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U.S. Navy Ships Sail to Eastern Mediterranean in Case Needed to Evacuate Americans from Israel

Nov. 20, 2012 2:00am Sharona Schwartz

USS Iwo Jima (Photo credit: U.S. Navy)

CNN is reporting that three U.S. warships are on their way to the eastern Mediterranean “to remain on standby” in case they are needed to help U.S. citizens evacuate from Israel. At the same time, officials tell the network they presently consider that scenario to be “extremely remote.” CNN reports:

Three U.S. Navy amphibious warships are returning to the eastern Mediterranean to remain on standby in the event they are needed to assist Americans leaving Israel in the coming days, according to two U.S. officials.

The officials stressed an evacuation remains an extremely remote possibility and the Obama administration is not currently planning for one. Americans who wish to leave the region now are able to do so using commercial airlines.

But the decision to send the ships even if the event is such a remote contingency underscores the growing concern about where the Israel-Gaza conflict could be headed.

“This is due diligence. It is better to be prepared should there be a need,” one official said Monday. Both officials said the ships would be used only for assisting Americans and not for any combat role.

Despite the conflict raging between Israel and Hamas, Ben-Gurion International Airport outside Tel Aviv continues to operate as usual; however, air traffic controllers have altered flight paths to keep commercial aircraft away from incoming Hamas rockets and Iron Dome defensive missiles. In addition, Air France has announced that due to the armed conflict, there may be disruption to its flights in and out of the country.

An estimated 150,000 U.S. citizens live in Israel. The U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv has been sending daily emails to American visitors and residents. Monday’s email said:

U.S. citizens are encouraged to exercise caution and take appropriate measures to ensure their safety and security in light of the escalating level of violence in Gaza and Israel. U.S. citizens should pay close attention to their surroundings and news reports, and follow the civil defense guidance provided by the Home Front Command. The Government of Israel’s Home Front Command website provides information on how to choose a secure space or room in a home or apartment. Visitors may also seek information on shelters from hotel staff or building managers. Please click here for further emergency preparedness guidance provided by the Home Front Command.

CNN reports that the three ships – the USS Iwo Jima, the USS New York and the USS Gunston Hall – before receiving the new orders were west of Gibraltar. That means their crews and some 2,500 Marines will have a delayed homecoming in Norfolk, Virginia.

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Comments (24)

kim8998
Posted on November 20, 2012 at 10:03pm
just as Eleanor implied I didnt know that any one can get paid $6601 in four weeks on the internet. did you see this web site, http://xurl.es/gxyw8

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Paool
Posted on November 20, 2012 at 2:31pm
On a side note…that’s such a pretty ship :D

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Paulhgreenbay
Posted on November 20, 2012 at 9:57am
So I guess the orders to stand down will apply when Iran tries sinking all the targets we have or will be sending over there to have our Navy decimated.

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jessieH
Posted on November 20, 2012 at 9:10am
Not to help Israel but to evacuate Americans? I don’t recognize this country any more.

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- Trigus
  Posted on November 20, 2012 at 12:36pm
  Barry knows as soon as Israel launches a ground assault into the Gaza that Hezbollah will attack Israel and so will his good buddies in Egypt. Egypt currently has 7 battalions, Tanks, Light Armored Vehicles, and Anti Tank and Aircraft positions in the Sinai Peninsula (A direct breach of the Camp David Accord.)
  
  Barry wants all Americans out of Israel before any American might get killed and bring America into the War.
  
  Barry forgets about the Samson Option.
  
  Report this comment
SamIamTwo
Posted on November 20, 2012 at 7:51am
Sounds like el presidente is going to allow the Arab nuts war with Israel…

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- atechgeek
  Posted on November 20, 2012 at 10:44am
  Question is .. will osama let Israel annihilate the towel heads ? My quess is he will keep feeding them money and arms until they do win … but hey .. he did say he would’t get involved in wars like Bush … oh wait ?? Is he ?? Love the smoke and mirrors of this regime.
  
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Ron Staiger
Posted on November 20, 2012 at 7:21am
Is that the same ship made available to evacuate our consulate in Benghazi?

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- WarMunger_Al
  Posted on November 20, 2012 at 8:37am
  Yeah, thats what I thought as well. Obama will order them stand down until 14 hours after the killing is complete.
  
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MiCurmudgeon
Posted on November 20, 2012 at 6:45am
The ships which must be shifted to the area are the ones Oblamer move to the Pacific recently to confrount the problems there. How much did that error in judgement cost and/or actually help cause some of the problems in the Middle East ?

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hempstead1944
Posted on November 20, 2012 at 6:40am
Obama ‘s treatment of Israel should make all the Jews who voted for him very happy……..Not!

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truthsurfer
Posted on November 20, 2012 at 6:12am
Ahhh the coward in chief has a plan to evacuate people but none to actually help Isreal. I hope all of the jewish people that vote demoncrat are proud this is what you have been voting for all these years.

