USS Kearsarge Deploys Soft Power

12th November 2008 Midwest McGarry
07:25 am

USS Kearsarge Deploys Soft Power

I love it when U.S. resources and technology are put to use for the greater good.

The USS Kearsarge is an amphibious assault ship which has supported U.S. Marines in combat in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq. The ship was the main platform used for the 1995 rescue of Captain Scott O’Grady after he was shot down over Bosnia.

But the Kearsarge’s current mission is quite different. As part of the Pentagon’s Operation Continuing Promise, the ship is on a four month tour of Nicaragua, Colombia, Panama, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana where it is providing humanitarian relief. Instead of its usual 2,000 Marines, the USS Kearsarge is carrying hundreds of medical and construction specialists.

“Kearsarge’s mission is to conduct civil-military operations including humanitarian and civic assistance, as well as veterinary, medical, dental and civil engineering support to six partner nations and to send a strong message of United States compassion, support and commitment to Central and South America and the Caribbean,” says the U.S. Navy.

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So what do you think? Is this is a good use of U.S. military resources? Will the mission build goodwill in the region or is it just an empty gesture?

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 12th, 2008 at 7:25 am and is filed under American foreign policy. It is tagged under public diplomacy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

There are currently 3 responses to “USS Kearsarge Deploys Soft Power”

Why not let us know what you think by adding your own comment! Your opinion is as valid as anyone else's, so come on... let us know what you think.

1 On November 12th, 2008, TB said:
I’d argue that the “ship which has supported U.S. Marines in combat in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq. The ship was the main platform used for the 1995 rescue of Captain Scott O’Grady after he was shot down over Bosnia” already was being used for the greater good.
2 On November 12th, 2008, monoglot said:
This is the best use of military power.

Given the percentage of the US budget that is given the DoD, humanitarian missions should be so frequent an occurrence that they no longer even merit mention. When I worked on a base in Japan, overwhelmingly the Marines would talk positively about similar missions they would run.

More such positive uses of our military and economic power would go a long way towards rehabilitating our tarnished image.
3 On November 12th, 2008, Midwest McGarry said:
To TB: I agree 100%.