The first visible result of sequestration was seen from the US Navy today, with the announcement that they are suspending the deployments of a pair of frigates to the Caribbean as part of a drug war operation.
The deployments were to be a part of “Operation Martillo,” which involves Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Marines. The Coast Guard is complaining that the loss of the two ships is a major blow to the operation.
The ships are the USS Kauffman and the USS Rentz, both Perry-class guided missile frigates. The Kauffman has spent much of its nearly 30 years in service engaged in “anti-narcotics” operations, though it also spent some time in the early 1990’s enforcing sanctions against Iran as well.
Operation Martillo is a part of Southern Command, and has included ground deployments of Marines to Guatemala. Officials claimed 25,000 pounds of marijuana was captured by the operation in 2012.
If sequestration will end the drug war; can we cut another $85 billion?
How about pulling all the warships from Iran's backyard, then decommissioning about half of them?Think this will happen? No, probably not.
Many here are going to be delighted at the news I'm sure.
Another fraud from the war department. At 30 years old, these ships were scheduled for retirement anyways. Their function will be replaced with inexpensive drones.
I have to ask: exactly why do we NEED guided missile frigates on drug patrol duty? Is there some big badass drug cartel building a cocaine-filled version of the IJN Yamato that is feared to be able to make mincemeat of our Cost Guard boats?
I'm not in the habit of making predictions, but I would be very very surprised if the withdrawal of these ships makes any difference whatsoever in this phony 'war'.
More of the Sequestration Scare Tactics fueled by the White House to deflect attention away from the real issue of it being Obama's plan in the first place and now his bluff has been called. We just gave 65 billion to the Syrian rebels- just take that back and instantly the bulk of the 85 billion sequestration cuts will have been relieved.