Kearsarge ARG: transits Suez Canal

Kearsarge in the Red Sea is expected to transit soon through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean, putting it closer to Libya, put more options on the table for President Obama

U.S. officials said the repositioning of the Navy ship puts it in position for a potential "show of force" to the Ghadafi regime.

The USS Kearsarge has helicopters and harrier jets aboard, as well as a complement of around 700 Marines from the 26th MEU – Marine Expeditionary Unit.
It had a larger complement of Marines aboard, but the majority of the marines from the 26th MEU were diverted to Afghanistan a month ago.

The movement of the USS Kearsarge into the Mediterranean is part of the repositioning of forces described below. One US official says it’s all about giving the President options. No decisions have been made about what role the ship will play off the coast of Libya.

However, one phrase being used is that it could be seen as a “show of force” to the Qaddafi regime. the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise re-entered the Red Sea, but it has not been given orders to transit back through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea.
The USS Mount Whitney command ship (LCC 20) has changed its position in the Mediterranean as well,

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Kearsarge ARG: USN Repositioning to Med

The United States military “is in the planning and preparing mode” on Libya, and will be able to provide the full range of options for national leaders, Pentagon spokesman Marine Corps Col. Dave Lapan said here today.

The U.S. military is moving naval and air forces to the region, he said.

President Barack Obama asked the military to prepare these options as the situation in Libya gets worse. News reports indicate while Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi is attacking rebels in and around the capital of Tripoli, anti-regime forces hold the east.

In a Feb. 26 call to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Obama said: “When a leader’s only means of staying in power is to use mass violence against his own people, he has lost the legitimacy to rule and needs to do what is right for his country by leaving now,” according to the White House.

The Defense Department has not been directly tasked for any mission, Lapan said.

“We have planners working various contingency plans,” he said. “It’s safe to say as a part of that, we’re re-positioning forces to provide for that flexibility. We are re-positioning forces in the region to provide options and flexibility.”
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