[MilCom] US Carriers to Caribbean?

[Greg Brazil]

1,100-foot long Nimitz-class carrier, which includes all carriers made 
after the USS Nimitz. Nimitz is tied up at North Island, San Diego.  USS 
George Washgington is a "Nimitz class carrier"
Greg (SF Bay Area)

Amtrak35 at aol.com wrote:

>   Why is this called the Washington strike group yet only mention USS Nimtz 
> docking? Does the USS Washington hang at sea during this trip?
> 
>  Mark
>  Maryland
> 
> 
> Aircraft Carrier Group Heads to Caribbean 
> 
> By LAURA WIDES-MUNOZ 
> Associated Press Writer 
>  
> ABOARD THE USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (AP) -- An aircraft carrier strike group 
> moved into the Caribbean this week to begin two months of naval exercises in what 
> the U.S. military hopes will be a show of its commitment to the region.
> 
> The deployment by the USS George Washington group will also focus on threats 
> such as drug and human trafficking, according to the Miami-based U.S. Southern 
> Command, which oversees military activities in Latin America.
> 
> Brig. Gen. Kenneth J. Glueck Jr., the Southern Command's chief of staff, 
> called the tour an "opportunity for us to touch base with our partner countries."
> 
> He added: "There's no other symbol of American power like the carrier."
> 
> Members of the strike group, led by the nearly 1,100-foot long Nimitz-class 
> carrier, made their first port stops Monday and Tuesday. The USS Stout, a 
> destroyer, stopped in Curacao, while the USS Underwood, a frigate, docked in 
> Cartagena, Colombia.
> 
> The military has dismissed allegations by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez 
> that it is planning an invasion of his country. But analysts say the show of 
> force sends a signal to Chavez and other Latin American leaders about U.S. 
> strength.
> 
> Although the group has no plans to dock in Venezuela, the U.S. ambassador in 
> Caracas met Sunday with the head of the Southern Command, Gen. Bantz Craddock, 
> aboard the George Washington.
> 
> Southern Command leaders were conducting a routine quarterly meeting, but the 
> high interest from Venezuela in the deployment prompted the diplomatic 
> participation, according to Southern Command Spokesman Jose Ruiz.
>  
> The carrier will arrive at its first stop in St. Maarten on Friday. Other 
> countries on the tour include Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Trinidad Tobago, 
> Curacao, Aruba and St. Kitts.
> 
> Daniel Erikson, a Caribbean analyst for the Inter-American Dialogue policy 
> institute, said many Latin American nations are concerned because the U.S. has 
> threatened since 2002 to withdraw military aid from governments that do not 
> sign an agreement pledging not to turn American citizens over to the 
> International Criminal Court.
> 
> A number of Caribbean countries have not signed the waiver.
> 
> "Washington has been trying to figure out ways, without backing down, to show 
> the U.S. is still willing to engage with allies in the region," he said.
> 
> The deployment also sends a signal to China, which has invested heavily in 
> Latin America, Erikson said, explaining that many Caribbean leaders "have been 
> puzzled by what they see as Washington's passivity" on China's role in the 
> area, Erikson said.
> 
> The Norfolk, Va.-based strike group also includes the USS Monterey, a 
> cruiser, and a 30-plane air wing.
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