The United States is rushing to send a large floating base to the Middle East in the midst of rising tensions with Iran, al-Qaida in Yemen, and Somali pirates, the
Washington Post reported Friday.
The Pentagon is converting an aging warship, the USS Ponce, which had been previously slated for decommission, into a staging base for commando teams. The report stated that the floating base could potentially provide shelter for smaller speed boats and helicopter, and could also be used as a base for mine-clearing operations.One of the main advantages of a floating base is that it can stay stationary for months, providing definite and continuous shelter for military personnel in the area. This is in contrast to other vessels, which usually patrol and change locations on a regular basis.
