USS Abraham Lincoln deploys opposite Syria, US envoy to Russia aboard

Accompanied by 10 warships, the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier on Wednesday, April 24, deployed opposite the Syrian coast in a dramatic show of strength against Russia and Iran. The effect was underlined by the revelation from US Navy sources of the presence on the carrier’s command bridge of none other than US ambassador to Moscow Jon Huntsman. His message needed no commentary: “When you have 200,000 tons of diplomacy cruising the Mediterranean, this is forward-operating diplomacy – nothing else need be said.”

There is no precedent even in the Cold War years between America and Soviet Russia of a US ambassador being planted on a front line against Russian and Iranian forces in the Middle East. The US Navy communique reported that Ambassador Huntsman was inspecting the operations of “9.000 crew and Marines and the 130 warplanes on the decks of the Lincoln and other vessels of the strike group.”

DEBKAfile’s military sources: This show of US military-backed diplomatic muscle was timed for Thursday, April 25, when President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader were about to sit down for their first summit in the eastern Russian city of Vladivostok, This meeting was seen in Washington as Putin’s challenge of the nuclear negotiation channel set up by President Donald Trump with the North Korean dictator.

The Lincoln’s deployment facing the Syrian coast was also the Trump administration’s answer to the three top Iranians, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif, who Wednesday threatened America with harsh retribution for the sanctions that were blocking its oil exports.  

Added to this, on Wednesday, Moscow advised Ukrainian separatists supported by Russia in their battle against the central government in Kiev that the red tape would be cleared from the path of any of those fighters who sought Russian citizenship. This was seen in Washington as a half-step towards Russia’s annexation of another part of Ukraine after Crimea. The State Department issued this statement: “Russia, through this highly provocative action, is intensifying its assault on Ukraine’s sovereignty and national integrity.”

On \Tuesday, April 23, DEBKAfile was first to break the news of the arrival in the Mediterranean of two US carriers and their strike groups – the USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS John C. Stennis, and reported that they are operating with the US Sixth Fleet in conjunction with allied navies.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

63 thoughts on “USS Abraham Lincoln deploys opposite Syria, US envoy to Russia aboard

  • Apr 25, 2019 @ 10:25 at 10:25
    Permalink

    Gooooooooooooooooooo Trump!

    • Apr 25, 2019 @ 15:42 at 15:42
      Permalink

      War, famine, and the plagues are upon us all. Read some of the Lord’s recent warnings at hearthelordjesus(dot)com

      • Apr 26, 2019 @ 18:42 at 18:42
        Permalink

        Correction, Iran Shiia Regime is Spreading Conflicts Plaguing the Middle East, and resulting Food and water Famines back Upon the Iranians, Houthis, Hamas, and Many Others, it not from G-d but from Men in Robes in Iran and only on them.

      • Apr 27, 2019 @ 1:19 at 1:19
        Permalink

        Iran. Please test us!!!!

    • Apr 26, 2019 @ 5:05 at 5:05
      Permalink

      Empty gestures are so much more cost-effective when Tweeted.

      Is Juan Guido on board? Having failed in Venezuela, he’s gonna replace the brutal dictator NuttyYahoo!

      • Apr 26, 2019 @ 6:28 at 6:28
        Permalink

        Oh dear, but the real problem is the letter!
        Where’s The Letter???
        Hitler’s letter of suicide is up for sale, but there is no news about the letter of the big ayatollah.
        Time is of essence, why don’t you delegate someone to help or eventually to write it ???

  • Apr 25, 2019 @ 10:51 at 10:51
    Permalink

    Big moves on a big chessboard.

    Thank you Mister Trump.

    • Apr 25, 2019 @ 17:02 at 17:02
      Permalink

      But he wants to remove troops from Syria. Show of naval force is useless. Israel has a great air force already to do that. Hollow.

