Hagel orders U.S. aircraft carrier to Persian Gulf

photo In this image provided by the U.S. Navy sailors of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush assemble in formation on the flight deck in honor of the ship's namesake's 90th birthday on June 12, 2014.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has ordered an aircraft carrier - the Norfolk, Virginia-based USS George H.W. Bush - to move from the northern Arabian Sea to the Persian Gulf as President Barack Obama considers possible military options for Iraq.

Hagel's press secretary, Rear Adm. John Kirby, says the order will give the president added flexibility if military action is required to protect American lives, citizens and interests in Iraq.

Accompanying the carrier will be the guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea and the guided-missile destroyer USS Truxtun. The ships are expected to complete their move into the Gulf later Saturday.

The ships carry Tomahawk missiles, which could reach Iraq. The Bush is carrying fighter jets that could also easily get to Iraq, where a fast-moving Islamic insurgency is gaining territory.

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