No, We Are NOT About To Attack Iran

Various conspiracy theorists have been arguing that the normally scheduled deployments of the aircraft carriers USS Enterprise (CVN 65) and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) mean we're about to attack Iran. I suppose that's possible, even though we normally have at least 3 aircraft carriers deployed -- one in the Gulf (as USS Ronald Reagan is now), one on it's way to relieve them (or coming home from being relieved), and another on a non-Gulf deployment. Plus, I thought USS George Washington (CVN 73) was supposed to be getting ready to invade Venezuela, and I don't think we want to spread our carriers that thin.

Now comes word that two submarines, one from each coast, left on "surge deployments" last week. USS Louisville left from Pearl on May 2nd, and USS Memphis (SSN 691) left from Groton last Saturday. These "surge deployments" are something subs haven't done much lately, but they don't mean we're about to go to war again. Normally, they're run as demonstations that we can do it, and only last three months. The last time I remember the Navy doing a bunch of "surge deployments" was back in 2004, and we all remember how we attacked North Korea and Iran back then.

Bottom line: This is not an indication that we're about to attack Iran. Late-night pizza deliveries to the Pentagon, however...