US Sends Aircraft Carrier George Washington to the Middle East

The Wall Street Journal, citing U.S. officials, reported that the United States has dispatched the aircraft carrier USS George Washington to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, as part of a pre-planned military rotation schedule. According to a U.S. official, the plan to rotate aircraft carriers had been set before concerns were raised about living conditions aboard the Abraham Lincoln. The newspaper noted that the move follows an extended deployment of the Lincoln, which began its mission last November before being redirected to the Middle East in January in preparation for a potential war with Iran. Democratic members of the U.S. Congress demanded clarifications yesterday, Wednesday, regarding conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln, following reports of food shortages, plumbing system failures, and mental health crises among crew members during its longest deployment in the ship’s history.