      • Apr 27, 2019 @ 14:57 at 14:57
        Permalink

        Not so hollow. IAF has difficulty operating from Israel and has to use Lebanon’s airspace. When L gets covered by the S-400 that becomes a problem. Trump is out to remove all the Iranian and Hezbollah troops from Syria and Putin has accommodated him to a certain extent in this. To actually force them out and Israel needs big brother so that Putin does not try anything.

  • Apr 25, 2019 @ 11:01 at 11:01
    Permalink

    Jon Huntsman has had quite a political career even though his biography identifies him as a Spook (C.I.A.). This is why Huntsman is on the bridge of the Lincoln, it is his show.

  • Apr 25, 2019 @ 11:11 at 11:11
    Permalink

    Choke off the oil revenue of Iran…then wipe them out of Syria.
    Adios Iran..prepare for humiliation.

    • Apr 26, 2019 @ 0:26 at 0:26
      Permalink

      agreed–cut off the oil–there will be civil war and common sense

      • Apr 27, 2019 @ 10:44 at 10:44
        Permalink

        Bye Bye Sand Nazi Ayatoolas!

  • Apr 25, 2019 @ 12:25 at 12:25
    Permalink

    Trump must do something about iraq if he wants to stop iran, iran use iraq ports and banks for acting against US sanctions. They done with syria and make it a full shia government with shia army (and even shia population). Then these forces in Mediterranean sea just showing muscles for things they cant change in syria anymore

  • Apr 25, 2019 @ 12:56 at 12:56
    Permalink

    the time of large carriere is over

    a 10K $ anti ship missile sinking a 100 Bilion $ carriere

    • Apr 25, 2019 @ 15:15 at 15:15
      Permalink

      poor abbas is relapsing again into the 1001 nights, wishful (stupid) thinking…

    • Apr 25, 2019 @ 16:15 at 16:15
      Permalink

      So easy it has never happened. Must not be that simple…

    • Apr 25, 2019 @ 16:46 at 16:46
      Permalink

      To abbas or whatever you are: You don’t know anything about anything.

    • Apr 25, 2019 @ 23:30 at 23:30
      Permalink

      How many bombs and torpedoes did the Masashi and Yamomoto require to sink again?

    • Apr 25, 2019 @ 23:34 at 23:34
      Permalink

      Even if a best anti missile ship money can buy scored a direct hit against a US carrier (ridiculously unlikely for several reasons), do you honestly think that would sink her? You either have never seen a US carrier or don’t understand simple physics.

      Make no mistake. ANY direct hostile action against a US carrier would be met with the most overwhelming response the world has ever seen. This is not conjecture. The order to completely retaliate has already been given. It will not be the US that starts the next war… they will be the ones to finish it.

      The world has yet to comprehend just how far ahead the US is in military technology and war waging as a whole. The next peer to peer war with the US will be eye opening for the side that ends up in her cross hairs.

      • Apr 26, 2019 @ 5:41 at 5:41
        Permalink

        Just ask the Taliban.

        • Apr 26, 2019 @ 9:08 at 9:08
          Permalink

          What do you know about physics? Can you state Archimedes principles in just three words ?

          • Apr 26, 2019 @ 15:20 at 15:20
            Permalink

            His principles? Learn from Egyptians, I guess. Smart guy borrowed from a brilliant, advanced civilization.

            Not sure what that has to do with the Taliban defeating the United States in a “peer-to-peer war” for eighteen years using spit wads.

            Brainless heads displace little water.

      • Apr 27, 2019 @ 7:11 at 7:11
        Permalink

        @Patriot2.0
        WOW!!!! amazing rhetoric!!!! wishful thinking maybe?

    • Apr 26, 2019 @ 5:08 at 5:08
      Permalink

      You’re writing to an audience that thinks it’s smart to deploy the air force against kites to murder children!

      One that spends billions on POS missile defense–subsidized by Uncle Sam–that can’t stop bottle rockets!

      • Apr 28, 2019 @ 18:40 at 18:40
        Permalink

        only antisemitic POSes call them “bottle rockets”. imagine how flat mexico would be if mexicans launched attacks across the border into southern california.

