US Navy – The USNS Comfort sails for the Gulf.

• BBC: The floating hospital
• BBC: US hospital ship to sail towards Iraq

US Navy – The USS Tarawa amphibious ready group and the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit sail for the Gulf.

• San Diego Union Tribune: Thousands of Marines, sailors leave San Diego for Persian Gulf

Background – The Nature of Warfare – William Arkin signs off on his last DotMil column and asks if the US is better off now that debate and dissent within the US military is being eliminated by Defense Secretary Rumsfeld.

• Washington Post: Farewell to Dot.Mil Readers