. military posture gives diplomacy real leverage and keeps credible strike options available. Pressure backed by force offers the best chance to protect navigation, curb nuclear danger and avoid a deadlier conflict.
