The US ready for war however bad coronavirus gets

A STORY NOT USED BY THE TIMES: The Pentagon is ready to meet any threat overseas despite four of the US Navy’s aircraft carriers suffering from coronavirus cases, top American defence officials have said. “If our adversaries think this is our moment of weakness, they are dangerously wrong,” David Norquist, US deputy defence secretary, warned. However, USS Theodore Roosevelt, one of the ten carriers which give the US such global firepower is now effectively out of action temporarily with more than 550 of the crew testing positive and in isolation, one sailor in hospital who sadly died in intensive care, and about two thirds of the 4,800 crew members ashore in Guam in barracks and hotels. US Navy officials insisted the carrier could still be sent on a crisis mission if it was urgently needed. The crew on board are safeguarding the weapon systems and nuclear reactor. The Theodore Roosevelt is the worst-hit carrier and has also been at the centre of a leadership battle with the firing of the commanding officer, Captain Brett Crozier, and the subsequent resignation of Thomas Modly, acting navy secretary. However, three other carriers, USS Nimitz, USS Ronald Reagan and USS Carl Vinson have all had virus scares. One sailor on USS Nimitz tested positive and has been taken off the carrier which is currently preparing for operations in the Pacific. So far USS Ronald Reagan, in Japan, and USS Carl Vinson, at its home port, Bremerton in Washington state, have each also uncovered one crew member testing positive. Attempts are being made to trace other crew members who had contact with these sailors. General John Hyten, vice chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, said plans were underway in the event of other carriers suffering the same epidemic as the Theodore Roosevelt. “From my perspective I think it’s not a good idea to think that the Teddy Roosevelt is a one-of-a-kind issue. To think that it will never happen again is not a good way to plan,” he said at a Pentagon briefing. While agreeing that the US remained prepared for any military eventuality, General Hyten warned that readiness could be affected if there was a prolonged reduction in the numbers of new recruits entering basic training. Training and exercises have already been cut back, and all four armed services have drastically reduced recruiting. “For a short period of time that’s not a big issue but if that continues long then all of a sudden our numbers come down,” General Hyten said.