A Symbolic Passage: USS Abraham Lincoln's Journey Home The USS Abraham Lincoln, a Nimitz class aircraft carrier, has begun its journey back home after a 250 day deployment in the Middle East.
As it sails past Singapore en route to Thailand for a port visit, the extended sojourn raises questions about the crew's well being and the nation's military strategy.
The Long Haul The Lincoln's lengthy deployment is symptomatic of the US Navy's increasing reliance on aircraft carriers as a means of asserting power in volatile regions.