Word: escorted
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...head of the gulf, Kuwaiti tankers flying the American flag were loading cargoes at Al-Ahmadi in preparation for the trip south under U.S. Navy escort...
...Navy put the 401,000-ton supertanker out front to protect the three U.S. warships that were supposed to be protecting it. The American vessels, bristling with the latest gear to defend against planes, ships and submarines, could not cope with the World War II-vintage mines. "Who is escorting whom?" asked Senate Majority Leader Robert Byrd last week. "This patently absurd and ridiculous result of the first escort mission is embarrassing to the nation...
...problem, which particularly plagues a democracy, is that sometimes a nation has to make reliable, long-lasting commitments or forfeit its credibility. Nor can such a projection of force be totally risk-free. The decision to escort Kuwaiti tankers violated the maxim that helped shape America's successful foreign policy in the early years after World War II: the need to balance commitments and resources. But in this case the commitment has been made, and the damage that a humiliating retreat would inflict on America's reputation would be almost as great as that from the Iranian arms- for-hostages...
Administration officials voiced confidence that the escort is more likely to deter attacks than provoke clashes. They cautioned, however, that the danger of terrorist strikes against U.S. embassies and foreign installations may increase. The spiraling tensions between Paris and Tehran last week and the doubts expressed on Capitol Hill underscored both the dangers of involvement in the gulf and the volatility of Iran's leaders. Even Dole's support for the reflagging sounded wistful. "It's a done deal," he said. "I may not think it's the best tactic, but it's done. The last thing...
...sparring also occurred in Washington, where the House of Representatives voted to delay by 90 days the Reagan Administration's plan to register eleven Kuwaiti tankers under the U.S. flag and provide them with a naval escort. The measure, however, was largely symbolic, because even if the Senate had followed suit, a presidential veto would probably have ensued. The reflagged tankers are scheduled to begin operating in the Persian Gulf next week...