At the request of General McKenzie, military officials said, it seeks 24-hour support from a carrier with its hostile combat squadrons, and is being seen as a specific reference to Eisenhower, who made his home in Virginia in February Left the harbor and headed for the Mediterranean. Sea. There, it participated in exercises with Italian and Moroccan naval forces. Eisenhower is now in the Arabian Sea.
General Miley’s spokesman, Colonel Dave Butler, declined to comment on the carrier’s request. Central Command spokesman Captain Bill Urban also declined to comment. Pentagon’s press secretary, John F. Kirby said Wednesday that Mr. Austin made it clear that we would safely, systematically and deliberately carry out the drawdown in Afghanistan and that we would do everything possible to protect our troops. process.”
He, refusing to discuss the request, said, “For operational safety reasons, we will also not preview the specific force security measures being planned.”
Current and former senior naval officials said immediate military missions could demand increased deployment of warships. But when this happens repeatedly, the long-term health and readiness of the fleet can jeopardize the Navy’s ability to carry out future missions.
“We have these national assets that are like aircraft carriers to be available in times of crisis, especially when they are necessary to protect the lives of soldiers on the ground,” he said in an interview. . “But you don’t want it to be a regular thing, and that’s what has happened in the past.”
Riding in Eisenhower, some sailors were already concerned about their deployment, especially if the carrier provides air operations during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, which Mr Biden said should be completed by 11 September.
A Defense Department official said this week that it was an open question whether US troops would have to struggle to get out of Afghanistan, or whether the withdrawal would be peaceful. He spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak publicly about the case.
