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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums2 of USA's 11aircraft carriers taken out of service for month giving China a free hand in the region
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8161181/Sailors-aircraft-carriers-Pacific-coronavius.htmlRoosevelt and Reagan are the only two US carriers in the Pacific, and may be out of action for 25 days as they test and quarantine crew.
It effectively gives China free hand in the region. The country has two of their own aircraft carriers, including the recently-completed Shandong, rumored to have cost $9 billion and stationed at Hainan Island, the country's southernmost point.
The US has 11 aircraft carriers - but two are deployed to the Middle East, and five are in US ports undergoing long-term services and overhauls. The remaining two are separately docked at ports on the US West Coast following the completion of recent deployments.
The potential crippling of the US Navy in the Pacific is alarming news given escalating tensions between Beijing and Washington in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
One anonymous service member stationed in Guam fears more US sailors and military members could become sickened with COVID-19.
'We're f**ked,' they told The Daily Beast Friday.
BusyBeingBest
(8,059 posts)That should have been one of the first priorities, from early January--keep the crews and troops on base or on ship. I recall strict rules when military members were sent to Africa for ebola aid.
Demovictory9
(32,489 posts)BusyBeingBest
(8,059 posts)quietly prepping, curtailing travel, and testing for a while now. It's only since March 15 that they even started restricting domestic travel.
atreides1
(16,103 posts)He's not going to take any protective measures...because if he did, he's have to explain why he did it without Trump's explicit permission!!!
For all we know, Esper asked Trump and was told, NO...because it had the chance of making the orange anus look bad!!!
BusyBeingBest
(8,059 posts)turning into quite the failure.
uponit7771
(90,370 posts)malaise
(269,256 posts)looting the treasury
tulipsandroses
(5,131 posts)having a temper tantrum about people not being nice to him. Everyone is at risk, including our troops.
He is busy calling himself a war time president. But won't protect the troops. The medical personnel on the frontlines and all of the other people we depend on for our safety.
gibraltar72
(7,517 posts)Demovictory9
(32,489 posts)gibraltar72
(7,517 posts)Baclava
(12,047 posts)sarisataka
(18,883 posts)That claimed the US would would have up to 10 million infected by March 23rd.
Assuming their military assessment is equally accurate,
i will patiently wait for China to invade Japan while the US Navy is in sick bay. I think I will have to be very patient.
FBaggins
(26,783 posts)... to claim that two sick sailors (or two dozen in the other case) takes a carrier out of service for a month.
Carriers have significant NBC capacity and training... (and comparatively few 75 year olds with compromised respiratory systems). I doubt that the virus seriously degrades their capacity if the carriers are needed.
keithbvadu2
(37,011 posts)Pentagon chief warned overseas commanders not to surprise White House on coronavirus measures: report
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=esper+don%27t+surprise+trump
DarthDem
(5,257 posts)It's a serious and sad situation for the sailors just like everyone else, and it highlights - yet again - the federal government's inept response.