Special to WorldTribune.com

ABU DHABI — The United States, amid a government shutdown, continues military operations in the Gulf.

The U.S. Navy said patrol and other operations in the Gulf would not be affected by the government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1. The Navy said the Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, would continue to be funded by Congress.

“It’s business as usual here,” a Fifth Fleet officer said. “We’ll be getting paid because the bill was passed.”

On Sept. 30, the House and Senate passed legislation to maintain funding to the military in fiscal 2014. Officials said U.S. sailors and other military personnel could be hampered by the suspension of embassy operations.

Officials said the Navy has increased the number of aircraft carriers
from one to two. They cited the deployment of the USS Truman and USS Nimitz,
the latter of which also operates in the Indian Ocean.

  ‘Business as usual’ in the Gulf: Shutdown not affecting Navy’s Fifth Fleet, U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet, USS Nimitz, USS Truman