4th Fleet: Back, and Ready for Hugo?

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The US recently reactivated its 4th fleet, a fleet which did not exist between the 1950's and this summer. From wikipedia:

The Fourth Fleet was originally established in 1943, during World War II, along with the other numbered fleets. The fleet was later absorbed by U.S. Second Fleet and disbanded in 1950 before being re-established in 2008.

The United States Fourth Fleet is a major command of the United States Navy in the South Atlantic, operating as a component of the joint U.S. Southern Command and is re-forming as of July 1, 2008 under the current command of RADM Joseph D. Kernan. Fourth Fleet is based at Mayport Naval Station in Jacksonville, Florida and is responsible for U.S. Navy ships, aircraft and submarines operating in the Caribbean, and Central and South America.[1]

The Fleet began operations again in the summer of 2008, but will not be fully staffed until 2009, in keeping with a manpower study conducted by U.S. Fleet Forces Command. According to the United States Department of Defense, the Fourth Fleet's aim will be to assist in narcotics interdiction efforts, humanitarian and goodwill interventions, and joint training with regional security partners.[2] This reactivation, without consulting regional partners, sparked concerns within their governments. The governments of Argentina and Brazil made formal inquiries as to the fleet's mission in the region.[3][4]

In Venezuela, Hugo Chavez accused the United States of attempting to frighten the people of South America by reactivating the fleet. [5] Cuban ex-president Fidel Castro warned that it could be lead to more incidents such as the Colombian intervention in Ecuador. [6]

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