ON LOCATION IN THE GULF

ONBOARD USS RONALD REAGAN: Greetings from the most powerful ship on the face of the earth. We're in the Gulf of Oman, just off Pakistan, directly south from Afghanistan. With the election underway there this week, tensions are high and the Taliban are increasingly nasty. They're threatening to "cut off the fingers" of those Afghans who try to participate in this, only their second free election in history. Taliban forces are also saying they'll blow up polling places. Yet locals will bravely cast ballots (Karzai expected to win reelection), putting to shame so many Americans who barely get off the coach to vote in our elections. Should give us something to think about.

Every day for hours, Carrier Airwing 14 launches an endless stream of F/A 18's heading out to support our Marines on the ground, especially in Helmand Province and Kandahar, Afghanistan. This ship and its Strike Group are essential in what they're doing, and these actions put these people right in the midst of current news. God bless them, and Godspeed. Afghanistan and this region are very hot this week (and not just the temperature). Of course, we're in the center of the action... and you are, too, via our special on-scene programs.

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