| Obama in history (updated as of July 2010):
Activities as President:
On January 22, 2009, Barack Obama signed the order for the closure of the prison for suspected acts of terrorism at the American Military Base of Guantanamo (Cuba) o come within a year.
On January 29 US Congress supported the agenda for stimulation of the American Economy suggested by the US President. The agenda suggests an infusion of $819 billion. On February 10, the US Senate approved the agenda of extraordinary anti-crisis measures by Obama amounting to 838 billion dollars. For realization of agenda, 4 million new jobs should be created within a span of 2 yrs. Agenda also has space for direct investments in public healthcare, power and education.
US President Barack Obama conducted his first press conference on February 9, 2009.
On February 17, 2009 Obama sent an additional 17 000 military forces to Afghanistan.
In Denver Barack Obama signed the anti-crisis regulation upheld by the US Congress, for 787 billion dollars.
Barack Obama made an official visit to Moscow for 3 days from the 6th to the 8th of July. During the visit bilateral agreements, including the transit of American military cargoes to Afghanistan through the territory of Russia were signed.
Iraq and Afghanistan:
During Presidential Election race, candidate Barack Obama stated that the war in Iraq was a blunder of the Bush administration and Afghanistan should become the central point for the fight against terrorism. In the middle of 2008 Obama maintained that the American Military Subdivisions will not remain in Iraq by summer 2009. He also reiterated that the first day after his inauguration he would sign the order to end the war in Iraq. Immediately after coming into power he reconsidered his views about the end of war and in February, 2009 he stated that the combat operations in Iraq would be ended within 18 months.
During 2009, Barack Obama strengthened the American contingent in Afghanistan twice. In February 17000 armed forces were sent to Afghanistan to reinforce the already existing contingents. In December Obama made his intentions clear to send 30000 more troops to Afghanistan even emphasizing that the US has no interest in occupying Afghanistan. Presently, the American contingent in Afghanistan already totals about 70000 troops and would touch the 100 000 mark after the arrival of reinforcements, which is almost the same number of Soviet troops in Afghanistan during the peak of the war of USSR in Afghanistan (about 109 000 troops Soviet troops).
The escalated participation of the USA in combat operations in Afghanistan and also for the stabilization of the situation in Iraq has led to that. The deaths of American soldiers in Afghanistan were half as many as the deaths of American soldiers in Iraq in 2008 and the situation changed altogether in 2009, where deaths of Americans in Afghanistan rose two-fold than the reported deaths in Iraq. President Obama had to admit that 2009 was the bloodiest year for the American troops in Afghanistan since the beginning of counter-terrorism operation. Nevertheless, death counts of American soldiers still remain much below the annual death count of the Soviet contingent at the height of the war in 1979-1989.
The navy or marine fleet is a main unit of naval forces of the state. Depending on its composition, it can be divided into surface and submarine navy. Depending upon its size, it can also be called a flotilla.
In Russia and several other countries with a long naval history the navy is called the naval forces in general.
The British linear ship “Dreadnought” is the predecessor of all modern linear ships.
Tasks of the navy:
* To fight against naval forces of enemy;
* The infringement of the sea lines of communications of the enemy;
* The protection of their own sea lines of communications;
* The defense of the coast;
* Attacking of the enemy and invading the territory of the enemy via sea.
Navy History:
Historically, the sail-oar-propelled navy was the first. The Battle of Salamis of the Greco-Persian War era is considered as one of the first naval battles. The main tactics of the fleet was boarding, burning or ramming the ships of the enemy.
Linear tactics of naval battles appeared with the invention of sails (caravel) and the cannons arsenal.
The outstanding naval commander of that era was Vice-Admiral Nelson. The Battle of Trafalgar, carried out under his leadership with dazzling successes, changed the principles of navy battles.
The “Battle of Sinop” was the “swansong” of the sailing fleet. Post Crimean War, the advantage of steam ships became obvious and sailing ships gradually disappeared into oblivion.
The first successful attempts of armoring the ships also belong to this period.
The next significant stage in the development of ships all over the world was during the Civil War in the USA (1861—1865).
The Civil War proved all the advantages of armored fleet over wooden ships.
The role of boats and minefields increased during the Russo-Japanese War. The Landmark year was 1906, when the first battleship, the famous “Dreadnought" was built. During World War I, submarine boats got recognition during World War II – aircraft carriers and during the post-war period - navy ships (both surface as well as submarine) with guided-missile armament and nuclear propulsion plants.
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