US scales back to one carrier in Gulf

The US military will maintain only one aircraft carrier in the Gulf instead of two due to potential deep budget cuts that could kick in next month, Pentagon officials said Wednesday.
For several years, the United States has kept two carriers deployed in the Gulf due to tensions with Iran, but uncertainty surrounding the Pentagon's budget forced the decision, officials said.
The USS Harry S Truman had been scheduled to head to the Gulf today from its port in Norfolk, Virginia, but Defense Secretary Leon Panetta canceled the deployment after conferring with Navy commanders, officials said.
In the meantime, the USS John Stennis aircraft carrier remains in the Gulf, and is due to be relieved by the USS Dwight Eisenhower by early March, officials said.