  • Apr 25, 2019 @ 15:16 at 15:16
    Permalink

    poor abbas is relapsing again into the 1001 nights, wishful (stupid) thinking…

    • Apr 25, 2019 @ 16:02 at 16:02
      Permalink

      why the carriere does not dasre to come close to iran water ?

      • Apr 25, 2019 @ 23:37 at 23:37
        Permalink

        The basic strategy of a carrier’s existence is to NOT come close to shore… Yikes.

      • Apr 27, 2019 @ 13:23 at 13:23
        Permalink

        There were there recently. What is your point?

  • Apr 25, 2019 @ 15:27 at 15:27
    Permalink

    If Trump would level Iran, Syria and Lebanon, many lives in the future could be saved today I suspect

    • Apr 26, 2019 @ 18:49 at 18:49
      Permalink

      Better to Target a Change in Leadership and that Saves the Persians, Syrians, and Lebanese far better than removing Families that have to Live under such Wayward Winds coming from Tehran, Damascus and Beirut to stay in Power with Poverty for their People. Yemen Houthis Too!

  • Apr 25, 2019 @ 16:00 at 16:00
    Permalink

    Let’s hope the Arabs sink it w/ 5 lbs of gun powder strapped to a rubber dingy so we can blame Iran and get this war finally started. God is on Israel’s side.

    • Apr 25, 2019 @ 17:56 at 17:56
      Permalink

      I’m all for wiping out Iran & it’s proxies, But let’s not hope anyone sink the carrier!!!

    • Apr 25, 2019 @ 23:39 at 23:39
      Permalink

      yeah, guess wat ? they gonna get 72 x5 doe-eyes virgin goats…

    • Apr 26, 2019 @ 5:13 at 5:13
      Permalink

      Remember the Liberty.

    • Apr 26, 2019 @ 18:57 at 18:57
      Permalink

      No one can Sink a USS Carrier and if they Cry and Attempt to it that will be their Last try before they Die, and Iran knows they will be Blame as more “Wells Try Up Undermining This Regime From 1979? America has Strength in Ships on the Water and Israel knowing how provide Clean Water for all Crops, People, and Cultures, including Iran when they Change One Day!

      • Apr 27, 2019 @ 14:00 at 14:00
        Permalink

        Sounds hopeful, as long as the Democrats don’t get back in, but how will you know who has sunk the US Carrier to be able to retaliate? It won’t be the Swedes yet, although they will probably be Islamic in 3 years, but Putin has probably implemented this technology by now.
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saCdvAp5cow

    • Apr 27, 2019 @ 7:00 at 7:00
      Permalink

      The last time the Yanks were itching to start a war they ended-up getting solidly defeated in Irak. 6000+ dead and 50,000+ handicapped for life.

      • Apr 27, 2019 @ 10:41 at 10:41
        Permalink

        Syria, 500,000+ dead.

        8 year Iraq/Fascist Iran War – 1,000,000+ dead.

        And they still call it “The Religion of Peace”.

  • Apr 25, 2019 @ 17:10 at 17:10
    Permalink

    BS”D this is not a show of strenght against Russia and Iran, just only AGAINST IRAN. EEUU and RUSIA MUST be friends!

  • Apr 25, 2019 @ 19:41 at 19:41
    Permalink

    And so continues the perpetual war. Pres. G. Washington advised “entangling alliances with none, friendship and trade with all”. The 100 year deviation from this policy will profit only the arms trade.

  • Apr 25, 2019 @ 21:25 at 21:25
    Permalink

    My guess is that the Mullahs are going to get even madder, and scream much louder.

  • Apr 25, 2019 @ 21:34 at 21:34
    Permalink

    stupid muricans,they had dead wish big time,remeber SATAN SS-18 STUPIDOS

    • Apr 25, 2019 @ 23:43 at 23:43
      Permalink

      To even prepare to launch one of those would be suicide… Who has the death-wish?