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- Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
  Posted on November 20, 2012 at 6:17am
  Actually if they are troop carriers, Obama may be planning to invade Israel to aid his Muslim allies.
  
  Report this comment
- Pantloadian
  Posted on November 20, 2012 at 9:24am
  You lost. Get over it, pansies.
  
  Report this comment
Armyduderetired
Posted on November 20, 2012 at 4:41am
They should be full of Americans now to support Isreal. Don’t they know the Bible? Oldest history book in the world you know. I’m considering going on my own. I guess that’s forward thinking for you. Where’s MorObamaRon at now? Kissing up to some third world apologizing? I hope he doesn’t screw up Thailand. That was an alternate destination I was considering moving to. Naw on second thought God’s country sounds better.

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raderby
Posted on November 20, 2012 at 4:36am
unless the ships can saw off Israel and tow it over to attach to the USA…… not a solution, is it?

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- Small_Al
  Posted on November 20, 2012 at 4:59am
  The “world community” should be doing everything it can to destroy radical Islam. Read fresh political commentary at: http://smallcraftadvisorychronicles.blogspot.com
  
  Report this comment
The_Almighty_Creestof
Posted on November 20, 2012 at 4:25am
Anyone else here remember the USS Liberty incident?

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- TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
  Posted on November 20, 2012 at 6:02am
  Conspiracy theorists and virulent anti-Israel / anti-Semites (like the Ron Paul r3volution zealots and self-hating Jews like Noam Chomsky for example) have been fanning the fires and smearing Israel for years.
  
  The U.S. Navy Court of Inquiry convened just days after the event made 52 findings of fact. Three of the most important findings are:
  
  1. Available evidence combined to indicate the attack on Liberty on 8 June was in fact a case of mistaken identity.
  
  2. The calm conditions and slow ship speed may well have made the American flag difficult to identify, and
  
  3. There are no available indications that the attack was intended against a U.S. ship
  
  In 1981, the National Security Agency blamed Israeli miscalculations and American communications failures for the tragedy. Eight U.S. Presidents, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, [[Carter]], Reagan, Bush the elder, Clinton and Bush the younger, have all agreed that the Liberty incident was a tragic case of mistaken identity.
  
  Report this comment
ellietoo
Posted on November 20, 2012 at 3:34am
The United States pushed Israel to give the “palestinians” Gaza. “Land for peace” they said. As soon as the “palestinians” took over Gaza they voted in a terrorist government. Now Israel has rockets being sent into their civilian population from Gaza. Now whose great idea was this and where is the peace?
Would any country dare try to push the US into returning Texas to Mexico if they were attacking the US.? Would it make any sense to give a violent extremist people more land that puts them even closer to the civilian population? Yet that is what the US did to Israel.
Obama has promised the “palestinians” Jerusalem! Imagine! What have the “palentinians” promised? They have promised to push Israel into the sea. They do not want peace. They want to kill all the Jews just like Hitler did . What kind of a fool would put such people side by side with civilized people? Just the State Department of the United States and the present regime. The State Department has always been anti Israel, the Obama regime is rabidly pro Islamic. Check out Obama’s family in Kenya. His grandma and cousins are raking in the money and spending it to promote Islamic causes like Koran memorizing schools. Isn’t that helpful to the society? Yet, it is a very high honor there to the MEN who memorize the Koran. Just think of it! A career as a walking talking Koran!

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- waspanglosaxon
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 4:31am
  “Would any government dare to push the US into returning Texas to Mexico?” Uh, yeah, this government. Don’t believe me? Just look at what Obama’s doing, and the last 8 president before him have done! Now Texas has more hiSPanICS than White (or Black) people! How’s this happened? Uh, could it have had something to do with whoever runs the media in this country? And how come so many of them have surnames that sound like them there good’ ol’ jew-boys in Israel? Hmmm, any connection? Naw, couldn’t be.
  These ‘people’ have taken yoiur (US) government, your media, your mind and your soul. Soon, they’ll be asking for your sons’ lives to fight their genocidal battles. And you’ll applaud. Hmmph, no wonder the Israelis call you the “dumb goyim”!
  
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nzkiwi
Posted on November 20, 2012 at 3:17am
“on standby in case they are needed to help U.S. citizens evacuate from Israel”.

Helping Israel would be too much to hope for, I suppose. On the other hand, Israel should be able to handle this.

It is interesting that this solicitude did not extend to the Americans at Benghazi…

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Puddle Duck
Posted on November 20, 2012 at 3:15am
No offensive capability ? That’s BS. Those ships better be there to help Israel should they ask for that help.

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- Apple Bite
  Posted on November 20, 2012 at 6:34am
  A coward actually doing something like that? Most cowards like to be brave from a very safe distance.
  
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