The U.S. has now assembled one of the largest concentrations of combat power in the Middle East in decades — a buildup not seen at this scale since the 2003 Iraq War. . The carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has entered the Mediterranean with guided-missile destroyers in escort, joining USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group already in theater. Together, they push the U.S. presence to 17 warships — two carriers, nine destroyers and few littoral combat ships — each backed by air wings full of strike aircraft, electronic-warfare platforms & helos. It’s rare to see one carrier on station...two full carrier strike groups certainly sends a not-so-subtle message. . In addition, F-22s, F-35s, F-15s, & F-16s have been flowing into theater...plus tankers and airborne command-and-control platforms into bases across Jordan and Saudi Arabia (and plus-ups in the UK). Flight tracking and reporting from multiple media outlets indicate a force designed not for a single strike, but for a sustained, weeks-lo...