      • Apr 28, 2019 @ 18:55 at 18:55
        Permalink

        there’s always at least one carrier group, sometimes two, stationed in the persian gulf. apart from displaying your glaring ignorance, what’s your point?

    • Apr 27, 2019 @ 18:47 at 18:47
      Permalink

      you stupid wetback moron,,shut up and get back to picking my veggies!!!

  • Apr 25, 2019 @ 21:40 at 21:40
    Permalink

    We love President Donald Trump

    • Apr 25, 2019 @ 23:36 at 23:36
      Permalink

      u betcha!!!

  • Apr 25, 2019 @ 23:35 at 23:35
    Permalink

    what a contrast to this shameless, narcissistic, ego-driven, traitor obongo

  • Apr 26, 2019 @ 5:11 at 5:11
    Permalink

    Setting up a false flag, right on ISISrael’s doorstep:

    How convenient! ISISrael won’t even have to travel to New York like they did on 911.

    • Apr 28, 2019 @ 18:56 at 18:56
      Permalink

      seek medical help, quickly.

  • Apr 26, 2019 @ 13:24 at 13:24
    Permalink

    Only one hypersonic missile would do the job against those aircraft carriers. Guess who has those weapons.

    • Apr 27, 2019 @ 10:51 at 10:51
      Permalink

      Your hypersonic missiles can be tracked, can’t steer at high speed, its path calculated and it crashes into a wall of debris in the sky and it explodes.

      Meanwhile Tehran isn’t movable. It will be wiped off the face of the Earth.

  • Apr 26, 2019 @ 21:50 at 21:50
    Permalink

    From 2020, the Soviets will launch Poseidon torpedoes.Things get complicated for amierikns.

    • Apr 28, 2019 @ 18:58 at 18:58
      Permalink

      is russia looking for a war with the united states? or are you just stupid?

  • Apr 26, 2019 @ 23:53 at 23:53
    Permalink

    It’s not about the Russians and Americans in war. It’s about Iran. Russia and the US both know that without the mullah stunning Iran, there xouldnfinally be peace in the Middle East as it is the mullah that are the last to want to continue to battle Israel.
    Without Iran the Palestinians will have to get real and accept that Israel isn’t going anywhere.
    If Iran is tempted to hit a US carrier or base, it’s game over. They know it and that is why Nasrallah has said this week that he knows he’s likely to die in the next round.
    Any anti Israel tool who writes on this site that Israel is finished should go to Israel and see how unfinished it is. Israel has already won and the sensible Arab countries know that.

    • Apr 27, 2019 @ 10:46 at 10:46
      Permalink

      Agree!!

  • Apr 27, 2019 @ 11:32 at 11:32
    Permalink

    Trump will not wage war the same way a stupid cheney-bush did, or a weak obama did. This president will go for jugular on day one. I love our President.

    • Apr 28, 2019 @ 19:02 at 19:02
      Permalink

      it’s a free country – you can love anyone you want.

      the point here is that the ayatollah isn’t iran and iran isn’t the ayatollah. destroying iran is messy and expensive, whereas a change of regime is much cleaner and more effective.

  • Apr 27, 2019 @ 22:27 at 22:27
    Permalink

    Big Deal. It’s all for show. Why do you make such a big deal out of this, Debka? American naval units are always entering-and then departing-from the eastern Mediterranean. So what if there was a VIP on the bridge? And why are 2 flat tops needed for Iranian naval threats? You always try to make mountains out of molehills, Debka. No way will the US Navy be drawn into a Syrian conflict. Israeli pilots flying missions are on their own.
    Caveat: It is possible that the US military is acting in defiance of Trump, not in support of his policies. He wants no trouble with his boss, Putin.

    • Apr 28, 2019 @ 19:04 at 19:04
      Permalink

      the us military defying the commander-in-chief? now THAT would be newsworthy!

      what brand of ganja be you smokin’, muhn?

Comments are closed.