Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel on Saturday ordered an aircraft carrier into the Persian Gulf to bolster the United States' military presence in the region as Iraq drifted deeper into chaos. The carrier, the USS George H. W. Bush, was flanked on its trip by a guided-missile destroyer and a guided-missile cruiser.
The move, which gives the U.S. a launching pad for air strikes in Iraq, came one day after President Obama ruled out a ground campaign to combat the insurgent jihadist forces that seized parts of Iraq last week.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Nashville dining: Far more than barbecue and hot chickenFeature A modern approach to fine-dining, a daily-changing menu, and more
-
Music Reviews: Coco Jones and Viagra BoysFeature "Why Not More?" and "Viagr Aboys"
-
Visa wants to let AI make credit card purchases for youThe Explainer The program will allow you to set a budget and let AI learn from your shopping preferences
-
British warship repels 'largest Houthi attack to date' in the Red SeaSpeed read Western allies warn of military response to Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels if attacks on ships continue
-
Houthi rebels claim Red Sea ship attacksspeed read Iran-backed Yemeni group vows to escalate aggression towards Israel-linked vessels in revenge for Gaza war
-
Israel plans next phase of Gaza war as first hostages releasedSpeed read After four-day ceasefire 'we will not stop' until destruction of Hamas, says Israel
-
Mob storms Russian airport 'looking for Jews'Speed Read Plane from Israel surrounded by rioters chanting antisemitic slogans after landing in Russia's Dagestan region
-
Tuberville's military promotions block is upending lives, combat readiness, 3 military branch chiefs saySpeed Read
-
Ukraine's counteroffensive is making incremental gains. Does it matter in the broader war?Speed Read
-
US commissions first-ever Navy ship in a foreign portSpeed Read
-
British spy chief, Wagner video suggest Prigozhin is alive and freely 'floating around'Speed Read
